DISEASE IN DAIRY STOCK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20171, 4 February 1929, Page 15

DISEASE IN DAIRY STOCK.

SERIOUS UDDER TROUBLE.

Considerable udder trouble has been experienced in the herds throughout this district. In one case a farmer increased his herd by 30 cows this season and took only 151b. of butter-fat more hhan when he had the smaller herd. This was entirely due to udder trouble, all four quarters being affected in some cases, writes the Thames Valley correspondent of tho Weekly News. Tho gravity of the position is realised by the Department of Agriculture, and has been brought home forcibly to Dr. C. J. Reaks director-general of the department, who has been visiting tho Waikato. On Sunday week, Dr. Reakes, Mr.Munro manager of the Ruakura State Farm, and Messrs. Lyons and Marshall, Government 'veterinarans were in the Morrinsville district and met several settlers ?at the residence of Mr. J. E. Leeson, chairman of directors of tho Morrinsville Dairy Company. Local cases were brought under the notice of the director, and tho increased losses due to mammits and other diseases this season wero emphasised. One of tho speakers, who states that veterinary science had not advanced in New Zealand to the extent that medical scienco had, was taken to task by Dr. Reakes. The doctor said he had mado extensive personal inquiries of tho latest developments in stock disease prevention, iu Denmark, France, Germany, England, Austria and tho. United States, and he felt assured that in no country was study so far advanced as in New Zealand. Experiments were now being, undertaken in dressing the ground with lime, and research was being conducted in other directions.

All sorts of theories aro advanced as to the cause of these diseases. Sonic express the opinion that it is due largely to the extensive use 'of fertiliser and too intensive farming. Others claim that the continuous breeding of highgrade animals is partly responsible. The fact remains that the diseases are causing heavy losses to individual farmers, and if the trouble is not checked it may possibly seriously affect the whole of the Waikato. &