NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3993, 23 September 1930, Page 12

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Saving Pelts. Although the price of wool is low, properly cured peits are still worth something. All through the country sheep are being killed for home consumption, and the newly shorn pelts should be properly stretched and dried in the shade. To get full returns, the skins should be carefully taken off, free from cuts, and kept clean. As soon as

possible after slaughter the pelt should be spread lengthwise, witli the trotters on, over a round beam (not over a wire) in an airy shed. Next morning, when the pelt is stretched and set, remove the trotters. As a preventive against the ravages of weevils the following solution is recommended:—Place lib of arsenate of soda in two gallons of water. When it is dissolved add Idr of bitter aloes, previously dissolved in a cup of hot water. Paint the skin thoroughly with this solution, and when the pelts are thoroughly dry they can be packed on top of one another until there are sufficient to make a fair-size parcel for market.

Some Ailments of Foals. Constipation in newly born foals must be avoided. With a,,young foal one should see if any dung is passed during the first few days of its life, and, if not, then a dose of castor oil should be given. Very often the first thing noticed is that the foal stops sucking, rolls frequently, struggles with pain, throws itself down, and shows evidence of colic. The dose of castor oil for a young foal is 2oz or 3oz. according to age and size. If a soap and water enema does not help to relieve the foal, then another one may be given in an hour’s time, and a little glycerine added to the soapy water. With a mare that has been fed on dry food, the foa] is more likely to become constipated than one belonging to a grassfed mare. A foal when about four months old very often eats dried vegetable matter, etc., with the result that the dry rubbish causes colic and constipation. A dose of linseed or castor oil may be given, and thus expel the irritating material. Diarrhoea is a common complaint amongst foals. Very often it is due to the dam being in use, sudden changes of diet, bad water, or indigestion in the mare. Always try to find out what is causing the trouble. One is generally safe in first giving a dose of castor oil, and afterwards, say, in three or four hours, a dose of diarrhoea mix-

ture such as is used for calves. Sometimes owing to the loss of the dam, illness, or other reasons, one has to resort to hand feeding. Of course, if possible, one puts the foal to another animal—possibly a cow having a calf about th? same age as the foal. Mare’s milk contains a comparatively large quantity of sugar of milk and relatively little fat compared with cow’s milk. Feed the milk warm directly as it comes from the cow, adding one part of warm water to every two of milk, and adding some sugar. Later on give one part of water to three parts of milk. At first a foal requires feeding every two hours. After a month, the interval between the meals may be increased. Always get the milk from the same cow and not from just any one.

Wounds at Shearing Time. As the shearing season is approaching, it is perhaps advisable to draw attention to the necessity of taking all possible steps to prevent the occurrence of diseases which are due to wound infection. The most important of these are tetanus, caseous lymphadenitis, and malignant cedema. Undoubtedly (says Veterinarian Max Henry) many cases of these diseases result through the injuries received at shearing time, and every care should be taken to prevent the contamination of wounds. Careful shearing will help, and so minimise the number of wounds. Before shearing commences the shed should be well cleaned up and disinfected by thoroughly scrubbing with hot water and soda, and then washing with some disinfectant. The pens at the bottom of the chutes require careful attention. as these so often contain masses of dead wool and faiees and contaminated dust. This is especially necessary when pens are under the .woolshed, as no sunlight can penetrate there, and consequently they are more dangerous. All this dirt should be cleared up. and fresh, clean soil or gravel placed in position. Care is desirable in handling the sheep, so that as far as can be prevented they do not fall on to this material with newly inflicted cuts on their bodies. The combs, cutters, and blades should be thoroughly overhauled, cleaned, and disinfected. The cleansing of these is particularly necessary, and such cleaning should be repeated during shearing operations. Any animal which is noted to have discharging wounds about the shoulders, flanks, or udder, discharging a greenish pus. should be separated, and should be shorn separately, care being taken that combs ami cutters are afterwards disinfected before being used on other sheep. Such animals are liable to spread disease, and it is desirable to cull them out of the flocks. As dust blowing on to sheep from infected yards is liable to infect any wounds present on them, the damping down of the yards during periods when the sheep are being worked in them, especially just before and after shearing, is very desirable. If sheep are kept for long in the pens after shearing it is obvious that the chances of infection are increased. Therefore, it is always desirable to get the sheep out of the pens as soon as possible. Only if thorough cleanliness is observed in all operations connected with shearing will these diseases which are due to the infection of wounds be thoroughly controlled.

Flies and Manure. The following letter appeared in a recent issue of Hoard’s Dairyman, and is interesting not only from the fact that the writer was successful in practically eliminating the fly trouble, but built up a fine reserve ot’ manure, of all-round quality. This correspondent. Mr G. E. Azer, of New York, wrote as follows: —I read with much interest your article on “ Flies and Fly Control,” in your issue of June 10.’ In this article you failed to make any mention of the very best fly swatter that I have ever found. That is the liberal use of euperphosphate, or acid phosphate, in the gutters or spread over the manure pile if in the summer months it is sometimes found necessary to have a manure pile. I have found that this practice practically eliminates the incubat on of ties in manure and also increases the value of the manure to a very marked degree. This practice adds to the manure the valuable phosphorus, which all manure is deficient in and in which every acre of our land here in the east is deficient. However, the greatest value derived from its use. aside from its preventing a breeding place for files. is the power it has to keep the ammonia from escaping from the manure. One will not have to call in a chemist to prove that it is preventing the ammonia from escaping, as one can tell by the absence of the ammonia smell in the stable. If your readers will try using superphosphate in the manure gutters after cleaning stable, also with the horse manure, as well as all other manure on the farm, I believe that they will find that they have made a long stride toward eliminating the fly pest. The Ohio Experiment Station published a bulletin showing that in field tests where manure treated with acid phosphate was compared to untreated manure that they received an

actual increase in value of crops about 18dol for each dollar expended in acid phosphate and, used in gutters at the rate of one to one and one-fourth pounds per cow per day. This, of course, applies when cows .were in stable, so it would not require this amount when they were out on grass.

AGRICOLA.