FACIAL ECZEMA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 65, 9 December 1938, Page 17

FACIAL ECZEMA

> Prevention By Farm Management ADVICE BY OFFICIAL COMMITTEE | Although the wenthor trill determine whether of nol ftiei.nl eczema occurs in the autumn of 1939. the Facial Bezeimi Management Committee considers that sliecp-fn rmers in particular should now Hike dellnite steps to safeguard their Hocks against the possibility of rm outbreak. The committee .suniina rises a general plan <>f prevention as follows:— (1) As facial eczema is apparently caused by a quick Hush of grass in warm and humid weather following a period of drought, stock should be kept off rapidly growing grass in ~1C autumn for several weeks. (2) Tn order to ensure that this practice can bo followed, farmers should build up reserves of hay and silage and maintain a portion of their farm in mature grass, which can be grazed when a flush growth is taking place on hard grazed paddocks. Mature feed should he provided to maintain sheep if a dangerous autumn flush of grass occurs; to provide this mature feed action must be taken now. The committee advises that sheepfarmers should close up from a quarter to a third of their farms in December. The areas closed should consist. of at least fou r fields, so that the fields may he closed and utilized in rotation. The first field should be closed early in December, and the remainder at 10-clny intervals during the month. Tor preference the December closed fields should contain a fair proportion of cocksfoot, and should be situated on land least likely to flush rapidly in the autumn (namely, moist, flat or peat land, or If rolling country is shut up, choose land that lies away from the sun). The shutting up of fields in which paspnlum is dominant should be postponed till the middle of January. The suggested closing of several fields

nt intervals during December has been , made to facilitate utilization. If good growing weather is experienced after Ueceinber, the earlier closed fields may becoine too rank and may require graz- ; ing with eat.lie and then shutting up irgaiti, or, if these lields are not again i closed, others should be selected to take their place. If conditions suitable for rue develop- ' incut, of eczema occur, the fields must, bo grazed in the autumn so that only mature feed is eaten; experience tliis year showed that after eating down the mature feed the fresh growth may lie dangerous to sheep. Sheep must therefore graze Hie lields of mature feed in rotation, being moved to tile next one before fresh growth appears. It may occur that fields of mature grass have to be carefully rationed to last the flock till the Jlu.sh autumn feed is mature. The sheep may have to be fed partially on mature grass and partially on lia'y and silage. To facilitate rationing, a sjtecial holding paddock may be necessary where the sheep can lie held for hay feeding. This field could with advantage be one consisting mainly of paspalum or one situated on moist." flat land or peirt where no dan- . gerous flush of grass is likely to occur. Ample shade is very desirable in this bolding paddock. In choosing paddocks for .shutting up this factor must be kept, in mind so that they tire convenient to the holding paddock.

Supplcinentary Feed. The development of the practice of holding mature feed during drought periods will necessitate the provision of hay and silage on .sheep farms. Supplementary feed will have to 'be provided so that mature feed can be .saved. On most farms the supplementary feeding of cattle In drought periods would allow of the spelling of sufficient grassland for the use of sheep when a dangerous flush of grass occurs. The need for the provision of supplementary feed is stressed by the Facial Eczema Management Committee in their bulletin on the prevention of the disease by farm management methods, and this aspect of control by management was brought under the notice of farmers early in the season. The Facial Eczema .Management Committee’s seasonal advice to sheepfariners may be briefly summarized as follows: (1) Close up from a quarter to a third of the farm In December. (2) The area shut; up should consist

of at least four fields to facilitate ulili zation. (3) The first field should be closed itt early December and the remainder at 10-tlay intervals during the inonth. (I) 'l'be areas chosen for shut I lug tip should consist of pastures least likely to quickly flush in the autumn, i.e., pastures containing a good proportion of cocksfoot, and situated on moist land or land Iving away from the sun. (o) The shutting up ”f piisptilum fields should be delayed till the middle of January. (G) If good growing',weather is experienced and a mature field gets too rank, it should be grazed off with cattle and Ihe field closed again or another Held closed to take its place. (71 Holding paddocks should bit .selected for supplementary feeding of of sheep when a dangerous flush of gruss occurs and the mature grass is being rationed out. ’l’tiese Lields should consist of pasture land not likely to rapidly flush; paspalum pastures or pastures on moist land or pent. The Ileitis should contain ample shade. Following the recent outbreak of facial eczema in sheep and cattle, the Department of Agriculture issued a bulletin on farm management methods designed to jtrevent the disease. The advice contained in the bulletin was prejtared by the Facia] Eczema Committee set up to direct tile investigations into the disease in the Waikato. Farmers who have not read the bulletin are recommended to obtain a copy from the Department of Agriculture.