asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he has noted a report that chemicals produced by a reaction between wild clover and a fungus on a silage heap were responsible for the death of some cattle in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cattle Deaths.
26.
I have seen the report to which the Deputy refers. The research officer at my Department's regional veterinary laboratory at Sligo who carried out a post-mortem examination of one of the dead cattle and conducted other tests on the surviving animals, is satisfied that death was caused by internal haemorrhage due to the ingestion of some substance with anti-coagulent properties. Whilst such a substance could be produced by the interaction of a certain strain of clover with silage fungus it cannot be confirmed, pending further investigation, that this was the source of the anti-coagulent in the present instance. I am advised that cases in which an anti-coagulent has developed in silage through the interaction of a clover and fungus are extremely rare and need not be a cause of alarm to stockholders.
Have any reports of this kind been received by the Parliamentary Secretary's Department?
I am not aware of any such reports but the Department's research officer visited this herd. Of course, it was also inspected by the local veterinary officer who has submitted an interim report. As I stated in the reply the Department have not reached positive conclusions. We are awaiting further reports. However, it is pleasing to note that this is a very rare occurrence. In actual fact, it is deemed, according to our advisers, a million to one chance happening. The herd owner in question has got the benefit of the advice of one of the senior research officers of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries together, of course, with the advice of his own local veterinary adviser. We will give him any advice that we possibly can.
In view of the concern caused by this newspaper report, would the Parliamentary Secretary ask the Minister to speed up the issue of the findings and have them announced so that he can allay any fears people have regarding this?
That will be done. I think I can say that the likelihood of an occurrence elsewhere is very remote. It is a million to one chance, taking into account the information at my disposal.