WAIKATO FARMERS' CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11246, 15 December 1899, Page 3

WAIKATO FARMERS' CLUB.

ADDRESS BY MB. GILRUTH. The usual monthly meeting of the Waikato formers Club was held at tho clubroom, Cambridge, 011 Monday. The president (Mr. E. Allen) -was in the chair, and there was a large attendance of members. Mr. John Case, of Botorangi, was elected a member.

It was resolved to endorse tho decision of the recent conference at Auckland in the direction of decreasing the weight of a sack of wheat from 2401b to 2001b, in accordance with the petition of the Lyttelton wharf labourers.

A resolution was forwarded from the Ohaupo branch of the club, condemning the auctioneers' practice of charging yard fees and cost of advertising in addition to the usual commission. Consideration of the resolution was postponed until next meeting. Mr. Gilruth, Chief Government Veterinarian, was present by invitation, and delivered an address on diseases of stock. Ho referred in detail to the history and treatment of tuberculosis in the colony, and pointed out that the matter of expense precluded the possibility of completely stamping it out. By care and vigilance it was possible to check it, and this applied particularly to stud herds, in which, with the full cooperation of the owners, it was, indeed, practicable to stamp out the complaint in a few years...; Tho Department was prepared to apply "the tuberculin test to all such cattle at a cost which was merely nominal, and the subsequent careful weeding out of the diseased animals could bo effected without undue loss. Cows affected could be isolated, and still used for breeding, and destroyed when the diseaso had made progress sufficient to interfere with the health of tho progeny. So long as tho udder remained unaffected, the cows could wean their calves with comparative safety to the latter, which should, however, ho tested in due course. It had been said that the tuberculin communicated the disease, but ho characterised the statement as nonsense. He had treated several herds in the manner indicated during tho past three or four years, with success. There was no euro for tuberculosis in the lower animals, and where the indications were clear the best thing to do in tho case of ordinary animals was to have them destroyed and get the half compensation allowed by the Government. He urged farmers to communicate in such cases with tho stock inspector. Another disease in the district was antynoinyeosis, the effects of which, so far as tho farmer was concerned, closely resembled those of tuberculosis. He understood also that cases of red water had occurred. In Queensland this was caused by the tick, but in this country it was the result of, errors in feeding. In tho Old Country it jwas called the disease of the poor man's cow, the plain inference being that it aroso from want of proper nourishment. In the South it was caused by feeding on frosty turnips, without giving a sufficient supply of straw. The blood broke down and passed out through the kidneys. The cure was easy if taken in time. A dose of salts, bran mashes (with eggs beaten up, perhaps), and sulphate of iron to repair the impoverishment of tho blood. Proper nourishment was the preventative, and the same remark applied to parasites in lambs and calves. Lung worms and stomach worms, and all such parasites, including the bot, throve when tho animals were poor, but could not make headway against "condition." The whole thing lay in keeping up the stamina of the stock. In swampy land ho recommended dry oats as feed for sheep and lambs, and warned stock-breeders against the error of supposing that calves could thrive on skim-milk from tho first. Calves should have whole milk for a month, and afterwards something should lie added to take the place of the butter fat, such as linseed tea, etc. Parasites wore never observed in stud stock, which wero always properly nourished. Ho disapproved of all sorts of drenches, which were not worth carrying homo. True farming did not consist in turning the stock into walking drug stores. Referring to the case of anthrax at Ohaupo some four years ago, lie said tho members of tho club on that oocasion had given him some advice, but the highest authorities in England hod decided that the disease was anthrax. This year thore had been some cases, the circumstances connected with which were almost identical with those at Ohaupo. Tho cattle affected wore in evory case on turnips that had been manured with imported bones. Tlioro was no doubt about tho facts. He did not desire to create alarm, but lie advised farmers to report every suspicious death to the inspector. No possible good could be served by keeping tho matter secret. Mr. Gilruth, at tho closo of his address, replied to a number of questions. He said prevention was better than cure in the case of milk fever. The cow should bo kept down in condition before calving, or whero that could not bo done the calf should be allowed to run with her for some days. It was raroly that a cow recovered after she got down with tho fover. He could give no cure that was infallible, or that would do its work independently of care and attention. His recipe was as follows:—Chloral hydrate, 2oz; potassium bromide, joz; water to make a quart. Give half the quantity at once, half the remainder in two hours, and the remainder in two hours afterwards. Care should be taken not to choke the animal, -.vhose head should be immediately released if she coughed. Replying to Mr. Riohard Reynolds, Mr. Gilruth said he could not give any definite information yet respecting tho mysterious wasting disease affecting stock in the Rotorua bush and some parts of the East Coast. He was instituting careful inquiries, and hoped soon to be in a position to deal with the subject.

In answer to Mr. Tucker, Mr. Gilruth scouted the notion that the botfly caused mortality amongst horses. As with other parasites, the whole matter was one of condition. The species that attacked horses' chins was harmless. They did not sting, but merely frightened the animals. On the motion of Mr. R. Reynolds, a very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Gilruth was carried by acclamation, and a hope was expressed that such meetings would' take place much oftener.