860 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



REPORT OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF STOCK. 



/. B. Weir. 



As will be seen by attached reports received from the various 

 district inspectors and summaries of the various ojBBcers on the border 

 stations, the prospect from an agricultural and pastoral point of view 

 is decidedly bright and cheei-ful. From no single source comes a 

 disheartening statement, all bear witness that a record season is in 

 store. Truly the prospect of such a season cannot bring back to life 

 the l)leaehed carcases of those poor animals which perished during 

 the ill-fated years which we have passed through. The dominant 

 note from all quarters is that the land is understocked, but this will 

 have its compensating benefits, as the surviving animals will have the 

 choicest of pasturage on which to recoup their strength, and the 

 young stock, in addition to being the progeny of hardy animals, will 

 be enabled to build up strong, hardy, sturdy frames from their having 

 abundance of choice feed. The grass lands will profit by the light 

 stocking, as a great deal of the herbage will have had a chance to 

 seed, and thus replenish after the severe trial which had been imposed 

 upon it. 



Horses seem to have been particularly free from disease, but few 

 cases of string-halt have been recorded. In some localities, strangles 

 assumed a malignant form, but the losses were few. 



Cattle- 

 It is to be noted with pleasure that our herds are, taken as a 

 whole, showing a decrease in the number affected with tuberculosis, 

 and this, too, despite the heavy strain dairy animals have upon them 

 in producing milk There appears a desire on the part of dairymen 

 to improve the system of management, by studying the comfort of 

 their animals. This all tends to improve the health of the animal and 

 the wealth of its owner. As might be expected, there were but few 

 cases of actinomycosis recorded, and when the case was an aggra- 

 vated one the animal was destroyed. Of anthrax only two cases were 

 recorded during the past half-year, and twenty-two cases of 

 pleuro-pneumonia, all of which were confined to one class of country. 

 A¥hen delay was experienced in stamping out an outbreak, it was 

 due to the fact that improper virus was used ; at present all 

 seems well, as no outbreak has been reported for some time. But 

 few cases of impaction have been reported. ' From a few quarters 

 cripples are reported — pasture deticiences and close breeding are 

 the important factors which tend to produce this condition. 



Sheep. 



There have been a few reports received of trouble among sheep, 

 which, upon investigation, have been traced to fluke and hydnemia — 



