High Disease Incidence In N.Z. Dairy Stock

Northern Advocate, 10 January 1948, Page 2

High Disease Incidence In N.Z. Dairy Stock

* MAUNGATUROTO, Fri. (Sp.)—“New Zealand dairy farmers are neither well-versed in the use of preventive medicines nor sufficiently alive to the importance of combating disease in its early stages.” ■ Mr Alexander M. McDonald, M.R.C.V.S. (Liverpool), said this in an interview at Maungaturoto, where for the past three months he has been veterinary officer to the Maungaturoto Dairy Company’s Veterinary Club.

Mr McDonald, accompanied by his wife and family, arrived in New Zealand on September 22. For the previous 12 years he was in private practice at Halesworth, Suffolk, England. His arrival to take up a post in New Zealand was the result of a scheme sponsored by the New Zealand Government. .. .. HIGH IN DOMINION “The incidence of disease among young stock seems particularly high in New Zealand,” continued Mr McDonald. '.A' “This applies more especially to calves and is in many cases due to their being confined during th'e first few months of rearing to paddocks which are often both too small and too infrequently changed.

too long—but it is a job for a skilled man.” Mr McDonald said that a pre-dispos-ing factor causing the spread of mammitis was a tendency by New Zealand farmers to neglect the efficient washing of cows teats prior to milking. Mr McDonald said he was very impressed with the w<>rk done by Young Farmers’ Clubs in New Zealand. POSSIBLE TO LEARN “The importance to a district of a .strong, well-founded and soundlyorganised Young Farmers’ Club cannot be over-emphasised,” he stated. “It is undoubtedly possible for farmers' to learn the latest methods of carrying out various scientific farm operations, and it is through these clubs that these methods can most easily be learned.”

“In addition to the rotational pasturing of calves during rearing, a complete change of paddocks used for calf-rearing should be made every two years. “A common fault is the use of paddocks which are too near the milking shed. “Where shed washings drain into the paddocks used for calf-rearing, disease can be transmitted to calves from adult stock. “It is recognised that mature animals —although able to stand up against various infections themselves —are carriers of disease which could, if not combatted, cause death in young stock. EFFECTIVE DRUG “There is one drug only—phenothiazine—which is effective in the treatment of most of the types of bowel worms affecting calves,” commented Mr McDonald, who remarked that he found there were still many farmers in New Zealand who used preparations containing copper-sulphate, which was a very dangerous drug in unskilled hands. Phenothiazine is not a proprietary preparation and is marketed in New Zealand under various trade names, he added. “The average cow in England is worth £SO and one cannot buy any sort of an animal for under £20.” said Mr McDonald.

“The high value of the cow* in England is due to the fact that the English . farmer produces milk for household he said. “Milk from 20 cows in England is valued as highly as the cream from 50 cows in New Zealand.” Asked whether the lower individual .value of New Zealand stock might not be the prime factor determining the relative concern over the prevention of disease as evinced by farmers of the two countries, Mr McDonald said: OWN MORE CATTLE HERE

“Despite this great variation in value of the individual animal, it should be remembered that the average New Zealand farmer owns a great many more head of cattle than his English counterpart, and the capital value of his total stock would probably be as great or greater. r l feel that it should be the New Zealand farmer who should take the greater care of his stock. “That this view is very reasonable and could 1 even be classed as necessary, becomes clear when the following points are taken into consideration.

“English pastures are not expected to carry! the very high number of head of cattle per acre which is quite common in New Zealand. “The result is that the higher carrying Capacity of New Zealand pastures is more likely to become ‘stock sick’ through being infected with disease organisms. CONCENTRATED STOCKING

“This position is the natural outcome "of concentrated stocking and is without doubt a major reason for the greater incidence of stock diseases in New Zealand cattle when compared -with the situation in England. One point emphasised by Mr McDonald was that the average New Zealand farmer neglected measures to combat sterility in dairy cows. “’Their attitude is possibly due to ignorance of what treatment should be undertaken and how to set about it,” he said. “Treatment is very effective—especially if carried out before cases are left. ~WHEN THE MAYOK CROAKED! As he began his important speech the Mayor’s voice croaked. Nothing daunted he opened his tin of handy LIXOIDS and soon the little liquorice pellets soothed the vocal chords. LIXOIDS restore resonance—good for husky voice and sore throat. Try LIXOIDS, lOd a tin. Manufactured by Stacey Bros. Ltd., 385 Khyber Pass Road. Auckland.