DISEASE IN LAMBS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21598, 19 March 1932, Page 6

DISEASE IN LAMBS

CAUSE OF PULPY KIDNEY OFFICIAL STATEMENT ISSUED (Special to Dailt Times.) WELLINGTON, March IS. A statement issued to the Press Association by the Department of Agriculture says that during the 1930 season it was discovered for the first time by Mr D. A. Gill, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S.M., of the New Zealand Department of Agriculture, that a powerful toxin (poison), was present in the intestinal contents of lambs affected with pulpy kidney disease. The work was done at Ranfurly, and although the indications were that this toxin was the product ,of a bacterium facilities could not be arranged at Ranfurly' to carry out the work aimed at isolating the particular germ responsible. For that reason the investigation was carried out during the 1931 season in the Oamaru district, a temporary laboratory being established for the purpose at the Pukeuri Freezing Works. Although the material for investigation was rather scarce several strains of a particular germ were isolated and taken back to the veterinary laboratory at Wallaceville for further study. As a result of this work it has been found by Mr Gill that all these strains are of the same nature, that the germ produces a powerful toxin having similar properties to that found in the intestines of affected lambs, and that %vhile it is very similar to a germ called bacillus Welchii (which he suggested in 1927 in a report to the department as a likely cause of the disease), it has the fundamental difference that the toxin produced by the bacillus Welchii and by the germs from the affected lambs are different. He is of the opinion that it is the toxins produced by these germs which are responsible for the so-called pulpy kidney disease.

The work at Wallaceville has not so far been published, as the final details have not yet been worked out, but it has been thought advisable to make this statement of the position immediately as veterinary research workers in Australia have Just published the results of their work on the same problem. The germ which they have isolated and shown to be responsible for the losses there is extremely similar to, if not identical with, that obtained by Mr Gill in Oaraaru. It produces a similar toxin and the anti-toxin of the Australian strain neutralises the toxin of the New Zealand strains as well as the Australian ones.

The value of these discoveries in throwing light on the direct’ cause of the disease is very considerable, as will be realised by many sheep farmers, particularly in the South Island, who have been mystified by the losses they have suffered. It must not be lost sight of, however, that nutritional troubles in the lamb, probably some form or forms of indigestion, are almost as important in the causation of the disease as the germ itself, as there is every reason to believe that while the germ is of widespread occurrence and inhabits the intestines of many animals, it only leads to the disease when digestive disturbances give it the opportunity to grow and produce its toxin in excessive quantities. It will probably be possible to make a further and more detailed statement in the near future.