RAGWORT AS A POISON.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81839, 4 September 1906, Page 2

RAGWORT AS A POISON.

LOSSES OF STOCK, On Friday Mr J. A. Gilruth. M. R. C. V. S. Chief Government Yeterinarian for Taranaki, and Mr T. Rowan, Stock Inspector, conducted a post mortem examination upon a iow that had tlitrcl on a farm neai Inglewood. The cow had been grazing on land infested with ragwort, t lie weed having' increased to such an extent that it far exceeded the amount of grass obtainable by the stock. As the result of the examination Mi Lri'ruth was able to attribute the cause of d"ath to the ragwort. Duringthc past ten years 31 cows have be'll lost U| „ ln this land, it is thought 10m the same cause. Seeing that " as a very important matter t<. taimers, rnany of whom view the M'read of ragwort with the utmost 1 rcncc, Mr Gilruth devoted some lime to ragwort in his address at fri™ ffi n" 1 Friday ' The c,: ' soasi ' uentihcally known as "hepatic cirr ls better known in the co'oll, as \\ ,nt on disease," from the fact that n has been reported from thai pan of South laid for the past twen J >ca Is, but it is -now prevalent t n'oughout that province. In horses . !! , symi>toms <>f the disease aro a rteiik, staggering', swaying- gait. "lien standing a tendency to stamp wnh 011 „ or both hind fcc(> , witch;n^ n ( T, USC CS '- an amaurotic condition o f t!'e pupils, yellowness of the 5" mucous membranes (which eondv VC 7 ' )ronouncrc| ). a clammy e nd.tion of the mouth, constipation n egular and generally weak inter! I pu.se, a depraved appetite, " "lempL-rature. The C ar!m,r 50 Tr- m is a mss and general dullness. The aIT- . , '"iimal eats any rubbish such Stra "'' d »- ;; H " dl ™y 1,0 convenient. In advanced stagey there seems to be a con,nuous effort to keep from fall ins, and soon afterwards the anima! exhibits symptoms 0 f what can onlv e lkonCc l.t« drunkenness, lurching uess ar f r ' th n ° ev:dcnt c ,ns c'ous" -So direction. I n C(ws t| , p fim •o. ab.e symptom is a diminution 1" the mill; supp.v, and a presence of ■' peculiar odour in (he niilk and "bout the cow's skin, the latter being lenc.ered m .»re clofinito bv rubbing «k>n with the hand. The milk ' , a !' f cubar,v acrid flavour which absolutely us, less f„ r buttc •n 'king. The-,. Is rm;lciat:o .inc la voracious appetite; iaurdxe is " 01 Pronoun,',>d. end. as in !t hai b ' on ,10tlVwl th" n d'n , l"" ! ' f V iViOUS «" S!lr " -jmila; and farming- metho^U"; nt e foirner case the eattle are nnr : 'r, bin l ' l ' ' Vl ''', St ' n th '' ial,L ' r tllov V, TV a 'V mas ?- fluently hand- ■ '■ .""lv.Point of uniformity in " tli-s r-.-is ,s Ihe presence of rag, i ,t.v, hu h ,sal. so prolific („ ,j,o „ . M , V 'y 1 ' Xova where , "V" are considerable. 11l ..Son ami i.S„>, a disease known S«i,.mv sta,ff5 ta , ff « :<,rs " v;ißotl in lh« botth-Wesi 0 f Mug-land ilml W;lVs ancl it was sunpnsed t „ f ronl t |,„ animals ragwort or s'agger"Oil, Vide tli' 1 rep- rt g'lwn at th'' time. Mr G;!mib hn« prescribed powders n a'ning „ ;lm | ni ' n to threo-rjunrti*- s of -ram of *r\v!ini]v. one daily. t ,, in bran ninslioß. S'i-e:> s ,f,.1„ 1,,. pi. l( .„ ( | 0I) M(r ' lln:K fnttenin'r. bu> tbev m-!St first be put c:n f r o-.'v ai> V „r or t've dai'y.