Maeve Davison, Bargy Castle, Wexford

DEAR SIR: Reading of the great success of the two young scientists recently who discovered a connection between what farm animals are fed and the effect on the soil of their excretions made me think of something which I have been observing for some years. In times gone by, cowpats were always covered by a kind of orange insect about the size of an earwig, in large numbers. After a while the cowpat would gradually be dissipated and fertilise that area. Now that virtually all animals are dosed for worms, those insects have vanished and the cowpats just lie on the ground indefinitely. Is there a connection?