MORTALITY AMONG LAMBS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 626, 10 December 1913, Page 2

MORTALITY AMONG LAMBS.

TAIHAPE EXPERIENCES. In common with other parts of Nuw Zealand, farmers in th° Taihape district have experienced severe losseß of lamba this season. So far as tha weather conditions are concerned, the season has been an exceptionally good one, there is an abundance of grass, and there has been an almost complete absence of frost and snow. One settler in the Kueke district estimated his lambing per centaga at 120, but owing to the high rate of mortality, the per centage at docking was only 93. Another settler in the same district estimated a per centage of 100 from aged ewes, and docked only 50 per cent. The mortality was confined almost exclusively to the rich pastures, and in the country under native grass there were very few losseß. The opinion of an expert was sought and he stated that the mortality waß due to the richness of the ewea' milk causing congestion, and post-mortem examinations supported this opinion, as the kidneys were found to be in a pulpy state. Docking, with free bleeding, was recommended In some cases the mortaitly ceased after docking, but continued unabated in other parts of the district. Mr C. J. Reakes, of the Stock Department, visited the district recently. He agreed that congestion, due to the richness of the ewes' milk, waß the cause of the mortality, and hat immediate docking was advisable. This however, was only part of the remedy. The abundance and richness of the grass affected the milk of the'ewes to the extent of causing congestion, and it was no use docking the lambs and allowing the eweß to remain on rich pastures. He recommended their removal to poorer land. In support of his contention Mr Reakes stated that it was only among single lambs, that there was a high rate of mortality, which was entirely absent in the case of triplet?. In reference to the opinion expressed by a local farmer, to the effect that the cause of the mortality was due to the existence of poisonous matter in the grass, owing to the absence of frost and snow, Mr Reakes said that "sheep-sick" land wa", in a sense, poisoned. This was due solely to over-stocking, and could be remedied by subdividing into paddockß, so that frequent changes of grazing could be effected. The "alternate grazing of sheep and cattle on the same land was beneficial, but overstocking should be carefully avoided. WW—■■■■■—■——