The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1932. RESEARCH WORK.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1932. RESEARCH WORK.

A lengthy communication sotting out particulars of research work has been issued by .the Director of Lincoln Agricultural College, dealing with veterinary research into mortality among ewes I adore and after lambing, which should prove of special interest to the farming community. In the court's of the report it was .stated that during the past two winters research had been fully gone into. Field investigations in 1930 were of an extensive nature involving many districts in Canterbury, and as a result conclusions that sleepy sickness 1 or dopinessi in ewes was caused by underfeeding or unbalanced feeding during the winter were formulated. A 1111ther test had been carried out on a mol) of 150 ewes which were used for controlled grazing trials. The experiment of 1931 confirmed the results of the previous year in regard to the value of winter feeding on ewe and lamb mortality. The 1031 results, however, opened up several lines of investigation which appeared to he of direct economic importance to the New Zealand sheepfnrnier. The Board of Governors felt- that the recommendation forwarded with the report, which emphasised the necessity for repeating tiie experiment on a large scale to eliminate experimental error, should lie carried on if means were available, it was suggested that the whole flock at Ashley Dene should be put under experimental treatment. The board felt that the investigation would have n far-reaching effect, in that it would place at die disposal of every sJieepown?r information which would enable him to reduce his losses to a minimum. Loss of ewes in Now Zealand was calculated at 5 per cent, and the loss of lambs much' higher. As an indication of the economicvalue of the results of the 1930 investigations into sleepy sickness or dopiness, and their adoption in 19.31. 280 cases of dopiness on nine different farms in 1930 were reduced to twentythree eases in 1931. The number nr owes under observation in 1930 was 3820 and in 1931 was 3974. Thus the incidence of disease from sleeply sickness or dopiness alone was reduced from approximately 7.3 per cent, in 1930 to approximately 0 nor cent, in 1931. as a result of extension work and putting into practice the results of research on winter feeding. Although the 1930 and 1931 investigations were of wide economic importance. and the results had since justified the work, it. was pointed out that, no outside financial assistance was obtained, the whole expenditure being borne by tin* board nt a cost of £IOO per annum, in addition to time and equipment. The board fully appreciated the importance of the experiment and the fact that the whole of the work had been done bv the staff, but it was regretted that it was not in a position to undertake it without further financial assistance. The expenditure for labour, fencing, food, and losses, necessary to the experiment had been estimated at £2OO.