FARMING NOTES.

Franklin Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 109, 16 September 1938, Page 3

FARMING NOTES.

TUBERCULAR STOCK QUESTION OP ERADICATION UNITED ACTION URGED The Director of the Live Stork Division of Hie Department of Agriculture, Mr NY*. C. Barry, discusses Ihe question of tuberculosis in stock in his annual report and urges that some effort towards the eradication of the disease should be made (says the Taranaki Herald).

Mr Barry states that ‘‘the number of cattle condemned in the field through this disease during the year, either on clinical grounds or as a result of the application of ihe tuberculin test was 7207, compensation being paid in accordance with the provisions of Ihe Act. The tuberculin test was applied to 16,501) cattle, of which number U il reacted, G.l> per cent.

"The total number of cattle, exclusive of calves, examined at the various abattoirs and meat export slaughterhouses was 500,787, an increase of 83,081 on last year's figures. Of these, 30,022, or 7.38 per cent were found to be affected with tuberculosis in varying degrees, a large percentage being only slightly affected. This indicates an increase of 0.58 per ccnl. infection among cattle slaughtered iu these premises.

"I would reiterate the recommendation that in control of tuberculosis more extensive application of the tuberculin lest should be made compulsory,” adds Mr Barry. "There can be no denying that the existence of tins disease in dairy herds, even though its incidence in New Zealand is low compared with other countries, lias a deteriorating effect on the general standard of animal health. The ideal to be aimed at is eradication. If an attempt at total eradication is considered impracticable a I the present owing to the financial

outlay involved and f.lie difficulty of providing the necessary staff to carry out the testing. l would strongly advocate the commencement of tuberculin testing in areas, with the idea ot establishing luberculosis-freg dis,n,,ls. In tiie past attention lias been drawn to the desirability of tuberculin testing all cows supplying milk lor human consumption throughout tiie Dominion. 1 would again slress this recommendation, which can he regarded as an initiative to a more extensive eradication scheme and can also be looked upon as an important, public health measure.” In reporting on the success attending the pasteurisation of skim milk as a preventive of tubercular infection when fed to pigs, Dr. C. S. M. Ilopkirk, officer in charge of the veterinary laboratory at Wallaceville, also points out that it is illogical to attempt to combat tuberculosis in pigs unless the tubercular cow is first eliminated.

WAIKATO LAMBJNG

S.MA LLE It PE R C ENT AG E

AFTERMATH OF ECZEMA

That a smaller lambing percentage In the Waikato is inevitable as a result of the facial eczema outbreak last season is the opinion shared by all those connected with sheep farming in the district. Although it is yet too early lo forecast with any degree ot accuracy what the final percentage will be, lambing returns to date are sufficient enough indication of tiie ultimate effect of facial eczema.

The early lambing returns have shown considerable variation in the various districts, but a significant fact has been that where the facial eczema outbreak was the severest there the lambing has been the lowest. This lias been particularly evident in the Morrinsville district where many farmers are expecting their lambing returns will be more than 30 per cent, compared with 90 to 100 per cent last year. One producer with 1400 ewes stales that he does not expect to obtain more than GOO lambs, while another states that lie will be fortunate to get the same number ol' lambs out of 1700 ewes. Another prominent Morrinsville grazier considers that he will get no more than 1200 lambs out of 300 ewes. It is reported that many ewes after lambing have not had sufficient strength to rear their lambs and that at present, many farmers are rearing quite a considerable number of lambs artificially. There are many empty ewes in the district at present and the effects of facial eczema on the ewes are becoming more apparent as lambing proceeds. A disturbing feature of the lambing in some districts is the ncficeablcpreseuce of eczema among (lie ewes and some farmers incline to the view that the disease is making its appearance anew. One or two farmers have expressed their firm intention of abandoning sheep in favour of dairy cattle, for they point out that they could not afford to withstand another outbreak of eczema.

However, in districts where the disease was not so severely felt the lambing has been more favourable and seme farmers in these particular districts report that their lambing returns to date have been every bit as good as last year and they are sanguine that the final percentage will be anything from 70 to 100 per cent.