On the Care of Young Stack

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 65, 18 March 1936, Page 2

On the Care of Young Stack

MR McILWAINE’S ADDRESS TO FARMERS’ UNION.

An interesting and liclpful address on tiro care of young stock, was delivered by Mr J. E. Mcllwaine, Government veterinarian, to members of the Paliiatua Farmers’ Union yesterday afternoon, when there was a very good attendance. Mr E. S. Heckler, president of the Pahiatua branch of the Farmers’ Union, welcomed Mr Mcllwaine and stressed the importance of such addresses from the farmers’ standpoint. •Mr Mcllwaine thanked members for their invitation and said that he had been asked to vary his subject so as to cover not only the proper care of lambs, but also young stock generally us far as veterinary scionco and its allied ventures were concerned. The speaker made special reference to the season as a wholo and said that duo to the heavy rains and the attendant rank growth of grass, tlicro wag a prevalence in the Manawatu district of stock infested with parasites and if farmers wished to carry their lambs and calves through the crisis, then they must exercise care to see that young stock infested with worms were proporly attended to. Only recently he had visited a farm not far distant where the calves were boginning to slip back. This fading away was caused through the presence of stomaeh and lungworm* and no doubt the same experience.would bo met with by farmers of this district. The present season was favourable for the propagation of lungworms and those worms causing gastritis. Ho strongly advised the meeting not to allow the season to advance too far before young stock was suitably cared for and mentioned that although bluestono solution was used to kill stomach worms, it had now been proven that it did not destroy the small type which eat into the intestines and caused such havoc in young stock. He recommended for destruction a solution of lib of bluestone and lib of blackleaf 40 mixed in four gallons of water, dose to be given Joz. It was not necessary to fast sheep or yard thorn the evening previous to dosing. Mr Mcllwaine then read a bulletin written somo years ago by himself but which was equally applicable to-day on hogget mortality and its prevention. The speaker favoured, in addition to suitable closing, the uso of mineral salt licks. A Farmer’s First Duty. The good prices being realised for wool,and lambs and the apparent scarcity of ewes, said Mr Mcllwaine, made it incumbent on farmers to endeavour to save every possible lamb and if his visit was tho means of saving 100 lambs, then he felt that his endeavours had been repaid. In addition to the usual treatment, tho speaker advocated that farmers pay attention to the prevalence of keds and lice and quoted experience whore lambs were being eaten alive with keds. Ho also advocated Totational grazing and supplementary grazing of young stock. ' There was no evidence, said Mr McIlwainc, that the flatworm. caused disease. It might be seen any day floating down the drain from an abbatoir or from tho bowels of perfectly healthy sheep. There appeared to bo no essential connection between their presence and the disease. It was generally accepted, continued tho speaker, that with age stock developed an immunity from worms. Very rarely did adult sheep require attention in this regard. When stock reached a certain age, oven though they picked up eggs from the grass, ‘they could get Tid of them. When feed was plentiful and the season was rainy, conditions were favourable for tho growth of tho parasite and clover was notorious for harbouring the larvae which would livo as long as IS months. In the rearing of young stock whether it bo calves or sheep, the farmer’s first, aim should bo to fight tho stomaeh worm and with its eliminatou the system would be bult up and thus -enable the stricken animal to throw off the effects of tho lungworm. In tho ease of calves, ether or chloroform could be administered through the nostrils, having the effect of drugging the worms and subsequent loosening their hold. This course should not be adopted in the case of lambs. Pneumonia as tho result of lungworm, said tho speaker, was prevalent at present among young stock in the Manawatu and he recommended, as a suitable treatment, the use of turpentine — ' ono teaspoon to half a pint of milk or diluted in oil, as being better than bluestone. Apart from killing worms it had a general tonic effect. In answer to a question. Mr Mcllwaine said, he doubted whether salt and water was an effective drench. Mr Hewitt asked what were the very first indications of the presence of worm trouble, Mr Mcllwaine stating that tho surest way of detecting tho infection was to inspect tho skin which, if inclined to be pale, was adequate proof of the presence, of th 9 parasite. Coughing, although not always indicative, if general, plug lack of lustre of wool, was a symptom of the trouble. Mr Mcllwaine answered other questions regarding the rearing of lambs and calves.

Mr Hewitt, in moving a vote of appreciation, said the present season had been a nightmare to farmers and that it was only through listening to experts that they could hope to learn the cor-

rect methods to adopt in carrying forward lambs and hoggets. He also said there were not enough lectures on farming in general. Mr Mcllwaine said he was very pleased to be able to give the lecture and hoped he would have the opportunity of conducting a demonstration when an infected lamb could be killed and opened for inspection.