• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

New South Wales, UK - mysterious disease kills 200 cattle

Kathy

Well-known member
Last Update: Wednesday, March 28, 2007. 11:04am (AEST)

200 cattle die from mystery disease

Graziers across western New South Wales are trying to solve a mystery disease that has been killing cattle.

The Western Conference of the Rural Lands Protection Boards heard reports last week that in the past five months about 200 cattle have died on properties from Balranald to Cobar.

Greg Curran from the Department of Primary Industries says it is particularly unusual because cattle in the west are generally very healthy.

He says symptoms include calves being off-colour before dying very quickly, while older cattle can develop breathing difficulties.

"The other symptoms we've been seeing are pretty rapid weight loss, so they become what's called 'shelley' very quickly," he said.

"They might drop one or two condition scores in a week and a half, which doesn't tie in with the food that's available."

"We've been seeing ... some upper-respiratory tract signs or lung signs."

Mr Curran says graziers are working to get a better picture of what's happening.

"The other thing to do with unknown diseases like this is to come up with some possible explanations and test whether or not those explanations can explain those deaths, so that's what we're doing at the moment."


So what's up in Wales?

calves "off-colour" - if we take what he stays literally (could be a British saying?) - off colour means some sort of copper deficiency, pigment is dramatically effected by lack of copper ie, black goes brown.

"pretty rapid weight loss" - wasting away very quickly, a sign from many disorders....

Keep your ears open for more info....

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1883433.htm
 

Kathy

Well-known member
Oops!!!!!!

Sorry for that big blunder....

It is a sad situation either way. This makes the story even more interesting though, as Australia and New Zealand have not had BSE diagnosed there.

This disease however, may be a symptom of mineral deficiency, ie: copper and exposure to an aerosal from "some activity"... possibly mining? Something is affecting the lungs of the cattle.

I don't know the answers, but it is a story that I think we here in Canada and USA should keep an eye on.

Thanks for setting my geography straight.
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
off coulor means sick. Nothing to do with coat or anything.. Means a bit droopy, under the weather usually.. Often used with people who are a bit sickly looking or hungover as well..

NOt just a brit saying, have heard it for years..
 

Kathy

Well-known member
Thanks, we had a fantastic Australian neighbor for 11 years. Absolutely the best guy I've ever met... He had a dictionary of Australian sayings and vocabulary that often left us with a questioning face.

Off-color, ya I've heard it used for just plain old sickly look.... either someone is pale or red in the face....

I hope everyone will keep their ears open for more on the dying cattle in New South Wales, Australia - and let me know if you hear anything more....

I keep all options open, and carry concern about USA military use of Australian weapons ranges for target practice. A related documentary out of Australia, entitled "Blowing in the Wind" (google it).. describes how even though the USA military denied using Depleted Uranium weapons on (firing onto land from the sea) Australian ranges, the fact was - they were using it there....they were caught lying about it in Australia and Hawaii.

New South Wales is big into cattle production! They may find BSE sooner than later. (that is if they test much for it).
 
Top