MORTALITY AMONGST LAMBS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1891, 28 October 1913, Page 10

MORTALITY AMONGST LAMBS.

(By Telegraph.—Bpocial OorreFDondcnU ' Taihaps, October 27. In spite of tlie fact that n. very mild winter and early spring was experienced, thoro has been considerable mortality among Jambs in tho Taihape dis- . trict. ■, Up till recently tho weather conditions liaye been good, and there is an abundance of grass; but lambs have been dying off in large numbers. In some cases .a post-mortem revealed the fact that death was duo to congestion, owing to the milk clotting in tho stomach. J In other cases there has been Bothing to indicato tho cause of death. ,Tlw advice of a Departmental expert was sought, and he expressed tho opinion that owing to tho abundance of feed tho.milk of the ewes was too rich, and the lambs were over-conditioned. He recomriiended docking immediately, with extensive bleeding. Since docking the'mortality in some parts of,the district has ceased almost, entirely,- but has increased ,in other parts. A Koeke settler who estimated a percentage of 120 docked only 93 per cent., and numbers -of apparently healthy 'lambs are' - still dying! Another settler who had a percentage of 100 lambs from aged ewes, docked only 60 per cent., and tho mortality still continues. A sheepfarmer with considerable experience Btates that tho mortality is due to tho abscnce of frost and snow, owing to which _ there aro certain poisonous substances in the ' glass, which would not otherwise exist. In support of his contention, ho mentions that grown sheep are coming in weak, and some of. them are iu ft vory Unhealthy condition.