TO AID CALF MOVEMENT

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31862, 14 December 1968, Page 8

TO AID CALF MOVEMENT

Comprehensive recommendations have been made by the Department of Agriculture to ensure the satisfactory movement of calves from the North Island to the South Island.

Mr M. C. Armstrong, livestock superintendent of the department in Christchurch, said this week the department proposed that only healthy good quality animals of at least 2001 b weight should be selected for shipment to the

South Island. They should be treated for external and inter nal parasites and should be vaccinated against leptospirosis at least 10 days before shipment, or given a dose of leptospirosis anti-serum on the day of shipment. Lorries and railway waggons used to carry such stock should be cleaned and disinfected before being loaded and clean wood shavings or straw should be used as bedding. Mr Armstrong said that the department proposed that the calves should be unloaded foi feed and water at Taumaranui or waggons should be fitted with hay racks with a supply of good quality hay and the animals given water at Taumaranui or Wellington. Where calves were carried by air they should be offloaded for rest, feed and water at Blenheim and where they were carried by sea they should be given rest, feed and water at Picton. Similarly it was suggested that calves still in mid-journey in the South Island should be unloaded foi rest, feed and water at a suit able point such as Addington showgrounds. It was also urged that movement should be arranged so that waiting in waggons on route was kept to the shortest possible time. » “