CORRESPONDENCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1448, 31 December 1885, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

MORTALITY- IN SHEEP. TO THE BEITOB. Sib,-—I would like to bring under public notice a fact which has recently come under my observation. Alter having been shorn, several of my sheep died ; but from what cause I cannot well understand. I also know that sheep belonging to some of my neighbors have died under similar circumstances, Immediately after having been shorn, or dagged, the sheep get si iff in the legs and cannot move, and they are generally found lying in a natural way, quite dead, with u good deal of foam about the mouth. When opened, the aheep appear quite healthy and aound, and the only thing noticeable is that the flesh is black about ant cuts they may have received, and also down the inside of the hind legs ; and if cut in the belly the underneath is nil discolored. Another remarkable feature of it it that hoggets and fat sheep are most liable to die, The death occurs within a couple of days of shearing. I have not seen any sheep dead which bad not been cut, bub mine were so slightly cut that it could hardly be attributed to that. I was inclined to believe that pigs had something to do with it, as I had pigs running in my yard. To test this, I got an old sheep, which was badly cut, and turned her into the pig yard for a couple of days, but she was nut one bit the worse for it. I write this letter so as to draw attention to this very serious matter, in the hope that someone may be able to explain the cause of this extraordinary mortality amongst sheep, and suggest a remedy. —I am, etc., Alex. Kelman.