GERALDINE FOOTROT IN SHEEP

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21085, 11 July 1938, Page 4

GERALDINE FOOTROT IN SHEEP

Methods of Treatment OPINION OF GOVERNMENT VETERINARIAN An interesting letter by Mr W. D. Blair. District Superintendent of the Live Slock Division of the Department oi Agriculture, was read at the monthly meeting of the Geraldine Branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in reply to the Branch's letter on the subject of footrot in sheep. The control of footrot. said Mr Blair, called for very definite measures. The most important thing was the removal of ail affected sheep from the flock and their aggregation until cured. To effect this a careful examination of the of all the sheep must be made—every * hmm showing: any degre? ci fcotroi from small smn Itsions between the claws to bad cases of broken ami under-run horn must be sopara:cd from sheep with sound feel. The next step was treatment of the affected. The first essential in treating footrot was paring of .he horn. It was now generally recognised that the must vlgoious and patient trimming of feet was essential io success in foctroi eradication. When this was done. the application of a dressing composed oi one part of powdered bluestone to tv.o parts of Stockholm tar had given good results. The affected sheep must be I segregated and treatment continued ( until iliey were cured, and they must not be put back with sound sheep until I ail symptoms of foctrot had di. appenrI cd. it was obvious tim.t sheep ur.e.-r paddocks available. In control lay the gallon of the aflecio< : . Combined v. ;d. proper measures of treatment, tins hud given very satisfactory results on many A Contagious Disease In reply to Geraldine questions. Mr Blair said that investigational work into the disease in Australia had shown that rhe infection in footrot was always spread through an infected sheep, but that apart, from the sheep the infective agent did not live long on pastures— i not longer than a few weeks at the j most after removal of affected sheen. 1 Footrat must be recognised as a definitely contagious disease, he said ■ It had been shown that m a chronic 1 case in which the infection was locked away bc'.ow the horn )f the hoof, the animal remained infective for as long ; The infection did not last longer than a few weeks in yards, pastures, etc., Mr Blair concluded, and therefore a spell for that time would render the yards clean. Heavy liming or spraying with ' sheep dip should hasten the cleaning ; process. The secretary (Mr P. G. Withers, , junr.): The letter clears up a few of I the points which wc have been dis- , cussing It is evident that th? lootrot 1 germ docs not live more than two or j three days away from the sheep. The president (Mr G. Wooding): The liming of the yards has been suggested, ! but sheep are just as liable to cal ch. j footrot oil public highways over which ■ infected sheep had passed. Mr R. A. Bruce: I was talking i , Mr i E. J. Lukov, of the Department of i Agriculture, and he had said that it 1 had now been discovered that foctrot s and worms go hand in hand, and that . footrot has developed from worms. The president: Yes. They will go on finding cut these things as they con- : tinue research work. The letter was received. FARMERS’ U N lON LLC TIKES ARRANGED About 30 members' attended the' monthly meeting of the Geraldine ! Brunch of the Farmers’ Union on Fri- j day evening, the president. Mr G. i Wooding occupying the chair. A motion of sympathy was extended . to Mr R. A. Bruce in his recent j bereavement. The secretary <Mr P. G. Withers, re- j ported that since the last monthly > meeting lie had received 16 subscrip- j lions. Three new members wore elected. Mr R. McGillivray. Fiids Superir.tcn- ■ den*, of the Department oi Agriculture, | i Christchurch, advised that it would i not be possible for him to give ai-.otb., r ■ lecture at Ger../line tins sex on. as ;.i would be very fully occupied lor the next few months. However, hit would I sec if a Timaru instructor would be i available to give an address at a future j Mr E. J. Lukey. B.V.Sc.. ol the De’)?.r! mein, oi Agriculture. Timaru advised that lie was willin',’ to v.ive a demcir iratio’ of the vaccination o! ewes against pulpy kidney at the Ger?. dine sale on July 13. On the suggestion of Mr C W. Lynn , the secretary was Instructed to write to Mr C. C. Leitch, of the Department ' of Agriculture. Timaru. asking if he could give an illustrated address cn . “Strain in Pasture Plants.” The South Canterbury Provincial j secretary <Mr A. 13. Struthers) advised j that the special committee set up to discuss a scheme to settle young men ! on the land would be pleased to receive j suggestions from Branches with a view i to formulating a concrete plan. • I don’t knew about pulling young ■ men on the land.” remarked a member 1 “it is hard enough to stay on the farm | yourself!” (Laughter j Members were asked to consider the j matter and to make sugee. lions to the j next meeting. Messrs G. Wooding. C. W. Lynn. R. I | E. Mdlwrick. W. S. Crotty, 11. Coulter, L E. Reid. G. Bailey and P. G. Wither.';. - junr.. were appointed a Social Commit- . tee, and in order to raise fund- for the ; Branch it was decided to hold dances . at the Pleasant Valley Hall on Satur- , day. August 6 and at the Orari Bridge . Hall on Saturday, August 26. HEAVY FROSTS Thirteen degrees of frost were registered at Geraldine on Saturday. At Mount Harper 15 degrees were recorded, but on the opposite side of the ■ Rangatata Gorge the temperature was ■ 24 degrees below freezing point.