ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17094, 29 October 1929, Page 9

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS PREVENTIVE MEASURES In an issue of this paper in December last year an outline was given of the disease known as caseous lymphadenitis in sheep, with particular reference f o the nature of the disease and the preventive methods to be used in order to limit its occurrence as far as possible. Now that the Home authorities are paying special attention to the discovery of this disease ill imported mutton and lamb carcases, including the thawing out of a certain percentage of carcases, which naturally results in an economic loss to the exporter, it is important that every endeavor must be made to prevent as far as possible any affected carcases reaching the Home market. The department accordingly is strengthening its meat inspection staff to this end, and extreme vigilance will be observed in inspection methods at freezing works, but in addition to this and in order that the incidence of the disease in New Zealand may be reduced, with a final view to elimination, the co-operation of all sheep farmers in New Zealand is essential if 'these objects are to be achieved. HOW CAN THE PARMER HELP? At the department's veterinary laboratary at Walla covillo experimental work in this disease showed that the chief method by which the disease is transmitted is by the entrance of the casual organism through wounds or abrasions of the skin. It is therefore obvious that wounds incurred during the operations of castration, docking, shearing and erutebing, are all sources by which the germ may gain entrance and set up the disease.

It becomes necessary then that sheepfarmers should see that these operations are carried out hi such a manner as will eliminate as far as possible all course of infection. To this end all blades used in shearing should be sterilised by boiling before the work commences, and frequently dipped in an antiseptic fluid during shearing operations; for this purpose machine oil to which carbolic acid has been added in the proportion of one to ten. All wounds should lie immediately dressed with Stockholm tar. Whilst this is not one of the strongest antiseptics it has the advantage of sticking to and forming a cover over the wound. The floor of the shed also should receive attention. This has probably been used for seasons without being cleaned. Before operations the floor should be thoroughly scrubbed with an antiseptic, fluid. All posts and division rails inside the shed should be similarly treated.

Through years of frequent use the yards are liable to become infected with the germ of the disease. It is essential, therefore, that this area should receive careful attention. The surface soil should be well turned over, after which it should be liberally sprinkled with an antiseptic solution, or non-poisonous dip, following which a dressing of lime should be applied. All gates, posts, and rails should receive a coating of tar, or lime-wash, containing carbolic acid. The holding paddocks adjacent to shearing sheds are' also frequently much soiled, and should be periodically, as opportunity occurs, ploughed up and allowed to lio to the sun, and again re-sown. When docking and castrating lambs care should be taken to see that the operation is" not carried out for any two seasons in succession on any given part of the farm. The shearing yards should be avoided as a site of this operation, and knives, instruments and the hands of the operator should be sterilised before operating, and all antiseptic, precaution taken during operations. Although the infection may naturally be present on any part of a farm, it is felt that the shearing shed and its vicinity, through frequent crowding of sheep, is the place where the risk is greatest, and that if the precautions outlined above are put in practice the incidence of lymphadenitis will be very considerably reduced.