VALUE OF COBALT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 42, 28 July 1939, Page 3

VALUE OF COBALT

RESEARCH AT CAWTHRON Two papers by Dr H. O. Askew, published in the Journal of Science and Technology, give some interesting and valuable results of the research conducted at the Cawthron Institute into the problems of mineral deficiency in soils in the Nelson province. The results reported show thai drenches of cobalt salts or of acid extracts of a Nelson soil give complete control of sheep ailment at Glenhope. Sheep were maintained in perfect health ever a period of two 3 r cars by the regular administration of these drenches. Evidence is presented in the papers showing that the Glenhope ailment is caused solely by a deficiency or cobalt. The copper contents of both soils, pastures and animal organs were normal nnd no evidence was obtained suggesting that iron, in addition to cobalt was concerned in the incidencc of ailment. SUCCESS OBTAINED. An interesting feature of the worl? reported i.n the papers was the sue. ccss which had been obtained by the use of cobalt salts for the top-dress-ing of affected pastures. Sheep af. fected with the Glenhope ailment were Restored 'to health and maintained in excellent condition for a period of two years by top-dressing the pastures with superphosphate containing 2lb of cobalt chloridc an acre. The analytical data accompanying the papers show that the cobalt topdressing greatly increased the cobalt content of the pasture. From other results now available at the institute if, is considered that the amount of cobalt used in the top-dressing ex, perfmcnt could be reduced considerably without detriment to the health of the sheep. RESULTS OF TRIALS. In the second paper by Dr Askew the results of cobalt lick trials in the Sherry Valley, Nelson, are reported. A typical pasture on granite-de-rived soil was selected /for the lick experiment a,nd 21 ewes were drafted into the field and maintained without grazing change for a per;iod of two years. Previously difficulty had always been experienced if sheep Aver-e held eA'en for a feAV months on this pasture.

A ''lick" corrtn'ning equal parts of dairy salt, steamed boneflour, plus cobn.lt chloride crystals at the iate of Ifioz a ton of lick, was supplied in self.fecder boxes, suitably protected from the weather. The sheen and later on the lambs took the lick eagerly and on the average consumed 3oz a head a week. Both sheep and lambs in two sue. cessivc seasons did splendidly on the pasture. The results shoAv conclusively that the provision- of cobalt W'k enables breeding ewes to be carried without change on pastures ; which were previously regarded as unhealthy, states the paper.