STAGGERS at WEST CLIVE, N.Z.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 289, 14 July 1875, Page 2

STAGGERS at WEST CLIVE, N.Z.

(From the Australasian}. Sib,—ln your issue of 22nd May I see an inquiry from a settler at Hawke’s Bay regarding the above disease in sheep, cattle, and horses fed on English grass paddocks. Having had considerable experience among stock fed in paddocks in the Canterbury province, where the disease is very prevalent among young, long-woollcd and cross-bred sheep, though I have never known it affect horses or cattle, I beg to inform him that he will most probably find thecause to be “ergot ” in his rye grass, as it has been proven to be the cause in or about Christchurch. The sheep are more particularly affected when suddenly rounded up with a dog, and show all the symptoms of poisoning by “ tutu,” but recover if left quietly by themselves for about a quarter of an hour, but fall off in condition very fast, and are more subject to the fit after every attack. Cure.—Shift the sheep on to native pasture, and harrow the land thoroughly with chain harrow, or better still, plough up and put in turnips, and then procure clean seed, when you lay down again with grass ; and as the “ ergot ” is mostly found in the different kinds of rye grasses, eliminate them from the pasture, and in their place substitute timothy, cocksfoot, and Yorkshire fog. Bleeding in “ ergot ” poisoning is of no avail, but a mild aperient, quiet, a change to native pasture, and the careful supervision of the shepherd to put the patients on their feet every morning will go far to effect a cure. T. A. Khull. Wodonga.