North Auckland Age. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED “THE MANGONUI COUNTY TIMES" AND "THE BAY OF ISLANDS TIMES" THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1917 BLACKLEG

Northland Age, Volume 14, Issue 45, 19 July 1917, Page 4

North Auckland Age. WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED “THE MANGONUI COUNTY TIMES" AND "THE BAY OF ISLANDS TIMES"

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1917 BLACKLEG

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“THAT the Government be urged to prevent the importation of calves into the North Auckland Peninsula from infected districts until they have been inoculated for Blackleg.” So runs a proposed remit from the Mangonui County Agricultural and Pastoral Association to the Annual Conference of the North Auckland Development Board to be held in August next. We trust that every effort will be made to prevent the introduction into the North of a disease which has caused the loss of thousands of pounds to the farmers of Taranaki, Waikato and other districts, a disease which if allowed to be introduced into the North, will play havoc amongst our dairy farmers.

The trouble which confronts us is that although the disease has been spreading in Waikato only a comparative small portion of that district has yet been declared an affected area, and we are daily in danger of the disease being introduced. The only effective means of combating it is by inoculation, and in the districts mentioned the Government Veterinarians have been kept busy performing this necessasy work.

Mr M. J. Valentine of Ohaupo, Waikato, who has had considerable experience of the disease, states his belief that many calves have been lost through blackleg without the owner knowing it, although the symptoms are such as to be easy of detection. It generally starts with a swelling in some part of the body, either about the shoulders, loins or hindquarters, accompanied by more or less fever. The swelling is at first very painful, and causes lameness, and may be mistaken for an injury. Later the parts become insensible, cold, gangrenous, and crepitate on pressure. The crackling under the fingers is very diagnostic, and once a person has felt this extraordinary feeling, there can be no mistake about the disease. Death generally takes place within twelve hours. When this occurs the body should be burnt at once, as it is after death that the animal is most dangerous, for it discharges disseminate the germs. Curiously enough steers are more liable to contract the disease than heifers and it is generally the

best conditioned ones that go first. After two years of age they are practically immune.

We have probably said enough to demonstrate to those interested the danger and the necessity for the proposed regulatio ll and we feel sure that our A. and P. Association will have the wholehearted support of the settlers in the good work it has undertaken in the interests of the farmers of the North.