WORMS IN SHEEP.

Otago Witness, Issue 3352, 12 June 1918, Page 10

WORMS IN SHEEP.

Several inquiries have been received in regard 'to the parisitic infection of sheep—of iambs in particular,—and we have no doubt that some extracts of an article by "Crowfoot" in the Pastoral Review will in this connection bo read with interest. In reference to worms in sheep, he says: "' Numbers of these worm parasites infest the intestines of sheep—in fact, each organ hag its particular inhabitant. Of those that infest sheep there are only three kinds that play havoc with young sheep—viz., tapeworm, the small thread worm (marked like a barber's pole—red and white stripes), and the lung worm. They occur in some seasons, chiefly wet ones, as an epidemic. Lambs when affected by lung worm separate from, the others, and have-a dejected appearance, the ears lopped, back arched, the wool stands out on the back, and the skin is white and of a papery nature. The cruncle of the eye is sallow-, the gums and underneath the tongue a pale purple, and they rub their noses on the ground or up against trees. To this is added a husky, weak sort of cough, and once the pneumonia has set in it is all up with them. Tho other two —stomach and tape worm—set up diarrhoea, which 'terminates fatally in 50 per cent, of cases when climatic conditions are favourable to development, unless they are at once taken in hand and oarafully treated '" Prevention as far as practicable is the best course to pursue. My experience is that the prevention of loss lies three parts with tho owner and one with the drench. Sheep are better without physic, but tonics are good in th-a shape of licks, because the sheep take them as Nature dictates. As the residence of 'these parasites is only temporary, the host should be kept in the best possible condition and health, eo as 'to enable it to outlive the residence of the worm Licks are tho only practicable mean 3 of_ dosing sheep in largo numbers, together with a change of pasturo and careful watching. < It is much easier to cope with the pest in its infancy than when it has obtained a strong hold on the flocks. Lambs that have received a check when very young 1 , eo as to become ' poddies' are generally 'worm houses.' If tho season is a ' wormy' one they then rarely see the two-tooth stage.

Drenching, if carefully done, has a good result at times, but no result at all if the sheep are turned back on to the same land that 'they camo off. There is no drench (and I have used dozens) that will kill the worms and disinfect —in fact. I have never found a dead worm as the result of drenching, but the specifics given are usually of that description that they can't bo palatable to worm-life, and they loose their ' grip' and are expelled in the excreta. The same applies to the small stomach worm and lung worm. Drenches should always be given milk-warm and on an empty stomach. The sheep must not be let near water for four or five hours after drenching, and must be changed to a different paddock from which they were taken prior to dos : ng. Wormy eheep should never be allowed all green, watery pasture, but they do better if grazed upon land where there is. old long feed with it; never where they have to graze close to the ground. " Stagnant waters midst rushes are wormhatcheries. I have always noticed the parasite worse in this kind of country. Judging hv results, it is a good thing if the area is not too large and lime can be procured cheaply, to lime the wet places wherever rushes grow. " Sheepmen should closely watch their young sheep, and should they notice any havmg a tucked-up appearance, or scour ing badly and grinding their teeth as if chewing the cud, kill one, and if the lung on post-mortem is discoloured—that is, liver-coloured patches on it—lung worms

arc present, as this lung tissue is destroyed by them Have a sharp pair of scissors, and lollow what is commonly known as tlie Windpipe right through the lungs, first tne rigtit then the left (tan ritrh't is usually the first affected). The windpipe brandies orf when it enters the lungs into what is called the bronchial tub; s, and in these at the outer extremity the worms will be iound in bunches. They are like pieces o; wnito thread, and some are darker than others, which is mostly the difference in eex. If badly infested the liver-coloured patches on the lung, commencing from the outer rim and extending upwards, the worms completely block up the tubes, and set up pneumonia by preventing the blood from oxidising. The next organ to search is in the fourth stomach, or rennet. This is situated at the entrance to the small intestines, called 'the pylorus. In this will be found numerous small thread worms, marked like a 'barber's pole'—red and white stripes. They take all the nutriment out of the food before it is operated upon by the absorbents. The next organ is the small intestines. These should bo opened with a pair of scissors. Lay the guts, after being straightened out, on a long board, and examine carefully. In this part will bo found 'tape worm,' 'bentheaded round worms,' 'tne common round worm,' and the 'ventricosc worm.' The tine worm does the most damage. Tire next organ to search is the caecum, or large gut, shaped like a long bottle, before tiie rectum, where 'black-headed worm' will

black-headed worm' and 'whip worm,' so called because it tapers off to a small point, like a whip. The next organ is along the rectum, where 'black-headed worm' will be found, and tho 'tumour-making round worm' is found in the large intestines, as also tho tumours, ex'tendng 'along the entire length of the intestines. The worms that I have narrated—the tape, lung, and stomach worm —are the worst, and cause death or set up debilitating diseases which cause death. The others do not seem to have a -\ cry bad effect unless very plentiful, which is not usual. Sheep are rarely infested with cne kind of worm alone. If lung worms are present it will be found in nearly every case that either 'tape' or stomach worms are also. On the other hand, sheep may have tape and stomach worms, but no lung worms. A few of aiy kind have a beneficial effect. Like a few fluke in a sheep, probably they ex--cite the flow of gastric juices, but when in numbers they so weaken the system that an animal is liable to take on almost any ailment, having no strength to fight against it. This is another reason why all carcases should be burned, and the yards where sheep are placed for treating should be littered over with a good coating of straw or dry grass, and burned also. "Infested sheep should be spplied with the most generous diet, and moved on to the driest land free from swamps, and have access to a good lick having tonic constituents in its make-up. .For a couple of months this will do more good than drenching ; there are less deaths, and no knocking about. Where very many sheep are drenched there is always about 10 per cent, killed by the drench going the wrong way into the lungs, instead of into the stomach. To do them carefully and give the specific gradually takes too long. About 150 per dav for one man with a catcher is all that can be done properly, and it would take at this rate about four days with four men to do a couple of thousand. No one drenching is of any use to rid them of worms; they should bo dosed at intervals of 10 days, and tlrs makes the cure worse than the disease. If done at all, the only practical way is to do only the very worst ■ cases, and keep them in a hospital paddock, and treat the others by generous diet, with 'licks,' constant moving from pasture to pasture, and keep them from wet places. ' Licks' should not be supplied constantly, but at intervals of every alternato month, if they contain sulphate of iron. Too much of this mineral will have a ten dency to make ewes abort their lambs, and, again, sheep over-eat the licks at times. Lumps of rock salt can always be kept about the paddocks with impunity, as the sheep have to u<w> their to«<"'"< , S J and only get small quantities at a time. " Weaners usually develop worms after shearing, when they have been taken away from their mothers. The weaning process is always a time of distress to lambs even when cross-weaned, so the longer it is delayed the better. They are then better able to shift for themselves, and do not pine so much. " Dogs should never be allowed to harbour worms, especiallv tape worms. There are so many reliable veterinary worm powders that will clean them out of a dog that there is, no excuse for having wormy dogs about a bolclino\ Yft it is a very common occurrence. Marsupials, rabbts, and foxes are all worm hosts, and they seed the pastures. The only way to prevent this is by not allowing any to be on a place. Over-stocking, wet pastures, and stagnant water in the tanks are, it is reasonable to supppose, contributing causes, and can all be combated considerably, as well as burning off all dead and decaying timber lying on the ground. This makes for clean pastures."