FARM AND STATION

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22016, 13 February 1937, Page 11

FARM AND STATION

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Lambs, 6 months old 8 cubic centimeters.

Hoggets 8 to 12 months 10 cubic centimeters.

Adult sheep, 15 cubic centimetres. Note: It is now possible to obtain drenching outfits graduated in cubic centimeters for use with drugs like tetrachlorethylene • and carbon tetrachloride. Where the usual fluid measure is available, 1 fluid oz can be reckoned as equivalent to 28 cubic centimeters.

I At the present time there is no treatment which can be easily used to treat lung worms in lambs or hoggets. However if the sheep are treated for stomach and intestinal worms and their body reserves are built up there should be no losses from lung worms. V. Carbon tetrachloride is also recommended for some internal parasites, particularly liver fluke. Though carbon tetrachloride is normally safe for sheep, there have been cases following its use where fairly heavy mortality has been experienced due to certain factors which are not fully understood. The recommended doses are:— For lambs, 1 cubic centimeter in 4 cubic centimeters of paraffin. For adults 2 cubic centimeters in. 3 cubic centimetres of paraffin. Trc-tment of the Sheep At one .time it was considered necessary to yard and to starve the sheep before drenching, but this is no longer thought necessary except wnere arsenical drenches are used. The sheep should be driven quietly to the yards and allowed to stand for an hour or so, particularly if they have come off plentiful feed, before drenching is commenced. After drenching the sheep should be handled quietly and not given access to water for 4 to 6 hours. With lambs at weaning it is "an advantage if they can be placed on a clean area of fresh feed for a day or two after weaning and then on to whatever supplementary crop they are to be weaned on. In severe cases of internal parasite infection the drenching should be repeated after 10 days and again at 3 weekly intervals if necessary.

While the bulk of a flock of lambs may appear more or less free from parasitic infection, it sometimes happens that a few of the tail end lambs or hoggets may show advanced signs of the trouble. In such cases these lambs should be run off by themselves, preferably in a paddock that is not likely to have sheep on it again for some time. If they are weak they should be given only half the usual quantity of the drench, the drench repeated at 10 day intervals, and the lambs encouraged to eat all the concentrated feed possible.

BROOD DISEASES OF BEES ROTHAMSTED INVESTIGATIONS (raoi* oua owx correspondent.) I LONDON, January 23. Investigation into the cause and ' treatment of "foul brood" diseases of bees in Great Britain is being undertaken by the Rothamsted Experimental Station at Harpenden. Since 1934 investigations have been carried out, and it has been shown that European and American: foul*brood are two distinct diseases with different causal organims. It has been confirmed that American foul brood is due to a bacterium, bacillus larvae, and that its incidence is independent of the strength of the colony. European foul brood, on the other hand, is a disease usually of weak stocks and is probably caused by bacillus pluton, in association with other organisms. A third condition known as "addled brood" is very prevalent in Britain and has constituted about one-third of the cases of brood disease sent in for examination. It is liable to be mistaken for foul brood, but is actually due to a defective condition of the queen and can readily be cured by requeening, once it is recognised. Funds are now being raised to continue the I work. I NEW ZEALAND RYELANDS _____ DEMAND FROM AUSTRALIA I It is proving impossible for studmasters in the Dominion to supply the demand from Victoria and New South Wales for Ryeland sheep. Both stud ewes and flock rams are required. There are only some 80 registered flocks of Ryeland sheep in the Dominion and the surplus ewes are in very keen demand locally as well as for export, consequently prices have reached a high level. Wright, Stephenson and Company. Ltd.. report having sold and shipped two lots of Ryeland flock rams recently on behalf of Canterbury breeders. This was a record shipment for the breed, and totalled 140 head. Last week on account of the Manawatu breeder. Mrs E. Shannon. Glenburn, Palmerston North, two consignments of Ryeland ewes and lambs, totalling 64 head, were made to Victorian breeders, and a further shipment of 28 ewes and lambs is now being made on account, of the North Auckland breeder, Mr H. C. Hewlett, Mata, Whangarei. It is interesting to note that Mr Hewlett's flock was established with ewes bred by Messrs Evans Bros., in Southland. EWE FAIR DATES i February 19—Kaikoura. March I—Amberley. March 4—Hawarden. March s—Rakaia. March B—Little River. March 9—Waiau. March 11—Culverden. March 12—Methven. March 15—Tinwald. March 16—Sheffield. March 17—Ashburton Ram Fair. March 18 and 19—Christchurch Ram Fair. March 22—Oxford Ewe. March 23—Coalgate. . April s—Waiau Supplementary Sale. April 6—-Culverden Supplementary.

DISEASES OF SHEEP

INTERNAL PARASITES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BULLETIN Even in normal years, the losses to flockowners caused by internal parasites infecting sheep are considerable. Aparffrom deaths due directly to their action, there is frequently a serious reduction in the growth and development of lambs and hoggets, a loss of condition, a lowering of wool production, and a lowered resistance to other diseases or adverse conditions. As the mortality among lambs is reported to be fairly heavy this season, the following extracts from a Canterbury Chamber of Commerce bulletin on "Internal Parasites of Sheep" should make interesting reading. Treatment (a) General.—The chief essentials of any treatment should be (1) Safety for the sheep; (2) Simplicity of administration; (3) Efficiency in destroying and expelling the parasite; and (4) Cheapness. In connexion with 1 and 2, care in administration is a first essential, and it is absolutely necessary to use every care when preparing the drench and in giving it to the animal. Improperly prepared drenches are sometimes the cause of deaths, and it is in this respect that commercial preparations have an advantage over home prepared remedies. Where any remedy is given in liquid form, lack of care in administration will cause deaths due to the liquid entering the wind pipe. Volatile fluids like carbon tetrachloride and tetrachlorethylene, when given pure in capsules may cause trouble if the capsule is allowed to break in the mouth of the animal. When the medicine is administered in the form of a pill or a capsule, it is essential to see that the animal swallows. Suggested Drenches (b) Medicines.—l. the commonest worm medicine is bluestone or copper sulphate, which is usually prepared by dissolving 2oz in a gallon of water in an earthenware or wooden container. It will keep indefinitely if stored in these containers. Note:-»In preparing any medicine a pure supply ox water should be used and any water which is suspected of being "hard" or containing much dissolved material should not be used. Doses: I Lambs about 3 months old, 1 fluid oz. L..mbs about "\ months old, 2 fluid oz. Hoggets about 12 months old, 3 fluid oz. Adult sheep, 4 fluid oz. 11. Recent work has shown that nicotine sulphate combined with copper sulphate is probably the most generally effective treatment for internal parasites. The mixture recommended is lib of copper sulphate dissolved in 5 gallons of water, to which is added 16 fluid oz of 40 per cent, nicotine sulphate. It will keep indefinitely if stored in earthenware or wooden;containers. ■ ' Doses: ' ■■' r Lambs 3 months old, i , fluid! oz. Lambs 6 months old, 1 fluid dzs« Hoggets 12 months old, 1£ fluid oz. Adults, 2 fluid oz. 111. Another effective home-made drench- is prepared as follows: Three gallons of water are placed* in a cop§er or other vessel where it can be oiled. Half a pound of strong tobacco is cut into small pieces, placed in an oatmeal bag and put into the water, which is brought to the boil. When boiling, 2£lb of carbonate of soda and lfoz (exactly) of arsenic are added, and the whole boiled for an hour, stirring continuously. The resulting liquid should be strained through cheesecloth and made up to 6 gallons with boiling water. The mixture, which will keep indefinitely, should be stored in one or more demi-johns or stoneware vessels. Doses: Lambs, 4 months old 1 fluid oz. Hoggets, 8 to 12 months old, U fluid oz.

Adult sheep, 2 fluid oz. In using this particular drench it should be noted that if the sheep are on green-feed, turnips, etc. it is desirable to have them shifted into a paddock of dry feed for a day before yarding them to give a 12 hours' starve be--1 fore using this drench. After dosing do not give the sheep water for 6 to 8 hours and keep them off succulent feed for 24 hours. I Stomach Worms IV. Tetrachlorethylene is a chemical which is effective in some cases against stomach and blood-sucking worms. It is a volatile liquid and is usually administered pure in a gelatine capsule or else, combined with liquid paraffin (not kerosene). It is expensive to buy and difficult to administer in the capsule form, and the more usual way is to mix equal parts of tetrachlorethylene and liquid paraffin. The doses of the mixture are:— . Lambs, 4 months old 5 cubic centimeters.

ADDINGTON MARKET

CATTLE DECIDEDLY WEAKER BRISK SALE FOR LAMBS The m'ost pronounced alteration in prices at the Addington Market on Wednesday was in the fat cattle pens where there was an easing of £1 a head for most grades, and more for old cows. Generally there is a decline in the enquiry for beef earlier than this, and growers haye been lucky that the level has held. The reason is not far to seek. On Wednesday there was a yarding of 480 head of cattle, this heavy entry following a series ot 01ferings equally heavy. The market cannot absorb that quantity of beei. Good . beef was again scarce, cows, many of them aged and thoroughly unattractive, forming the bulk ot tne entry. Even the few good steers 01fered were weaker. Values have.„held up well for tms time of year, and a recession was not altogether surprising. All grades or beef eased, the best by £1 a head, and the less attractive cow beef which formed a ponderable part of the entry, by 25s a head. Heifers were very scarce. Despite the weakness in the beef section, there was an excellent sale for store cattle. A fine station line from Molesworth. which numbered' 148 head, sold particularly well, fouryear Hereford-Polled Angus cross steers making to £lO 12s Gd.

Store Sheep The store sheep entry was surprisingly small for a sale only a couple of weeks away from the main fairs. It is probable that owners of sheep, apart from wanting them to keep the feed in reasonable compass, are adopting the same attitude as buyers have adopted, and are waiting for the fairs to begin to see what basis of values is established. . There was, on Wednesday, a very definite demand for good class sheep of all ages, and some hiph prices were paid, but the sale was the same as recent auctions for ordinary and inferior sorts: there appeared to be no well established idea of values, and prices were consequently erratic. For good sheeD the enquiry was sustained. A line of 600 two-tooth Romney ewes from Southland made to 445. and two-tooth Romney cross from the same locality made to 39s 6d. A number of lines of Chatham Island 4. 6, and 8-tooths made to 31s 6d. There was a fair demand for wethers, and good two-tooths made up to 235. *'• The lamb offering was the largest of the season, but the quality was mediocre. Good lambs, of which there were few. met a fair demand, but the rest met a dragging sale. Medium to cull lambs were definitely cheaper, the fall being fully a shilling a head. There was little life in the market, buyers proceeding cautiously in the face of the rather serious losses that have been reported among lambs recently. A particularly fine line of Corriedale ewe lambs from H. M. Burgin (Swannanoa) made up to 31s 9d.

Fat Lambs The fat lamb entry was fairly big, but the quality was easily the worst this season. It was so bad that a number of lines were sent across to the store pens, but even then graziers were able to take some of the remainder. A number of West Coast lines were entered, and though they were not as good as usual, there were some excellent lambs amongst them. About the best was a consignment of 241 from G. F. Drayton (Ahaura) from which the top draft made the day's best price of 33s Id. The sale was excellent all through with butchers and exporters keen to take everything showing quality. Prices were fully firm to a shade better.

Fat Sheep The offering of fat sheep was ] of moderate size, and again consisted mainly of ewes. Quality was good, and the sale was very firm on recent rates. There was steady competition from butchers, with an export firm later in the sale taking suitable lines of ewes.

FEEDING ECONOMY

VALUE OF EARLY MATURITY

As animals fatten, their power to consume food in excess of the maintenance requirement steadily declines, states the "Australasian," in reply to a query as to why early maturity in. animals is an advantage. In an experiment at Rothamstead (England) it was found with store pigs that lib of live weight gain was obtained at an expense of 3.861 b of food during the first fortnight of fattening, but that 6.181 b was required during the fifth fortnight. As animals become fatter, therefore, they become less and less profitable to the owner, and yield an even smaller return in proportion to the food consumed. In fattening all classes of stock, and particularly with pigs, which are often hand-fed, the most profitable results are obtained by forcing the feeding. This is of particular practical moment with purchased foods. If a pig is brought to 1001 b live weight in five months instead of seven months, there is a clear again of two months in the food which the animal would have to spend on maintenance.

DEATHS AMONG LAMBS

SERIOUS LOSSES EFFECT OF BLACK SCOUR At the present time sheep owners in Canterbury ase experiencing serious losses of lambs from what is known as black scour. It appears that this disease is due to the action of certain bacteria found in the intestines, the undesirable influence of which is aggravated through excessively moist and succulent feed. Similar troubles are generally experienced in wet seasons when feed is unduly moist and deficient in fibrous material. There is no doubt that in many instances worms further aggravate the trouble. Treatment of lambs already suffering from the trouble is difficult and generally unsatisfactory. It is better to aim at prevention. The intestinal tract should be kept as healthy as possible and well, toned-up. Proper feeding helps in this connexion, and consequently dry feed, such as hay or chaff, should be kept before lambs at all times when they are on soft feed. Where losses are occurring, it is advisable to pen the lambs and feed them crushed oats, introducing a few older sheep, if necessary, to teach them to take the feed. When the stock are taking readily to the crushed grain, chaff may be introduced in smaller quantities and gradually increased. If a considerable percentage; of the lambs in a flock are still in good health the treatment indicated above will tend to prevent the extension of the trouble. WEALTH FROM LAND SOUTH AFRICAN RICHES A comprehensive survey of conditions in South Africa, in which he discussed the problems both of primary and secondary industries, was given by Mr A. Foster du Plessis, one of the South African delegates to the wool conference which was held in Melbourne. Mr du Plessis is secretary of the South African Wool Council, a member of the National Wool Association, and economist to the Department of Agriculture at Pretoria.

There were 1,200,000 acres in South Africa sown with wheat and 4,000,000 acres with oats, said Mr du Plessis. The production of maize and other cereals, sugar cane, vine and fresh fruits, although smaller than in Australia, was increasing annually. There were 11,000,000 head of cattle, principally of the hardy Afrikander type. These had been developed for breeding and beef purposes, and an export market was being sought. There were also 2,000,000 dairy cows. More than 80 per cent, of the sheep which were being bred in South Africa were pure merinos, which were expected to produce 260,000,0001 b of wool this year. The importance of wool, as far as primary products were concerned, completely overshadowed everything. Gold production had been assisted greatly by the recent invention of apparatus which enabled mining at greater depths than 8000 ft, said Mr du Plessis. The annual production was now worth about £80,000,000. With a two horse-power motor under its tiny hood, a three-wheeled French automobile operates economically on a basis of more than 80 miles to the gallon of petrol. It seats only the driver, and travels about 31 miles an hour. The car weighs only 2641 b.

Feb . 12, Feb. 10, 103 10. . 1037. £ £ SteersExtra prime heavy to 111 to 13J Prime heavy 84 to 11 11 to 12J Prime medium-weight 11 to 91 91 to 10! Ordinary 53 to 6* 8 to Si Light to 5 to 8 Heifers-—' Extra prime to n to 10i Prime ., 6 to 7 71 to 8i Medium 4J to 51 5 to 7 Light to 4 to 4J Cows— Extra prime to 91 to Hi Prime H to 6 5J to 7 Medium 31 to 41 4 to 51 Lifiht to 3 to 4

Feb. 12, Feb. 10, 1936. 1937. Forward s. s. s. s. Jbd. rape lambs Med Jbd. lambs Inferior lambs .. S.m. J-bd. ewes 2-th Romney Good wethers to 184 to 24 14 to 161 12 to 132 to 17J to 34 to 19 18 to 21 141 to 17J to 20 to 44 to 23

Extra prime heavyto 323 to 33J Prime heavy 2(5 to 28J 29 : to 31 Medium-weight 23 to 24i 26J to 281 Ordinary 21 to 22 J 24J to 264 Light to 20J to 24

WethersExtra prime heavy to 313 to 3U Prime heavy 25 to 26i 28J to 30 medium-weight 22J to 24J 26 to 28 Ordinary 20£ to 22 23* to 25J Light to 20 to 23 Ewes— Extra prime heavy to 292 to 263 Prime heavy 19J to 22£ 232 to 25 medium-weight 16.1 to 18* 21 to 23£. Ordinary 12i to 15J 19J to 203 Light to 12 to 19