STOCK PARASITES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3509, 14 June 1921, Page 10

STOCK PARASITES.

Cleanliness and good food are not the only measures necessary to protect animals from sickness, but according to the veterinary officers of the stock branch of the Department of Agricultuie (N.fci. \V.) they arc probably first among the most important. The value of safeguarding farm stock from disease has been stressed in a scries of articles on the subject, and throughout them there recur admonitions concerning cleanliness and feeding and the maintenance of health by the prevention of parasitic infestation. Regarding feeding it is stated : ‘Where infestation has taken place, measures must he taken to deal with the parasite in tho animal, but before anything in the nature of treatment is suggested the wonderful effect of good food in safeguarding the animal from the illeffects o' parasitic attacks must once more be urged. In very few ca.srs can the admitduration of drugs compete with good feeding. Loth external and internal parasites nt tunes lead to severe disease and mortality among all classes of stock; the former class includes ticks, lire, keds (she p tick), and mange parasites; the latter includes worms, fluke, and bots. Lice and keds on sheep result ir. serious loss in the condition of tho animal, and a lowering of the quality of its wool; the attacks of these parasites also may ho prevented for a limited period by dipping. Flics will he prevented for a short period from “striking” sheep hy such measures as erutching, dipping, spraying, and jetting, bur again the effect is not permanent. The destruction of parasites, particularly of flies, hy any means is, of course, of value. It is not easy to find any measure which will prevent infestation by bots, though if the eggs are noted on the horse they may lie dealt with hy singeing. Some permanent benefit may he effected in tho way of preventing the attack of worms and fluke. These latter parasites till require moisture for their full development; they mostly pass portion of their lives on the ground, and some, notably fluke, require to pass through another animal before they can again attack their first host. Where such measures as the draining of swampy areas, fencing off of ponds, subdivision and resting of paddocks, and cultivation are practicable they will at times he found of positive value. Where parasitic infestation lias actually occurred, measures must he taken to deal with the parasite in the animal, but, as already indicated, only rarely can tiro administration of drugs compete with good feeding in protecting the animal from the ill-effects rf parasitic attacks. The routine drenching of sheen in wormy districts with a reliable vermicide will have very good effects, but two things must he borne in mind —(1) the drenching should not he delayed until the sheep are badly pulled down or dying, but should he carried out as soon as it is known that they are so affected as to he likely to be harmed; and (2) a single drenching is often insufficient, and, where numbers make it practicable, and, should be repeated at a suitable interval. The prevention of debility, irritation, and loss of wool from external parasites in sh ep ran only be dealt with by dipping, and the time appears to be fast approaching in many sheep (Uriels when dinning will be as much a routine matter as shearing.