AILMENTS OF DAIRY CATTLE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 100, 3 June 1914, Page 11

AILMENTS OF DAIRY CATTLE.

Mr W. A. N. Robertson (chief yeteri[nary officer), addressed the delegates at the conference, of butter factory managers recently on - " Ailments of Cattle Affecting Milk- and Cream Supply." He said that most of. these diseases were to be divided into those affecting the quantity of the milk supply, and those affecting the quality. Of fevers causing ;a reduction in the milk flow there were simple find specific forms. Indigestion and milk fever came under the first heading, while specific fevers, which were more injurious, included .pleuro, anthrax, tetanus, abortion, and other diseases. Many farmers dreaded anthrax, but it was quick iii its action, could be speedily.'remedied, and was not really so bad as' many other ■ diseases.lt would be an advantage if every cow affected by conta£ir ous mammitis, which affected'the quality of milk, dropped down dead. The trouble- was spread before it h&d been discovered. The best thing to do with a- dairy: cow'affected with contagious mammitis was to dry -her oft' and fatten her 'foi- the butcher; Unfortunately, continued Mr Robertson, dheresrwals a disease that- did not- appreciably "affect the quantity .or quality of thermilkj supply, and that was tuberculosis.- * Tuberculosis might -be .present to a considerable extent in the cai*case o£< a-beast without there being any external evidence in the. live anhnal. ... It was; impossible to pick out all beasts affectedwith tubercular disease. At t]ie abattoirs, animals appearing to be in the pink of condition were frequently found, when killed, to be rotten with tuberculosis. It was a serious disease, as it was communicable to Iranian beings, and led to death. It wasnbt hereditary, however, except when ! certain organs were affected. Why-' Ft ram iri families was because the calf ! was-' always with the mother, which- i&Tght carry contagion in-ner breath or iijiilk. A calf, had been bred from a cow and bull both known to be tubercular. .When taken - reared .on noiUr tubercular milk, ,tke calf had grown completely ,free taint of the disease. Pigs eould be infected by drinking the -milk Vf tubercular* cows. It; was. .not likely that butter would carry" infection. Mixed milk was safer, ft) take"than "one cow's milk," as,.the best-looking cow was sometimes...; the worst infected with tuberculosis.