asked the Minister for Agriculture whether in view of the increase of deaths of pigs from unknown causes in County Wicklow recently, and in view of the danger of the spread of such fatalities to other areas, he will cause an immediate investigation into the reason for these pig deaths to be carried out by his Department.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Deaths of Pigs in Wicklow.
131.
I understand that a condition known as white muscle disease occured recently in some pig herds in County Wicklow. I am advised that the disease is considered to be dietary in origin and to be neither infectious nor contagious. The position, which has been under investigation by my Department's Veterinary Research Laboratory, is not therefore regarded as serious.
Could the Minister say if there is any obvious or outstanding dietary defect to which this condition is attributed?
I understand it is largely due to the feeding stuff that is provided for the animals. A number of cases have been known where pigs were fed in a certain way from offals and that sort of thing.
Would I be right in saying that it is a defect in the quality rather than the absence of some necessary dietetic element?
That is what I understand.