PREVENTION OF PULPY KIDNEY DISEASE IN LAMBS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4325, 3 August 1937, Page 3

PREVENTION OF PULPY KIDNEY DISEASE IN LAMBS.

! VA COIN'AT 10X OF EWES. ARRANGEMENTS MADE BY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Vaccination of in-lamb ewes prior to lambing 1 has been, shown to be highly useful in lowering tire mortality which occurrs in lambs from Entero-toxaemia (Pulpy Kidney). During two seasons past the Live-stock Division of the Department of Agriculture has carried out experimental trials in this connection in the Otago district with vaccine prepared at ■ the Department’s Veterinary LaboraI tory at Wallaceville. The results of ' those trials, together with, the reports on vaccination of sheep against Entero-toxaemia in Australia, strongly support the view that vaccination can be usefully employed to reduce losses from Pulpy Kidney in lambs. Commenting on the matter the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Mr W. Lee Martin, advises that in anticipation of a number of shcepfariners who in some seasons lost lambs from Pulpy Kidney, desiring to take advantage of this line of preventive treatment, arrangements had been made by his Department to hold sufficient stocks of the vaccine at the Wallaceville Laboratory. The- vaccine is that prepared by the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories at Parkville, Victoria, and will be issued to farmers on request at cost price. In using the vaccine two injections are given to the ewes-, the first (5 c.c.) six weeks before lambing, and the second (10 c.c.) two weeks before commencement of lambing. In giving the inoculations at 20 c.c. Record syringe, and suitable needles .are required; these requisites can be obtained from commercial firms. The technique of vaccination is not difficult, and sheepowners in districts in which Pulpy Kidney disease of lambs is cotomon will be shown the procedure by officers- of the Department. Where desired, demonstrations of the 'method of vaccination will be given to groups of interested farmers. With regard to the cost of the vaccine, Mr Lee Martin states that this would depend on the quantity ordered, but where not less than ia few hundred ewes were to be treated the cost would be less than 2d per sheep. This- outlay, he said, would appear ito be a sound investment if losses in lambs were prevented thereby. The hope is expressed by the Hon. Minister that all sheepowners desirous of adopting the preventive vaccination of their ewes would get in touch with the nearest officer of the Live-stock Division or communicate direct with the Officer-in-Oliarge, Veterinary Laboratory, Wallaceville, from whom further particulars could be obtained.