THE STOCK OF THE COLONIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1973, 12 September 1889, Page 6

THE STOCK OF THE COLONIES.

Annual Reports op the Inspectobs of Stock FOJE THE YflAB ENDING MARCH 31, 1889. The annual reports of the inspectors of stock for the year ended 31st March were written in May, with two exceptions — viz., those for the Mariborough-Nelson district (17th April) and the Canterbury-Kaikoura district (22nd April). Presumably, therefore, we have information . regarding the general health and condition of the stock of the colony to a comparatively recent date. Reviewing the reports in the order published, ■ Mr Benjamin P. Bayly, chief inspector for the . Auckland district, states that the number of sheep in the district was 344,480, as against 299,479 in the previous year— an increase of 45,000 for the 12 months ; and that both clip and lambing were reported above the average. There : were 6438 sheep and 3259 lambs, or a total of • 9697, frozen for export during the year, and , about 2000 were exported to Fiji and Samoa. I No disease is known to exist in sheep with the exception of scab in one small lot of 230. On 1 the 28th of March these were, reported to have 1 again broken out. • They are a portion of the ' same flock that were infected la3tyear, and run r upon Bwampy, scrubby country, . . . This" outbreak is without doubt attributable to scabby stragglers having been left oat on country where * the flock was previously dealt with. .... > The flocks infected at the Thames last year are : now thoroughly safe. They have been inspected

several times, both before and since clean certificates were granted, and have proved clean." A systematic and thorough inspection of all flocks within the district has been carried out, and a close supervision of all saleyards. " Did any disease exist except where known of, it must have been seen by now." All cattle within the district continued healthy.

Under the heading " General Remarks," Mr Bayiy states that there was in the district under his supervision a slight increase in the area utilised for depasturing purposes, and it has been observed that Natives are taking sheep far back into the King Country. "Breeding (with the exception of a few owners) is as a rale paid very little attention to, with the consequence that interior stock and lighter fleeces are more common than should be the case -were more attention paid to this matter.

The chief inspector for the Napier district, Mr R. C. Pasley, reports the health of the sheep during the year to has been exceedingly good. The winter of 1888 was exceptionally fine and mild, and consequently there was a good lambing—over 70 per cent., " and the finest clip of wool there has been for years." Owing to the dry weather there was very little lungworm, except on country that was overstocked. At date of report (3rd May 1889) it is stated, " At present the country is in a deplorable state from want of rain," and it was feared there would be losses during the winter among hoggets and old sheep.

There were 208,335 sheep frozen, and 33,893 sheep boiled down or preserved, a^d 174,000 were taken from the district during the 12 months into other districts.

Mr B. Clifton, chief inspector, WellingtonWest Coast district, reports that while the health of all stock may be considered generally satisfactory, " lungworm is still the cause of considerable mortality among young sheep, and will continue to be so until flockowners realise the importance of providing clean pastures, and adopt a more liberal treatment of young stock." Further, "the attention of stockowners has been directed to the presence of tuberculosis among cattle. It is evident that legislation should be provided for dealing with this disease, for it is certainly injurious to the increasingly important dairy industry of the colony."

In reference to scab in sheep, Mr Clifton says : " The last appearance of the disease in his district was in the vicinity of the Three Kings, Wairarapa North. Two men were employed daring the past summer to scour out this country, with tha satisfactory result that no traces even of wild sheep could be found. It may therefore be fairly assumed that this disease has been finally eradicated in the Wellington sheep district."

During the year 229,466 sheep were frozen ; 16,614 were preserved, and 20,238 were boiled down— a total output for exportation of 266,288. The West Coast district absorbed 89,285 from Hawke's Bay for the purpose of " stocking up newly grassed bush land." Finally it is lemarked that autumn dipping having become almost universal, the number of sheep affected with lice is now comparatively small.

For the Mariborough-Nelson district, the chief inspector reports that since taking charge, the greater portion of his time has been occupied in superintending the destruction of wild and other sheep in the different blocks of country — viz , Tophouae, Red Hills, Mount Patriarch, Beeby's Knob, and D'Urville Island, localities where outbreaks of scab had occurred. The flocks are now free from scab, but the Mount Patriarch flock is still on the infected list, in consequence of some scabby sheep having been killed" outside the fence on February 28 last by the wild sheep hunters. Cases of the prevalence of lice among flocks were reported, and the sheep dipped. There are freezing works in the district, but 20,527 carcasses of sheep were boiled down or preserved.

No disease appeared among cattle or horses, and the lambing and clip of wool were quite up to the average of the previous seasons.

Under date Christchurch, 22nd April 1889, the chief inspector for the CanterburyEaikoura district, Mr R. Foster, writes :— " The season (1888-9) has been most favourable for sheepownere —an exceptionally mild winter, followed by an early spring produced the best grown clip of wool and the heaviest percentage of lambs known for some years." The exceptions to the general prosperity were "in the Mackenzie Country and the back country as far north as the Bakaia, where a succession of severe storms in July (1888) caused serious losses of sheep, damage to wool, and poor lambings. The number of'sheep returned on the 31st May 1888 was 4,837,157, being a decrease of 125,319 on the previous year, owing mainly to the bad lambing in the spring of 1887. It is expected that notwithstanding the large number of sheep frozen and boiled down, the next returns will show an increase."

The general health of the stock in the district has been good, with the exception of " a slight outbreak of scab at Eaikoura recently, which, however, was promptly dealt with. This disease is now confined to a comparatively small area of extremely difficult country at Kaikoura, and the measure now being taken will, it is expected, shortly stamp the disease out finally." Lung and intestinal worms have not been prevalent, and in consequence of dipping being now more generally practised " there is a marked improvement as regards lice and ticks."

The number of frozen carcasses of mutton exported was 327,652, being an increase of 11,197 on the previous year. The number of sheep boiled down or preserved was 33,092. The number of frozen carcasses of beef shipped was 669.

Mr Foster calls attention to the fact that complaints of sheep stealing are becoming more frequent, and suggests that an alteration in the law relating to brands and earmarks is desirable.

The sheep inspector for the Otago district, Mr Alfred Douglas, reports in reference to the health of live stock during tie year: — "With the exception of the loss of a few horses and cattle in the immediate neighbourhood of Winton, from some cause not fully accounted for, but which has recurred for the last three or four years about Christmas time, the health of stock generally has been very good, and no disease reported to me Lambing was above the average on farms and low country generally, but owing to the exceptionally heavy fall of snow in the high country in the interior and a cold spring on many runs the percentage was very low. The general average throughout the Otago district, would be about 65 per cent."

In reference to lungworm disease Mr Douglas writes : — " The local inspectors report that up to the present this disease has hardly been noticed, and owners of sheep being fully aware of the necessity for providing clean pastures for the weaners, and that prevention is better than cure, I do not anticipate much trouble from this parasite." As regards ticks and lice the report is equally satisfactory. It is stated : " Dipping now being so general, very little plucking is to be Been, and all sub-inspectors have been instructed to vigorously enforce the act." Ihe following statistics are given in the report;: — "During the year ended 31st March 1889, 237,882 frozen carcasses (being 12,347 less than in previous) were exported from the three ports in this district — namely : Dtinedin, 134,091; Oamarn, 63,103; Bluff, 40,688; and

60,000 were preserved, being an increase of 13,483 on previous year; and 95,347 were boiled down, being 34,197 less than previous year. There were 124 animals imported into the district and 50 exported, as against 109 imported and 180 exported in the previous year."