YOUNG LAMBS ATTACKED.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 September 1920, Page 8

YOUNG LAMBS ATTACKED.

NORTHERN WAIROA LOSSES. CONCERN AMONG OWNERS. Dargaville, August 31. Several farmers to-day report the loss of many healthy lambs, from three weeks to one month old, while inferior lambs are not attacked. ' The cause of the loss is yet a mystery. One of the Northern <Wairoa's leading sheepbreeders on Saturday afternoon found ten of his best lambs dead in a paddock. Investigations showed that in almost every case the lambs had bee-i pierced on either side of the throat and on top of the head. In a few instances the wound was on one side of the throat only. The incisions as a rule were jusi large enough to take in the tip of the finger. Yesterday three more lambs were found dead from the same cause. A few others were wounded, but not killed. The farmer rounded up his flocks last night, when there were no more fatalities. He is puzzled to know what has been killing the lambs. He at first thought it might be weasels, but abandoned this idea. Ilawks are not responsible, and he thinks wild cats may be the cause. In one solitary cas.; the head of the lamb was taken right off, but in all the other cases, beyond the wounds causing deatii, no harm was done to the carcases. He rang up some neighbors, and in rounding up their flocks they also found similar happenings. Sheep-owners are much concerned over the losses.