TROUBLES WITH STOCK

Shannon News, 8 April 1927, Page 4

TROUBLES WITH STOCK

fe-' * ' * L—IIwOBTAMTT AMONG HORSES. ISAMS AND "SWELLED HEAD." \%khe' pastoral history of Australia is [tjudded with "epic battles against diseases which are unknown or little iinawn in other countries, and the rttccess of the industry may be said, toriia-ve been the fighting- and conquering of these disease. Just now t|«o- branches of the industry are Ickling, problems have not »en encountered previously—" wr. I'.:ajjjwyut" disease in horses in the northwest of the continent, and " swelleddisease in rams. 4' "Walk-about" is a mysterious complaint. Affected horses walk about.without grazing until thoy come ;tb"'an obstacle like a fence or a tree, jarxd there they stand until they dir. To investigate it for the Commonwealth, a Melbourne botanist nnd a Ipeterinary officer have gon e to Western Ausft-alia. t The disease is prevalent only in April, May. June, and Ijfttly, but has a heavy mortality. received "show that losses :'have already occurred this year. The o&ct that the disease is restricted to (certain months suggests that it may |it>e : -due to plant-poisoning, the poison sbelng active when the shoots are but disapp«aring when the grow up. ii'- ** Swelled-head " disease in rams, ,jas. its name indicates, is a swelling of ;?the head until It grows out of all proportion and invariably results in the of the affected animal. Many drains are infected before being discovered, and the New South Wales of Agriculture is warning ftsneepbreeders to inspect their flocks each day in order to detect jtthe disease in its early stages. So far i-Irio clue to its cause has been discovered, except that heat is probably a factor. | ifj. Sheepowners are advised that on | an affected animal it j be placed in -a cart and taken ":Xo the coolest and shadiest place pos- ' Rams that are secured before! ,i;»the heads are greatly swollen and are carefully have recovered. The ff'best -veterinary talent of the departis now scattered far and wide this mysterious disease, hopes are entertained that the $ cause will soon be elucidated.