B.eport of the Chief Tn spec tor of Stock. H63 



usual in most of tlie Western district, it remained green until autumn. 

 Notwithstanding- the abundant su])ply, graziers are of opinion that it 

 has not been so nutritious as in normal seasons, which, I tliink, may 

 be attributed to the excessive moisture having forced the growth. 

 The grass may be said to be water-grown, and hence lacking in the 

 nutritive properties that it would have if the usual process of spring- 

 growth and summer ripening had taken place. Although such a 

 season appears to be beneficial, it may be at the expense of the 

 following year, in that the forced and weakened growth results in 

 seed deficient in germinating ])ower. This, with the failure of the 

 autumn rains and sudden advent of severe cold, has clouded the 

 prospects for the winter. Fortunately for graziers, however, hay is 

 plentiful and cheap and stock can be hand-fed cheaply, creating a 

 demand that Avill be very acceptable to the numerous holders of large 

 stacks of hay. 



Stock generally are in good condition and remarkably free from 

 disease. Fat cattle are plentiful and cheap for this time of the year. 

 Sheep remain at a high price and are not likely to come down, 

 although the demand for store sheep has slackened lately, the 

 uncertainty of the season probably being the cause. 



The past summer has been a remarkably good one for the growth 

 of fodder crops, maize especially, samples of which have been 

 exhibited reaching to a height of 12 feet. 



Actinomycosis, contrary to my expectations, has not been so 

 prevalent, due probably to the barley grass not ripening as in normal 

 seasons. 



It is my pleasing duty to report a great falling off in the number 

 of cases of pleuro-pneumonia in the Western district, which have 

 been so few that it may be said to have been almost extinct. 



The herds continue to show a diminution in the number of cases 

 of tuberculosis also, it being a rare thing to see an advanced case. 



Three localities have been visited with outbreaks of anthrax this 

 year, the source of infection in each instance being obscure. None 

 of the farms previously affected have had a recurrence, a result 

 mainly due to the measures taken to stamp out the disease. 



Lung-worm in sheep has given some trouble, but ticks and lice 

 have not been so much in evidence. Stringhalt has not been very 

 troublesome, a few isolated cases only coming under my notice. 



Exercising vigilance in preventing the spread of swine fever has 

 occupied most of my time of late. There has been no recrudesence 

 of the trouble at any of the originally infected farms, and those cases 

 that have occurred were introduced from other districts. I am certain 

 of getting it under control if no " foreign " pigs (as they are called 

 in the Western district) are brought into the district, and to prevent 

 their coming, if possible, the salesmen are refusing to offer any but 

 local pigs in their yards. I think it is but due to them to acknow- 

 ledge the support they have given me in my efforts to prevent the 

 spread of disease generally. I am sorry that I cannot say the same 



