STOCK LOSSES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 14

STOCK LOSSES.

MYSTERIOUS DISEASE.

TREATMENT EXPLAINED.

HELP FROM DEPARTMENT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. Reports of a mysterious disease cauein<r heavy losses among dairy cows in the Waikato were brought to the notice of the Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. VV. Lee Martin, to-day. The Minister stated that the trouble had been reported upon by the Department of Agriculture and he gave a resume of the position according to present veterinary knowledge. He added that wherever farmers had any caees of milk fever which did not show the ordinary typical symptoms they should get in touch ujith the local officers of the Department at the earliest possible moment and instruction about how the cows should be handled would be immediately given.

"For a number of years past, particularly in the Waikato, but not confined to that district, there has been mortality among newly-calved cows in the months of July, August and September, due to three diseases, sometimes occurring separately, and sometimes in combination," said the Minister. "These three diseases are milk fever, grass staggers and paralysis. After calving all these diseases are present in various dairying countries and have been existent for many years in New Zealand, but are tending to become widespread, and this been particularly severe.

Combination of Conditions. "Tests were made on a numlier of cowe. this season by Departmental veterinarians and it was found that the animals were shosvinj* a combinati >n of acetonaemia and milk fever," continued Mr. Lee Martin. "The treatment for milk fever frequently brought a cow out of a coma, but she was unable to ivgam her feet. When molasses in quantity was given immediately, the cow regained consciousness. Beneficial results were sometimes experienced, but many farmers did not recognise the combination of conditions and, consequently, lost cows, a proportion of which might have been saved had the correct curative treatment been adopted.

"Prevention must be based on triving of more calcium and magnesium or else lowering the phosphate in the food. The latter is not practicable. Therefore, increasing the feeding of calcium and magnesium well ahead of calving is necessary. Such a course is regularly ulvieed by the Department, lime to be given in water troughs or in the form of licks, while dolomite, which contains salts of magnesium, or Epsom salts, are ;ised in the lick, hay or ensilage to give the requisite quantity of magnesium.

"Such methods have proved fairly satisfactory in control when acetonaemic conditions are not also present. Wheji, however, acetonaernia appears in combination with milk fever further treatment with sugar is required to help burn the fat, and molasses is prescribed in quantity. Acetonaemic conditions are due entirely to prior nutritional history and when these occur, and milk fever develops as well, treatment is far mcie precarious than where either condition occurs alone."