PLAINS STOCK.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15120, 5 January 1922, Page 4

PLAINS STOCK.

HEAVY LOSSES.

(From our Travelling Reporter.)

At a meeting convened for the purpose of discussing veterinary matters, which was held recently at Ngatea, Dr. J. Jensen stated that when he first came to the Hauraki Plains, some three months ago, the exceptionally high stock death roll astounded him. He had immediately seen the necessity for some sort of veterinary aid.

Referring to the many causes of death, Dr. Jensen stated that constitutional mammitis was far more prevalent on the Hauraki Plains than in any other portion of the Dominion. This particular disease meant a great financial loss to the farmer, in that the milk supply of beasts affected was cut off, in many cases, for over one month. This alone meant the loss of hundreds of pounds. Still another trouble, and one which, if not dealt with immediately, promised to become the most serious menace to stock on the Hauraki Plains, was the great number of deaths caused by the prevalence of impure myero-organisms in the water, This was the cause of the major portion of the mortality, and was what one “vet.” who had come, to the district dared to call sepsis—a form of blood poisoning.

Dr. Jensen, replying to a query by a settler, stated that clover should not be grown on the eastern side of the Piako River. The soil in that district contained far too much nitrogen. If clover were sown, it would very materially increase-the quantity. He had not yet discovered whether this nitrogen was soluble in water.

Four farmers on the Hauraki Plains, said the doctor, had, in 12 months, lost over £llOO by mortality in stock. They had lost over 130 head of stock in the past year.