FACIAL ECZEMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 July 1938, Page 3

FACIAL ECZEMA

TOP-DRESSING NOT THE CAUSE.

OBSERVATIONS BY STOCK INSPECTOR.

Some interesting observations regarding facial eczema in sheep were made by Mr F. Graham, Stock Inspector in charge of the Hawke’s Bay district, who returned recently from Kaitaia. Mr Graham’s experiences confirm the view that the disease is not caused by top-dressing, a theory held by some. Mr Graham stated that although there had not been much evidence of the facial eczema epidemic in the Kaitaia district several properties were affected to a certain extent. On one property in particular cases occurred, in a paddock which had recently been sown on bush burn and on which no top-dressing whatever had been applied. The sheep were removed from this young lush pasture on to older paddocks and the trouble disappeared. Much of the pasture in the Kaitaia district consisted of paspalum, said MrGraham, but he had heard of no case of facial eczema taking place on pasture of this type.

Mr Graham's observation in this respect confirms the conclusion reached by investigators in other districts affected by the facial eczema trouble. Certainly the conclusion is a very definite one in favour of pastalum and farmers in parts of Hawke’s Bay suited to its growth might fare far worse than to maintain an area of this grass as a kind of insurance against further outbreaks of facial eczema in the future.