MILLION POUNDS LOST

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 95, 18 May 1938, Page 3

MILLION POUNDS LOST

IY FACIAL ECZEMA IN THE WAIKATO STUPENDOUS FIGURES. HAMILTON, Last night. It is estimated by competent authorities'that close on £1,000,000 has been lost by Waikato farmers through the facial eczema epidemic. This huge sum takes into account not only the direct losses by death or stock, but also the limited income that will be the result next season through smaller lambing and calving. It is pointed out that 100,000 breeding ewes which died or have been killed because of the disease represent a loss of some £200,000, while the reduced lambing next season will mean an approximate loss of another £200,000. Farmers have been compelled to sell fat sheep at 75 per cent, of their value, and this loss is estimated to reaeh £IOO,OOO. To these losses must be added haulage and killing charges for infected sheep. These figures account only for the fat lamb trade, but it is considered that when the losses that will be incurred through smaller wool cheques, butter-fat cheques, and through death and infection of dairycows with consequent loss of calves, are taken into account, the total loss will he approximately £1,000,000.