ANIMAL HUSBANDRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 299, 18 September 1928, Page 14

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY NOTES

SO-CALLED “PULPY KIDNEY” TROUBLE (By the Department of Agriculture.) Every year a good many losses occur among lambs, and these to a considerable extent, at any rate, can be avoided by the exercise of the best care and the best management. First of all there is the trouble commonly known as “pulpy kidney,” the victims of which are nearly always the best and fattest of the lambs, which die suddenly at from two to four weeks of age, must often between three and four weeks. At this age the lamb’s supply of milk is being augmented by young grass with a high food value. As a consequence, the lamb is actually receiving more food at this age than its internal organs can effectively deal with. The lambs die very suddenly as a rule, without showing any previous symptoms. Therefore, such preventive measures as are practicable require to be adopted if losses are to be eliminated as far as possible. The exercise involved in yarding up the lambs and the loss of blood from marking are as a rule measures which largely prevent this trouble in the North Island, but this season, on account ot the very good feed conditions, farmers will be wise to adopt other measures as well. As the critical period depends on the age of the lamb, and this period is at the age of two to four weeks, exercise daily on a bare paddock is recommended during this period. It is often sufficient in small flocks to move the sheep from one end of the paddock to the other two or three times daily, but. howexer it is done, plenty of exercise is a most valuable precautionary measure. This year, on account of the mild weather the ewes are in very good comhtion. and are rearing their lambs xxell. As a result losses from the above condition may be expected, and some have nlrtady been reported in a few . cases Sheep-owners are therefore advised to take steps to avoid loss from this cause as much as possible. Alis-mothering of Lambs. Another cause of loss among lambs, the direct importance of which is apt to be overlooked or underestimated, is the misinothering of lambs at daekmg time, time. Among small flocks this may not amount to much, but on bigger properties it must cause a noteworthy loss in the aggregate. To prevent this, or to reduce it to a minimum is a matter involving principally method and management in handling the ewes and lambs at the time of the operation, but every sheepowner and every shepherd should bear this point in mind. Losses from Bleeding and Wound Infection. A few lambs are lost annually from haeinmorhage, and from infection of the wounds at time of docking and marking. This year, on account ot the plentiful supply of feed, and forward condition of the lambs, the losses from haemonhage appear more serious in some districts. To prevent this any lamb found bleedin" excessively after the operation should be”again caught and the bleeding stump cauterised, but this should only be done when the bleeding is noticed to be excessive and prolonged. The losses from infection of the wounds caused by the operations can largely be prevented by using only a knife which has been sterilised by boiling water, and swabbing the wounds afterwards with a solution of some reliable antiseptic as Lvsol and Jeyes Fluid, a quantity of this being within easy reach while the docking operations are being carried out.