ANIMAL HUSBANDRY NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 138, 7 March 1929, Page 18

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY NOTES

OPERATIONS ON YOUNG STOCK (By the Department of Agriculture.) tiurinff the routine of the many and varled operations which are carried out on every farm there are some, which through lack of being common-day duties, or which being only seasonal, do not meet with the success which is so much desired. In this connection and in these notes it is desirable to draw the attention of farmers to the minor surgical operations which the majority of farmers perform on their young live stock. Nearly every farmer In season castrates ' and tails his own lambs, dehorns his young cattle, castrates his calves and pigs and may even perform other operations such as opening abscesses, etc. In every procedure of a surgical nature thorough cleanliness of the site of operation, sterilisation of knives and .other instruments by boiling and care and cleanliness with the aid of antiseptic solutions afterwards, are all essential to success. For the young farmer who has not undertaken such work a practical demonstration by an experlenced man is the best method by which ho can acquire technique and, success. It is essential before operating that the operator’s hands should be thoroughly clean, particular attention being paid to the • finger nails. Earlier in ’these notes reference was made to the castrating and tailing of lambs and also to’dehorning of young calves by means of caustic. If, however, any ram lambs are discovered at this season of the year which have escaped or which are not required for stud purposes, the castration of such lambs requires even greater care than young lambs operated on at the proper season. It may not generally be recognised that the castration of a lamb of five or six months of age or older is attended with some considerable risk. A suitable method of castrating such animals is by means of the Burdizzo instrument. If the ordinary method is adopted in such rams there is danger of the animal dying either from haemorrhage or from Infection of the scrotal wounds. The Castration of Pigs. It is with particular reference to* the . castration of pigs that this article is, wrltv ten. Yotlng male pigs, as a rule, are operated upon at about four to six weeks of age, and whether intended for bacon on pork it is not advisable to leave them longer than this if the best results are to be obtained by both the feeder and consumer. It is preferable to fast the young animals beforehand or castrate in the early morning. The seat of operation should be washed with a weak solution of Condy’s fluid or lysol and the young pigs allowed to return to the sty, which In the interval should have a clean. bed of dry straw to prevent the wound coming in contact with the floor or any dirty material which might give rise to sepsis or abscess formation. If straw bedding is not available the pigs should be liberated in a clean grass paddock. The incision through the skin and outer coverings of the •testicle, should be a boldone extending from one end of the testicle to the other. Such an Incision permits proper drainage afterwards, the effect of a small incision leaving pockets where pus can accumulate. Cleanliness should be observed throughout the operation, the knife being returned to the vessel containing the antiseptic when not in use. Improper or partial castration or leaving the animals to mature further before the operation is carried out results in coarser flesh and even tainted meat. Carelessness in the operation with abscess formation in the scrotum or in the neighbouring parts may result in the condemnation either wholly or. partially by the inspector at the works. It will be realised that abscesses in the region of the scrotum constitute a serious matter in that ' the hams are the most valuable part of the carcase. At the present time too many pigs arrive at the abattoirs and slaughterhouses throughout the country improperly or carelessly castrated, and requiring the attention of the inspector. So serious and . so prevalent, are troubles due to faulty castration that some buyers to protect themselves and their employers, are now examining by palpation, all foigs before purchase. There is no compensation for such animals partially condemned on this account and the buyer is only protecting his flrm and therefore buying at a reduced price pigs which, with a little care, could have fetched the highest market figure. From an economic point of view the losses to the pig industry throughout the year must be considerable. It is reckoned that 3 per cent, of pigs may be partially or wholly condemned as a result of improper castration alone. Pig-farmers in their own interests, therefore, should see that reasonable care as regards cleanliness and attention to detail, will amply reward them In the enhanced return from the sale of a sound and wholly marketable product. Skin Ulceration In Pigs. A form of skin ulceration in pigs has been brought to the notice of the department. The causative factor is found to be the Spirochaete sullla. a soil-organism associated with dirty yards and styes. The lesions set .up are in Certain respects similar to those caused by the necrosis organism, also a soil organism and met with in unsanltarv yards and styes. The most common regions affected by the former are the head and ears, but later the trouble may spread to the shoulders and back. • Where this skin trouble has made its appearance.it is advisable to segregate the affected animals. A thorough clean-up of the styes and disinfection of the entire premises is necessary. It may even be necessary in a badly infected site to transfer the piggery or build a new piggery on an entirely clean site. In the early stages scraping the skin slightly and the application of tincture of. iodine or other antiseptic will assist in recovery of the affected. That such troubles keep cropping up is only another illustration of the necessity of cleanliness, and sanitation of the feeding troughs and feeding utensils, the styes and general attention to hygiene and care of pigs. The old belief that pigs could live under almost any conditions is well recognised by the modern pig-keeper to be a fallacy, and conducive to diseases of many varieties and also to parasitic infestation.