Half-yearly Report of the 8tocTc Branch. 629 



HALF-YEARLY REPORT OF THE STOCK BRANCH. 



By J. R. Weir. 



Reports received from the various Border and District Inspectors 

 of Stock bear evidence to the fact that the past season has, from a 

 grazier's or dairyman's point of view, been a phenomenal one. From 

 all quarters comes the welcome assurance that grass and water are 

 everywhere plentiful. 



The customary scourge of bush fires throughout the summer, in 

 one or other portion of the State, has not this season been felt. Where 

 on the northern areas but a year since nothing but miles of waste met 

 the eye on every side, there is this year abundance of grass and 

 water. Dams are everywhere full, and the stock are generally in 

 good condition. 



Possibly the quality of the grass may not be as good this year 

 as in others when so much rain has not been prevalent throughout 

 the summer, therefore perhaps the stock have not thriven as well 

 as their owners might have desired, but the hardships the major 

 portion of them endured throughout the State the previous season 

 must be remembered, and consequently had much to make up. In 

 the southern areas a comparatively dry winter gave place to a late 

 season ; the rainfall being well sustained during the summer, feed has 

 been plentiful. The grass throughout the summer south of the 

 Dividing Range presented more the appearance of a mild September, 

 and autumn is heralded in with an abundance of green feed on every 

 side. 



Diseases in Stock. 



Anthrax. — Only four cases of anthrax have been reported in this 

 State during the past season, each of which was separated from the 

 others by a considerable number of miles. In the North-eastern 

 district there were two outbreaks, one in sheep, the other in cattle; 

 the losses in each case were severe, but in each instance they were 

 localised to the centre in which the disease appeared. The stock 

 on these premises were promptly vaccinated, and the deaths checked 

 on the property on which the cattle were grazing. With the sheep 

 the mortality did not cease, but the deaths after vaccination were not 

 due to anthrax, as proven by post mortem specimens submitted to 

 Dr. Bull for bacteriological examination, who failed to find the bacilli 

 except in one case, and then in a very mild degree. The sheep in 

 question were old broken-mouthed ewes, and the strain on them in 

 suckling their lambs was answerable for their deaths. In the 

 Western district the outbreak was very severe in one case, but was 

 checked at once, as in the cases previously cited, and there was no 

 further trouble after vaccination. The other case reported caused but 

 little loss. In order to check the spread of the disease the usual 

 measures, which have been found effective, were resorted to in 



