EWE MORTALITY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20587, 28 November 1936, Page 19 (Supplement)

EWE MORTALITY

MORTALITY IN SOUTHLAND Bv Telegraph—Press Association INVERCARGILL, November 27 Reference to the exceptionally heavy mortality rate among ewes in Eastern Southland this season was made at the monthly meeting to-day of the Southland Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and a motion was carried expressing appreciation of the work done by the local veterinary officers, but asking that a thorough investigation should be made by a specialist delegated by the Government expressly for the purpose. Mr Henry Smith said that the death rate among ewes in the Eastern District had been alarming, and heavy losses were still being reported. There had ben cases of 30 and 35 ewes in individual flocks having died in a night. Some farmers had lost 8 to 10 per cent, of their best breeding ewes in addition to many lambs. It was a very sudden outbreak, but the losses were the most serious that the district had ever experienced. Officers of the Department of Agriculture had done fine work, but he thought there should be a thorough official investigation. It was a full-time job for an expert. Mr W. H. Ward: It has been a very wet season and the wool has not been drying on the sheep for months. Mr Smith: We have had wetter seasons before, but we have never had such an appalling death rate as this.