1 Joxy, 1201.) QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 133 
The following two papers were then read by Mr. T. E. Covrson, of 
Rosewood :— ' 
INJURIOUS EFFECTS OF SORGHUM ON STOCK. 
My object in bringing this matter under the notice of this Conference is to try 
and cause some light to be thrown on the injurious effect of sorghum on dairy stock. 
Tn the district I have the honour to represent as one of the delegates at this Con- 
ference, dairying is extensively carried on, and it is very necessary, in order to do so 
successfully, that winter feed should be provided. Now, the crop that will give the 
greatest. bulk and remain in the green state the longest is undoubtedly sorghum, 
especially on the highlands, where it is not injured by frost. But since the last few 
years, many dairy farmers, especially in the Rosewood district, have suffered very 
severely by its effects, sometimes through accident, owing to the cattle breaking into 
sorghum paddocks from which the crop has been taken off. The worst case that has 
come to my knowledge was that of a poor widow woman who had a little herd of 
seventeen cows anda bull, all of Sate with the exception of one cow, died from 
eating sorghum. Some people run their cattle, as Ido myself, on sorghum, in all 
stages of its growth, without losing one beast. It has been stated by some that 
sorghum, where subjected to frost, is fatal to stock, while others are of opinion that 
it is after rain that a fungus forms on the young shoots. I think there is something 
in this last theory, as one man I know lost eleyen cows last year when the shoots were 
not more than 1 inch long, and these cattle were not in the field more than one hour 
before they were seriously affected. ‘The experiences of the people who have suffered 
are by no means alike—indeed, they are very conflicting. In some cases the cattle are 
only slightly moved, but all are very unanimous in the opinion that they are killed 
much quicker than if strychnine had been administered to them. Now, from what I 
have said, I think it will be agreed that the time has arrived when, in the interests of 
the dairying industry and in the interests of the State, the Government should turn 
its attention to this matter. and exhaust every means in its power to set at rest. once 
and for all, the question whether there is any effective remedy for sorghum-poisoning. 
The various bush remedies that we use, such as baking soda, turpentine, with a 
tincture of kerosene, are of no avail. In conclusion, permit me to suggest that the 
Government experiment with sorghum in all stages of its growth on some old culls, 
say, at the Gatton Agricultural College, where there is a staff capable of treating the 
animals in scientific manner. The result of such experiments would be awaited with 
eager interest by all who make their livelihood by dairy farming. 
SWINE FEVER. 
This, like my former paper, is a subject of vital importance to my district, where 
something like 1,000 pigs [per month are trucked to the bacon factories. It is then 
imperative that we should be in a position to cope with every disease the pig is subject 
to. Swine fever or pants is a disease which was unknown in the Rosewood district, so far 
as 1 am aware, until the last year or two. I noticed about two years ago, through the 
medium of the Queensland Agricultural Journal, that something like an epidemic of 
the disease broke out in the Mackay district. My only object, therefore, in intro- 
ducing the subject is to try and elicit the information from those farmers who had to, 
cope with the disease whether they could combat it in an effective way. In my 
district, where the pigs were affected, it resulted in the loss of about 80 percent. The 
scourge seems only to affect pigs of the ages of from one to five months. In some 
cases death will ensue in from three to four days after they are smitten down, as they do 
not care torise for their food. They are often found lying dead about the paddock 
where they have beenrunning. I also noticed that the fever affects them only in the 
hotter months of the year, from October to March. I make these short remarks in 
the hope, as I said before, that some light may be thrown on the subject by members 
of the Conference who have had experience with the disease. 
Mr. R. H. Cox (Gympie): In the early part of this year there were a 
number of cases of sorghum poisoning in our district, and the day before 
yesterday I received a newspaper cutting from a farmer, with a request that I 
read it to the Conference. With your permission I shall do so, as tollows :— 
SORGHUM POISONING. 
Srtx More Carrie Drap, 
Another case of the fatal effects of sorghum at times on cattle followed quickly 
on the one given in Tuesday’s issue, the loser this time being Mr. A. G, Ramsey, 
South Side. On Thursday morning his dairy herd, numbering over thirty cows, 
