MASSEY COLLEGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 245, 15 September 1932, Page 4

MASSEY COLLEGE

LECTURES TO SHEEP BREEDERS

DISCOURSE AND QUESTIONS ON CERTAIN AILMENTS OF SHEEP.

BEARING TROUBLE.

(By J. M. McLindcn, Ai.R.C.V.S., N.D.A., AJa&;ey Agricultural College.) Ju this disorder we again have an example of what may happen through faulty dieting. All stockmen are welt aware of the great diflerence in eireet on stock between spring grata and autumn grass. The spring grass is said to lie nutritious, and more suited to the production of milk than fattening, whilst the autumn pasture is more fattening. It is long since the fattening qualities of autumn pasture were first recogTiised by our forefathers. Now let us turn our attention to the animal. Mature makes all the provision it can for tho period of want during the winter by providing a grass which will allow the animal to laj- on much fat. This fat is really a store of food for future use when there is not sufficient grass to wholly maintarn tho animal. So we can readily understand that the autumn fattening is to the wild animal an absolute necessity, and with domesticated animals it is an act in perfect harmony with Nature. At tho same time, we must remember that our domesticated stock have been specially selected because of their power to grow and to fatten; and also the present day grasses have been selected for their superior quality over other grasses in providing nutriment. This means, that domesticated stock, if given the food, will fatten übnormally. From v experience we know that is what happens. To advance a stage further it is necessary to note the difference between the body' tissues and fat and where fat is stored. All the body tissues when they have at no time been overloaded witli fat are comparatively strong structures. During fattening, fat is deposited on the body between the skin and the flesh, between tho fibres of the muscles, around the kidneys, the bowels, etc., and in spaces which have a loose tissue to hold the organs in position, such as in the pelvis. Fat then is laid down almost everywhere and in some places more than others. Fat as a tissue is very weak and when laid down with some other no matter how strong it may have been, the presence of the fat weakness. If the fat deposits be excessive then these tissues will , become permanently weakened through what is called “Fatty Degeneration.” One hae only to handle the liver of an animal which is or has been grossly fat to realise how easily the fingers puncture it. What happens with the liver happens with all oiher tissues including the uterus—the bearing being only a portion of it* Through the peculiarity of sheep fattening more rapidly internally than ' externally much damage can be done before it is realised. During the winter this excess fat is utilised bv the animal. What is left behind? Nothing but a mass of weakened tissue. The fat when in the pelvis did give a dgreo of support to the bearing in a mechanical way by creating pressure upon the bearing, but when it is gone the weakened tissue has noi thing to support it. Moreover, the pelvis of the sheep is comparatively very much larger than tlie pelvis of the cow. Again, it must be remembered that the unborn lamb is now developing apace, so the pressure within the abdomen is steadily increasing and pressing into the mouth of this large opening of the pelvis which, in turn, is occupied with a weakened bearing. Therefore, following the road of least resistance, the bearing is pushed outside the body. It is interesting to me on post mortem to observe the peculiar watery appearance of the loose open tissues which have been loaded with fat. Whether there is any actual change in the composition or not I have not had the opportunity to determine, ami I know of no one who has made such a determination. It is perfectly in accord with the structual damage to the liver, which one usually finds associated with this condition. Question 1. Are all breeds of sheep as ; subject to this condition? —All breeds are nor, so subject to bearing trouble as the Romney breed. They appear to be more liable than other breeds, probably due to their big. roomy frame. Quest ion 2. Is there any hereditary pre- i disposition to the condition ?—There are no definite statistics on the point, but there appears to be no reason why there should

not he an hereditary influence. First. of all, there is the breed predisposition, which one would say is definitely hereditary. Then again, there is the conformation of the pelvic region which Mr Morton has pointed out. This conformation definitely is con : ducive to eversion of the bearing and de-' finitely an hereditary characteristic. Question 3. Do you advise the use of a disinfectant, when returning the hearing and if so which do you recommend ?—lt certainly is advisable to use a disinfectant when returning the bearing and for that purpose no better can be recommended than carbolic oil. The carbolic oil deadens the nerve endings and the ewe is not so liable to strain after the bearing has been returned. When returning a bearing after thoroughly cleaning it and anointing it with carbolic oil, it should be gently pressed back into the passage and then the hand introduced after it and all wrinkles or folds smoothed out. If this is not done the ewe will continue to strain violently. Question 4. Laudanum has been advocated. Do you think that would bo of any use ? —Laudanum acts by deadening the senses by making the animal drowsy. The carbolic deadens the pain in the region affected. So for preference I would recommend and use the carbolic oil.

Quostion 5. In your prescription of how to return the bearing you did not mention what you did with the water bag.—ln the great majority of cases it is not necessary to worry about the “water bag.” It might be as well to explain what this is. When the bearing is put out the blood circulation 13 interfered with due to the arteries being much stronger structures than the veins. When the bearing is protruded the blood can pass along the arteries into the protruded position of the bearing, but the veins are thin-walled structures where the sink takes place and so the blood has difficulty to pass. The longer the condition lasts the more difficult it becomes for the blood to escape. This results in the fluid portion of the blood escaping from the veins into the open tissue of the bearing and it is this blood fluid in between the walls of the bearing which is called the water and the bearing is the bag. In a great many cases the general pressure which is applied forces the blood along the veins and roduces the congestion and automatically the size of the hearing. If it he too big, make a small puncture and let the fluid away first. It will mako the returning much easier.

Question 6. Does a ewe lamb successfully afier suffering from bearing trouble? —Yes, a ewe can lamb quite successfully after the bearing has been returned. Many such oases occurred the first year of the college flock. Question 7. Do you find the lambs from such ewes to be any good ? In our experience they are no use. —In my experience the lambs from such ewes are not the beet that could be desired, but there is a great variation in this. So far as the college flock is concerned, Professor Peren found that they were perfectly strong and did as well as the others. Question 8. Do you think that, this is a bacterial disease?—There is absolutely no indication .hat it is bacterial. All the observed facte concerning the condition justify the conclusion that it is the result of excessive fattening during the autumn, with depletion of these reserves and leaving behind weakened tissues. Question 9. It is noticeable that in some seasons the hearings are very much larger than others. Can you suggest any explanation for this ? —That is quite true, some years the bearings are on the whole more protruded than others and larger. Those seasons when this is found to be the case, it will be noted, have an earlier spring flush of feed, and the greater size is duo to the larger amount of feed which is available for the sheep to consume and therefore the greater the pressure within the abdominal cavity. In other words it is due to mechanical reasons.

Question 10. Have you noticed that some seasons the bearings are much more easily torn than others ? Why should that be ? Some seasons they are much more easily torn than others, and the ease with which they tear or the fingers go through them will depend on the kind of autumn which preceded the winter. If it was a good autumn with plenty of grass for the sheep you can depend upon it that the hearings when they protrude will he very easily damaged by manipulation or even the movements of the sheep. The more food during the autumn means the greater the degree of fattening and that, results in the greater weakening of the tissues and makes them what is called pliable. Question 11. Can a owe lamb with the

hearing out?—A ewe cannot lamb with the i bearing out because she cannot bring the ! pressure of the abdominal muscles into play . to express it from the uterus. Question 12. Why do these cases occur be- ■ fore lambing ?—Bearing trouble occurs bc- ' foro lambing because of the largo roomy pelvis being a weak spot of the anatomy, . due to rapid growth which is being made : by the lamb at this period, and also, to n varying degree, due to the amount of food in the rumen. Question 13. It is noticeable that big fat 1 ewes when they are disturbed discharge ; barge amounts of urine. Do you not think 1 that that may he responsible to the straining?—lt is quite true that fat ewes will discharge large quantities of urine, but there is a difference between the male and the female with regard to the discharging of urine. In the female there is not the 1 same degree of straining ns with the male, due to the shorter and bigger urethral passage. Not only so, but just consider the position of a fat sow. Brooding sows wo know arc fattened up to ridicuously heavy- ' weights. They lie and sloop for hours and when they rise they will discharge enormous quantities of urine, far more than a ewe, and yet how often do wo find a sow suffering from bearing trouble? —Very, verv rarely. Question 14. Do you consider there is a correlation between the climate and feed ? —Certainly, there is a very close connection between these factors and bearing trouble. The better or more suitable the climate is to grass growth the greater will be the incidence of the condition. Personally I did see this condition amongst sheep until I came to New Zealand. Here the climate is much more suitable to grass growth than it is in Scotland. Question 15. What will be the effect of the degree of fatness maintained through- ■ out the year?—lt is not being suggested that sheep should be deliberately kept thin. An endeavour is being made to show the result of violent fluctuations in the degreo of fatness of the sheep at different seasons. In other words sheep should not be allowed to go much fatter than they can be maintained during the winter. What feed they do not requiro during the autumn should be conserved either as ensilage or hay in its season and fed out during the winter. I am quite well aware that this procedure will not be possible on all properties and on others extremely difficult, hut equally well as on these properties the incidence of bearing trouble is far from being great; so my reply is that good condition sheep, if kept so during the winter, will not suffer from bearing trouble. Quostion 17. There is a condition amongst lambs where the muzzle break© out in sores. AVhat is that? —There are several types of soro mouths in lambs. There is:— (1.) : Ulcerative stomatitis which results from indigestion and may he identified hv the small blisters forming on the gums and inside the lips. (2.) : Ulcerative dermatitis. This is an ulcerated condition of the skin around the muzzle and face duo to abrasions which have become infected with bacteria. Thistles frequently may produce it. (3.) : Postular dermatitis. This is usually the result of infection from the udder of a dam which is suffering from sheep pox. If there is an epidemic amongst the lambs this is the type it will ho. On turning one or two of the ewes up, oval ulcers will be seen on the udder and teats of the owe and it is from here that the lambs are becoming infected. This is not the European sheep pox. Make a comparatively weak emulsion of kerosene and water and dress the udder of the ewe well with this. Some use kerosene alone and wipe the udder with it and do the same to the face of the lamb. Three parts of water to ono of kerosene is safer. Question 18. Docs it matter if one removes both testicles at once if the lamb is big and strong?—Yes. The bigger and presumably the fatter the lamb the greater is the liability to rupture the largo vessel from which the artery to the testicle arises. The arteries to the testicles arise at right angles , almost to tho main artery and so at its | point of junction there is a weakness when ' the cord is pulled. Haemorrhage is very likely to result.

Question 19. Some lambs are quite paralysed behind after docking. What will cause that ? —lt is difficult to understand exactly how it arises, but it may be due ro the very grear pressure exerted by a long, straight pull. To pull straight is not advisable, because the pressure and strain required that way is too great before the cord gives way. The cord should be stretched and tho knife placed across tho cord high up and then with a quick twist of tho wrist the cord should he pujlcd tight on to the edge of the blade. The cord will break there. The lameness or paralysis is not due to the severing of the tail.

Question 20. Might the paralysis he due to ispreading the logn too far?—That is not very likely to ho the eati'C. The limbs can tolerate a good deal of spreading. What they might show would ho stiffness and that would he hard to differentiate from castration stiffness.

Question 21. What is the cause of big joints ?—Big joints in Jambs are due to navel ill in some instances and, when it arises after castration or docking, to infection of the blood resulting in a low grade septicaemia. Navel ill infection 6hotdd be prevented where possible as in stud flocks, particularly those which may have to be housed prior to lambing. The best preventive measure known is to cause the navel to dry and shrivel up as quickly as possible arid this may he achieved by filling an egg cup with strong tincture of iodine or by using a strong solution of corrosive sublimate 1-250 of water. Tf it arises from docking, then a change of docking area is indicated. Also be sure and work with a© clean a knife as possible—this is most difficult to achieve.

Quostion 22. Would dropping heavy lambs bo liable to encourage this condition of big joints?—Yes, by producing what is cal loci a “trauma,” that is, an injury or an area of devitalised tissue. Cartilage is very liable to injury and therefore the cartilage of the joints would mako a likely centre. Normal jumping of the lamb may even prove sufficient. Question 23. Is it worth while returning the breeding bag once it has been everted ? —lt is quite worth while provided that it is found quickly enough. If too long a time has elapsed since it had been everted then it is not worth while. The organ should be cleaned and a web handkerchief thrown over it whilst the hind quarters of the ewo arc held up to the body with the ewe i resting on her withers. A steady pressure should be brought to bear on the organ with both hands, particularly oil the centre. After a bit it will gradually start to subside and the pressure should be maintained and the hand alone should follow in and return tho “bag” into its normal position. If tfie “bag” has been daimigcd it is not worth while returning it.

Question 24. What kind of sutures should be used ? —For convenience probably the ordinary big safety pin is the best. They have this advantage, that for bearing trouble tho ewe can lamb after they have been inserted, but for preference a lock of wool tied across the vulva is used. This is difficult in most flocks due to crutchin^. Question 25. There is a condition of blindness occurring amongst sheep. What is it? —The condition is kown as ophathalmia. Work' has been done in the veterinary laboratory at Wallaceville, but their efforts so far have not given rise to definite conclusions. It does not appear to he the same —The condition is known as ophthalmia, which affected our horses during the Great War when they were in France. This Dalling showed to be duo to a bacteria which attacked the optic nerve. Question 26. Will any drench produce pneumonia ?—Any drench if it is of an irritating nature will produce pneumonia.