Gun Club Cows Killed by Lead?:

- Back in July 23 there were media reports of a dairy herd of 100 animals dying from "lead poisoning" after being grazed on land belonging to a Southland gun club ('NightCaps Clay Target Club')

As the story grew it was disclosed that only 17 animals had died and been diagnosed by a vetinary as having 'lead poisoning' after eating fodder beet grown on the paddock.

 This "shocking disaster' was blamed on the shooting club having contaminated the earth - and an anti-gun 'spokesperson' stated that all lead must be immediately banned from use by shooters.

These unfortunate dairy cattle are reported as having previously been fed swede as a winter feed and were not milking - but their milk(!) - when tested - was found to be free from lead. - The dead animals were buried in an on-farm pit.

That's Another black mark for "cow killer"  - shooters.

- Later - September 15 - The media were horrified to report that up-to 300 Southland (and Otago) cows had died after being fed on HR Swede (herbicide resistant). The Dairy cattle sickened and many had to be 'put-down' after eating PGG Wrightson Seeds latest advance in seed - that has been modified to resist being sprayed with herbicides such as 'Roundup' - to kill any weeds without killing the genetically modified swede plants.

Wrightsons believed that the mild winter was to blame - having caused the swedes to grow more top leaf greenery than normal.

The story goes that the mild weather made the swedes less palatable causing the cows to eat more of the leaves that might have a high concentration of glucsinolates.

Spokes-persons are avoiding the possible consideration that the swede crop may have been poisoned by spraying with glyphosate (Roundup) - a toxic herbicide poison linked to autism and multiple systemic diseases.

Dairy NZ is working with vetinary scientists, The Government Ministry of Primary Production, and PGG-W to determine the exact nature of the problem.

Meanwhile farmers are advised to stop feeding swede crops to cattle. New Zealander shooters have not (yet) been blamed for these later cattle deaths in "Clean, Green New Zealand".

- Perhaps New Zealand authorities will consider looking more closely at the July gun-club cow deaths and conduct post mortems to verify the causes of death.

Lead Poisoning my a$$e - anyone for a milk-shake?

Marty K.