ON THE LAND

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18653, 23 August 1930, Page 13

ON THE LAND

PARALYSIS IN EWES

NEW FORM OF TREATMENT. LINCOLN COLLEGE REPORT. Research recently conducted by the veterinary department of the Canterbury Agricultural College shows that the percentage of deaths among inlamb ewes from ante-partum paralysis can be considerably reduced by thq adoption of a new treatment discovered as a result of the above investigation. It must be borne in mind, however, by farmers that three distinct form of paralysis before lambing are met with in practice:—(l) Paralysis due to the ewes being too fat. (Mopiness). (2) Paralysis due to the presence of one or more big lambs in the womb causing pressure, etc., on the nerves of the hind quarters. In this form the general health of affected ewes is not disturbed. (3) Paralysis due to weakness, resulting from old standing disease, or lack of food. This form is rare except when due to lack of food. In form No. 2 and 3 abortion should be created, and usually the animal makes a good recovery. The form of paralysis which gives the farmer most trouble is No. 1, commonly referred to as mopiness, and is associatied with excess food and lack of exercise, the affected ewes becoming very dull and listless for a day or two and then developing paralysis. Usually two welldeveloped lambs are being carried in the womb. Post-mortem examinations conducted on many cases of this kind of paralysis shows that in every case a fatty diseased conditions of the liver Is present. Occasionally the kidneys show pathological changes also. Although the above ailment affecting in-lamb ewes can be prevented to a certain extent by plenty of exercise and a reduced food supply during the gestation period, nevertheless this complaint often becomes manifest some days or weeks prior to lambing. In the past medicinal treatment has had no beneficial effects, but recent investigations carried out by the Canterbury Agricultural College show that the injection of an isotonic solution of glucose (400 c.c.) under the skin and the internal administration of lib. of

treacle in the early stages of th< disease give very encouraging results Of 54 cases treated to date in th< early stage, 43 recovered; 4 aborted bu did well.

The New Treatment. If affected ewes are left untreated for any length of time —hours in some cases—the condition becomes incurable owing to a definite diseased state of the liver. The importance of attacking the ailment in the early stages cannot be over-estimated if the best .results are to be obtained. A change on to green feed and plenty of gentle exercise must accompany this new method of treatment. When an outbreak becomes manifest the ewes should be rounded up and exercised, when all the affected will tail off and be easily picked out. These should immediately receive 400 c.c. of an isotonic solution of glucose under the loose skin of the neck, the chest, or the flank. A 4oz hypodermic syringe , or 4oz. wound syringe and needle is | used for the purpose. Ey using a suit- 1 able thickness of rubber tubing the! nozzle of any syringe can be made to fit the needle. At the same time each i medium-sized affected ewe should be, dosed with a drench containing lib of treacle. For bigger ewes, lilb. may be necessary. In our earlier investigations 21b. were given but this amount was found to be too severe in some cases. As little boiling water as is needed to dissolve the treacle should be used, as a bulky draught for sheep is difficult to administer and introduces the risk of choking the animal. An ideal method of oral administration of medicine to sheep consists of inserting a gag into the animal’s mouth and passing a rubber tube about lin. in diameter down the gullet. As it is not necessary for the tube to go into the stomach, 2ft. 6in. is a suitable length. A funnel inserted into the tube completes the apparatus. In some cases abortion or miscarriage follows the well-marked purgative effect of the treacle. Farmers would be well advised to use their own discretion in the quantity of treacle to use. In the very early stages treacle alone without the hypodermic injection of glucose should always be given in bad cases. Those experiencing losses from this disease and unable to secure a supply of glucose should give the treacle without fail.

e Mode of Operation. s. Since, under normal circumstances, e the liver of the pregnant ewe has an it increased fat content, excess of food associated with lack of exercise will have a tendency to add further to the fat content of the liver. In this disease there is an excess of fat in the liver. A shortage of food (not necessarily starvation) following a plentiful food supply, probably from before flushing time, markedly predisposes to this disease, since in starvation there is also an increased fat content of the liver due to the passage through the liver of fat from the fat depots in the body. There is, therefore, an increase of fat in the body and thdre would appear to be a deficiency of sugar to burn up this as this particular time. Hence the method of treatment recommended. The internal administration of treacle serves two purposes:—(l) Its purgative effect constipation being a constant symptom in this disease. (2) It is a source of sugar. The hypodermic injection of glucose allows ot to be absorbed more quickly into the body, and in this way serves to attack the ailment before becoming incurable—another source of sugar.

To Make Isotonic Solution of Glucose. For chemist’s use, 50 grams of glucose to 1000 c.c. of distilled or boiled water. The above quantity should not cost more than 1/-. Quantity to use:—Glucose, 3 syringefuls in three different parts of the body. Repeat daily if necessary. Treacle: —lib. for medium-sized ewes; liUb. for big ewes. If a long period elapses between the development of the disease and parturition it may be necessary to repeat the dose of treacle. The syringe must be kept clean by drawing through it common salt solution. Use two tablespoonfuls of common table salt to a pint of water for this purpose. To serilise the needle boil in water for 20 minutes and keep it when not in use in methylated spirits. Where green feed is not available and the disease assumes alarming proportions, chaffed straw well-saturated with molasses should be fed where practicable, but all ewes showing the slightest symptoms of dullness and irregularity of the gait of the hind limbs should be dosed with treacle if glucose is not available. For detection of diseased ewes. Exercise of a forced nature is indicated when an outbreak becomes evident, as this procedure is indicated when an outbreak becomes evident, as this procedure results in:—(1) An early detection of those affected. (2) A possible prevention of those not yet affected.

The farmer of America this year is faced with surpluses on nearly every hand, having increased his efficiency at an amazing rate. Ten years ago the farm population was above 31,000,000, it is now estimated at 27,000,000, a decline of over 4,000,000. At the same time during the past ten years, the total population of the United States has increased by about 15,000,000, apparently in the cities, as are also the 4,000,000 who have migrated from the farms. Thus 4,000,000 less farmers are required now to feed a population of non-agricultural people 20,000,000 in excess of that ten years ago.