IN THE FIFTIES AND SIXTIES. 



Mr. Boadle said : " The first case occurred in an imported cow, 

 landed in good condition, and giving milk. She was attacked and died 

 in November last, six weeks after arrival. Two others died in the 

 latter end of December and beginning of January. From that to the 

 present time, with only one slight intermission of a month, the ravages 

 of the disease have been incessant." 



The committee report : " That of five animals imported by Mr. 

 Boadle two have died, a third is at present recovering from the at- 

 tack, a fourth is seemingly recovered, and a fifth has hitherto escaped 

 the distemper. The total number of deaths have been twenty- 

 three ; five beasts have recovered, but are evidently unsound, and on 

 the occasion of our inspection ten were ill, of which lour were slaugh- 

 tered for dissection." 



Although Mr. Boadle's entire herd of fifty-one head of cattle were 

 destroyed and the farm quarantined, no legislation was effected until 

 it broke out again in a team of bullocks belonging to a Mr. McKinnon 

 in December, 1860. In 1861 the disease appeared at the Ovens, and 

 in a few months later it was introduced into New South Wales by a 

 Mr. McLaurin from Mitta Mitta, Victoria. Since 1861 there has been 

 many outbreaks of the disease in New South Wales. It is being 

 gradually stamped out. The constant outbreak of this plague was the 

 chief cause of retarding the continuous progression oi the agricul- 

 tural and horticultural industries on the South Coast during the years 

 1856-68. It was first introduced into Illawarra by a Mr. Stu^ky. 



According to the generally adopted system of dairy farming in 

 Illawarra and Shoalhaven Valleys in fact, the whole of the South 

 Coast during the long space of time between 1858-88, the cows got 

 their own living for about seven months of each year, and during the 

 remainder the greater part of their food had to be provided for them. 

 In other words, they were allowed to run out on the pasture (from 

 October to April, and then hand fed in the paddocks the remaining 

 months. When the seasons were fair and there were not too many 

 cows kept on the farms, the system was very satisfactory indeed. 

 The reasons given for the success of this system were, in the first 

 place, the climate was by no means severe, consequently the tempera- 

 ture did not affect the stock ; secondly, the cows being so much out 

 in the open air, were generally in better health than they would be 

 enclosed in buildings ; and thirdly, when allowed to gather their own 

 food they always seem to be more contented than when cooped up in 

 pens. 



Be these contentions what they may, the system prevailed, and gave 

 general satisfaction throughout the coastal districts ; but on the table- 

 lands a system of stall feeding had to be resorted to during the 

 winter months. 



Another system was often suggested, but seldom, if ever, .followed 

 namely, the "soiling system." In this case the whole of the food is 

 cut for the cows, and they are entirely stall-fed. Here the cows are 

 sheltered from the weather ; their manure is saved ; and they have 

 the advantage of abundant food. In order to carry out this system, 

 however, the land would require to be heavily manured and in/ dry 

 time irrigated, which would mean heavy yields of green fodder. 



The advantages of this system will be readily seen by those who 

 are in a position to carry it out advantageously. That an increased 

 supply oi milk would be obtained from the cows will be admitted 

 b/ ail, as will also the fact that more cows can be kept on the^ same 

 quantity of land. But the principal question that arises will be, 

 "Will the extra supply of milk pay for the extra labor required ?" 



On the one hand, the cows required no attention whatever save 

 milking for nearly seven months in the year ; whilst under the system 

 suggested the whole of their food must be brought to them, and the 



61. 



