Farm and Station

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12610, 20 July 1935, Page 12

Farm and Station

SHEEP AND CATTLE.

COMBATING PARASITE PESTS

PRACTICAL METHODS DISCUSSED.

Aii address of great interest and practical benefit 'was given to the Young Farmers at Invercargill by 'Mr C. V. Dayus, M.R.0.V.5., District Superintendent, 'Livestock Division, Do partment of Agriculture OtagQi and Southland -

In hig opening remarks Mr Dayus mid ho would deal witli parasitic troubles' in animals, as the subject w,as of great economic- importance, especially when© sheep-fanning was carried on intensively. It was important that his hearers should realise what the parasites wen© and what they did. All sheep contained a certain number! (if parasites, but before they could, do 1 any damage they must be numerouisi anld the sheep must be young. He then amplified his remarks by the use of lantern slides depicting the anatomy of a sheep. In describing the life cycle of tliO l lungworm, the speaker stated that when it was pro-ent in large numbers it caused a. sort of bronchitis and if' slieep cougliod badly it was a S'gn they were infected. These parasites did not usually do as much harm as was popularly supposed.. The only real danger lay in. their being numerous enough to choke the animal. Medicinal treatment for lung-worm was not satisfactory, and the use of drugs for sheep in such cases did not offer a- hopeful solution of the problem of combating this parasite. DANGER OF INFESTATION. Parasites that infested the stomach and intestines "'ere next enumerated and Mr Dayus 'stated that a complete life cycle occupied 21 days. That was why dosing of 'sheep was done every three weeks. He drew attention to the fact that a. larvja lying among herbage could exist for mouths and when picked up by a sheep would then continue itb life cycle That showed the danger of re-infesta-tion if sheep were not shifted. Some idea of the danger to young lambs was given in a statement that two lambs were known to excrete 456,600,000 parasite eggs. in ai peAod of 19 days. Summing up the effects of these parasites, the speaker said they produced signs of'disease by using the food of the hosts, anld caused malnutrition, others sucked blood, while others again did both. They led to the secretion of poisons and caused abrasions through which infection might enter. Some symptoms of infect : on were highly indicative. There was a falling-off in the condition of lambs, and, as happened a gre,at deal in Southland in the autumn, hoggets started toi go- back. There was a discharge from the eyes, wool had a tendtenqy t puff out, - and was washy in appearance. Anaemic debility set in, and the sheep became sluggish, tumbled about a Mot, got down and eventually died. USE OP THE PLOUGH. Worms did not multiply in sheep, he continued, but the animals were infested when grazing -Tho larvae, if eaten by horses, pigs, and possibly cattle, died in the stomachs of those ynimals. Odd permanent pasture which warn good and so usually overstocked, favoured parasites. Low-ly-ing, wet land was particularly iavorphle. “Improved grasslands has led to heavier carrying capacity and so greater trouble is experienced from these parasite's,” said Mr Dayus. Long, bush feed, which retained moisture, gave the necessary shelter and thei food value of such feed was just ■sufficient.to tip the balance iin favor of tho worms. It was, therefore, necessary to keep sheep in good condition. One way to control these pests was to decrease tho age of tho pasture and decrease the number of sheep. “Over-stocking and underploughing are root causes of trouble and a. cortfiin amount of old pasture should bo broken up each year,” ho added. The following methods' of combating infestation were then quoted: Use burnt Mime, in as heavy doses as practicable, even up to half a, ton per acre, on grass pasture; fence off swampy areas if it is not practicable to drain them; control rank feed by heavy grazing with cattle, thus serving two purposes, the cattle being fed and also acting as traps for parasitic, worms, as these die, when taken by cattle ; the control of feed is. of paramount importance, by keeping the (feed; short and bare the Jaiyae are. dedicated by' ■siin’iglit. Another point was that if. lambs on the .mothers word going back they should he weaned - nearly . and| put on to clean pasture.. .’ . . ;.

“When lambs .are put on. feed they should be given supplementary feeding. Great, .difficulty is '■ found in bringing’them'-hack to condition once they have* started) [falling off, so you must;begin-earlystated, Mr Dayus. More ' rciiahco isliduld b'e. placed, on tlio nutrition, of lambs ;and hoggets than on the medicine bottle. .Copper sulphate had a tonic effect, and the provision, (if a .licly' to. supply, mineral matter was demrablo. METHOD ; OF DRENCHING. /. A-point"of“'special'interest was the’ proper:method op drenching a sheep. A 'lantern . slide gavo> a clear- demonstration- off tfie method, and •■the speaker added that-a isheep’ should he held filnmly as- it stood', in . a normal, position and . the.'.h'ead; only slightly. raised wliile the-liquid was being giv-f* g|

(By “RUSTIOUS” )

en. If a sheep were set up while being drenched, then the liquid was like ly to enter 1 its lungs. Finally, Mr Dayus deg It with the hot % and its effects, on horses. The only way to control this fly was to clip or singe the hairs where the eggs were laid and destroy them. Carbon disulphide was the only drug elf any value for internal use, and it had to be administered in a. gelatine capsule, being necessary in the process. The sheep nostril fly was said to ho not so bad in Southland as it was in> the North Island, and the speaker added that tho belief that these parasites entered the brains of a, sheep was a. fallacy. }

PREMIUM BULLS. IMPROVING THE HERD. . A feliow is not an end io itslf, but only a means to an end'. It can he a standard for those who care to' use it to' judge their own position. It can ho as it was last week, a. demonstration of how commercial animals will vary according to the wires used in producing 'them ; and it can ho an incentive to. strive for tlvo higher grades that enterprise and real economy can secure.

There is such a filing as a danger of a farmer becoming stock proud and aiming at animals that for his purpose arc to he classed as fancy and extravagant, hut tlic danger is greater on tlie side of believing that anvtlrug is good enough for the ordinnrv commercial farm, states the “Farmer* and Stockbreeder.” When wo sec a. good, hunch of catde which are known to be the progen,v of premium hulls this knowledge prevents the arguments that might have to be met when their liifetory is not known. We know that their merit is not accidental, and wo also know that the services of the *sires that produced them are within the reach rt the ordinary farmer. We can see not merely that live stock improvement is economically feasible, hut we can see also that the use of scrub ' bulls 1 is economically enuiobifi'ahle.. It has been sa'd that the hull is half the herd For practical purposes this understates the truth, for a herd can he graded up onlv through its sires. Its level must inevitably gravitate towards the standard of the hulls uised. A succession of good sires on a moderate herd of cows raises the standard with every generation ; with a good herd or cows and secondrate hulls the standard sinks with succeeding generations until it reach- . es +hc low level of the sires. There are only two methods of Improving- a, herd eif cows. One that is prohibitive for most is lo> clear it out and buy in another. Tho other is bv selecting the superior hull and grading up. Whatever'standard one sets for sires, its effect is cumulative, and. aft the bjull is one’ amongst many, tho cost or grading up is not heavy. As! ho is the only feasible means of improving the herd the hull must ho more than half.

MILK' PRODUCTS' FOR PIG FEEDING.

The value of dairy products, such as sour milk, separated milk, buttermilk, and whey, for pig-feeding has long been recognised. No doubt, originally, the pig was the reoeptae’e into which these valuable foods were poured,: simply because it was the easiest methods of converting unsaleable byproducts into ready cash, the actual cash, value realised Being a, minor consideration.

To-day, however, home dairy products are rapidly disappearing and thdfee who desired to feed them have to purchase from milk-pool or retail combines. The milk products are no longer fed to the pig as waste product’s but as 'something 'for which hard cash is; paid, and the returns obtained from the outlay become of primary importance. There is, no doubt that the fresh milk products are highly . valuable foods and numerous experiments have demonstrated their value in increasing the growth, rate and reducing tho amount of food required per unit live weight'gain. The important question, however, i.s what price they must ho purchased in. order that this improvement in • production may ' ho economical ? - i s - '

, :"Whole milk, milk, and butter-milk supply both protein and inin'eral ■ tqi' a ratipu and may therefore .be. compared'(with‘such foods, as fish meal and men,t.andsbone. On a protein basiy alono 'one gallpn of these milk products is' weirth O.Ollb fish meal, so ’that .'with , fish-meal 1 costing £lB per ton,' separated! milk .would be worth approximately ljtl 'per gallon.

• -This value -would: be. for all types op pigs, and ,docs net take Into ac"'count the .special value which milk products! have for, breeding and young stock. Tho. health a,ltd vigor imparted in-the initial stages remain throughout'. the;life of . the animal and the economical irupo rtance of tin's initial impulse " to. growth; is difficult to [value.: / | '■# is • : , • ’

. : 'At. tlie Duthie Experimental Stock Farm ;of> gallons ,of separated l milk -{ire-'fed.-daily;:' r distrihute{l ' .'between the suckling, .sows and- alL.pigs. under 12 weeks of. pigs’ per-litter is.: over eight, the average weaning weight of the pigs is ••'34/85Ibs:, ,-and '.'til©. average age at which all pigs in the herd .r&ach Class I: bacQn)weight’ is";,leiss 1 than- 200 dayis, 3: ' •' : 333333 i ■

RUSSIAN SHEEP RESEARCH

TO MOULT OR SHEAR? .•'

The Russians are evidently 'triers/ From tho report published below they have been endeavouring to abolish shearing of sheep ,011 depending a great deal of money upon ' the attempt. In' a tittle over a year 1,000,000 roubles was provided for research in this field. (£100,000); ,

Although the Research is to he provided with approximately £20,000 per annum, the claims, as to 1 possibilities road like a, tale from the “Arabian Nights ” The All-Union Cattle-breeding Institution of Russia has decided to eubandon its plan to collect wool by the artificial moulting of sheep and “other fur-hearing animals,” which was to supersede the ancient method of shearing them, states the Riga correspondent of the London: Times. In the course of little more than a year Professor Ilyin, author of tho plan, was granted 1,000,000 roubles for experimenting on a large scale, and a program mo was made to establish a "slieep and rabbit moulting section” on the ‘Great State F ! a r m.’ It was claimed by Soviet experts in 1932 that by administering certain “heavy chemicals” and 'subjecting rabbits and sheep to alterations of atmospheric temperature, the scientific farmer could now make animals grow fleeces of any desired shade betweon( black and white. A special dose would! induce them to shed their coats at three-days’ notice, and they would he “peeled off” in compact fleeces. The animals would, moreover, grow and yield up to ais many as four fleeces a, year.

Professor Tlyn still maintains that this can all be done, but there is one drawback with which lie has not yet been able to hope; tlie medicine which causes the moulting lias a detrimental] effect on the health of the animals,. Three yeans ago, when the Soviet Press announced that artificial moulting was immediately to lie introduced as the regular practice in Russia, British and other foreign scientists applied to tho institute for information on the subject; hut they were informed with some rudeness that the moulting process and the chemicals used were a State secret which would not be allowed to go to capitalist countries. The Soviet Press now states l that the chief chemical used is gallium. Professor Hp'n’s grant this year lias been cut down to one-fiftb of his former grant, hut he will still experiment in the laboratory in order to find an antidote to the “toxic action” of gallium or moulting animals.

THE MJTE-Y ATOM

Difficulties the bacteriologist encountered in the application of science to milk product industries were discukised hv Dr H. R. Whitehead, in an address at Palmerston North. Bacteria, the "invisible population of the world,” invaded milk and cheese no lass than the human body. Until the lart 1.00 years the making of butttcr and cheese were arts' rather than sciences. Science was controlling the procedure, to the end of uniformity, reducing failures to a minimum. Undersized bacteria •should he eliminated from milk as far as possblc; to this end the farmer must be taught proper procedure. Dili* often involved invidious problems of research. Dr Whitehead traversed the different phases of preserving milk cleanlinosfi 1 , excluding foreign substances and remedying the defects once genus had flourished in milk beyond the stage when heat t r eat men t— pal deu risa tion—coni d he effective. But. on the other hand, it was l not desired to exclude all genu’s. Some were vital. Without one of them choose would he tasteless; without another 1 , acidity in. milk could not lie obtained. Cheese manufacture today wapi greatly assisted by the rearing of special cultures to act as ‘'starters” in the cheese, most commonly a mixture of germs. In 1929 if became possible to use a. speific flavour-pro-ducing culture in butter-making. Dr Whitehead described how in chcesemaldiig there was a process of evolution from haphazard souring of the miHc to the application of a starter cntireliy constant in it)# effects. MAKING BETTER, BUTTER. In an. address at Palmeriifon North an explanation of the mysteries of the familiar pound of butter wak given by Mr C. R. Barnicoat. He said that fat was a primary need of humans, and was consumed in a number of forms. We ate butter because we liked it; Eskimos ate blubber and tallow because they bad no option. As ' far its- the- acuta! want of fat in the human kiddy was concerned, there was no reason why we should not satisfy it with coconut, vegetable or fibh oil. Orientals also liked to' supply their fat requisites with butterfat, but as butter would melt in their clime they ate ghee l —loo per cent, pure butter-fat. Butter, owing to its composition, was highly perishable, and had every chance of deteriorating by various bacteria, activities. To combat thee defects salt was widely used, a.s in the New Zealand product for export. Butter also experienced a number of chemical, changes, such as going rancid when contaminated. Mr Barnicoat reviewed the work done in eliminating undesired. flavours from butter. People were becoming moro and moro critical in regard to butter; tiro product which some year, ago would have found a ready market in England would today bo-refused, and the public actually sought a vhrv superior article indeed. Transport conditions of course imposed great disadvantage!?' on the New Zealand product in England; it was expected to stand storage for as much a& a year. Slight storage taints would not be tolerated to-day.

FARMING FAILURE.

PIGS EAT DEAD WHALE! Au amusing account of his first and only attempt at farming was recounted by Mr J.H. Reecl at Invercargill. When ho was living at Bluff lie and some other young men were presented with the remainder of the lease of Spencer Island in Bluff Harbor by an Englishman who had been living there but who left for the Old Country. The livestock consisted of some pigs (iiiaid Mr Reed and he and his friendk thought; it would be a good idea toi fatten the pigs for sale. A whale had been killed by whalers and after the blubber had been extracted, the carcase was towed out to sea. Unfortunately it had drifted back to the harbour and grounded on . Spencer Island unknown to its, new lessees. A day or two later they decided to kill the first of the pigs and sold it to a man in Bluff. The quality of the meat was questioned as it seemed a trifle strong. The suspicions were later verified and it was discovered that “whale” was not" a diet suitable for pig-v. The rest of the livestock had to ho destroyed and what had appeared to bo a. profitable venture was nipped in the hud.