ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Waipa Post, Volume 38, Issue 2286, 28 March 1929, Page 3

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

OPERATIONS ON YOUNG STOCK. (By the Department of Agriculture.) During the routine of the many and varied operations which are carried opit on the farm there are some which, through lack of being common-day duties, or which, being only season, do not meet with the success which is so much desired. In this connection and in these notes it is desired to draw the attention of farmers to the minor surgical operations which the majority of farmers preform, on their young stock. Nearly every farmer in season castrates and tails his own lambs, dehorns his young cattle, castrates his calves and pigs, and many even preform other operations such as opening abscesses, etc. In every procedure of a surgical nature through cleanliness of the site of operation, sterilisation of knives, and other instruments by boiling, and care and cleanliness with the aid of antiseptic solutions afterwards, are all essential to success. For the young farmer who has not undertaken such work a practical demonstration by an experienced man is the best method by which he can acquire technique and success. It is essential before operating that the operator's hands should be thoroughly clean, particular attention being paid to the finger nails.

Earlier in these notes reference was made to the castrating and tailing of lambs and also to) dehorning of young calves by means of caustic. If, however, any ram lambs are discovered at this season of the year which have escaped or which are not required for stud purposes, the castration of such lambs requires even greater care than the young lambs operated on at the proper season. It may not generally be recognised that the castration of a lamb of five or six months of age or older is attended with some considerable risk. A suitable method of castrating such animals is by the means of the Burdizzo instrument. If the ordinary method is adopted in such rams there is a danger of the animal dying either from haemorrhage or from infection of the scrotal wounds. CASTRATION OF PIGS.

It is with particular reference to the castration of pigs that this article is written. Young male pigs, as a rule, are operated upon about four to six weeks of age, and whether intended for bacon or pork it is not advisable to leave them longer than this if the best results are to be obtained by both the feeder and the consumer. It is preferable to fast the young animals beforehand or castrate in the early morning. The seat of operation should be washed with a weak solution of Condy's fluid or lysol and the young pigs allowed to return to the sty, which, in the interval, should have a clean bed of dry straw to prevent the wound coming in contact with the fiopr or any dirty material which might give rise to sepsis of abscess formation. If straw bedding is not available the pigs should be liberated in a clean grass paddock. The incision through the skin and outer coverings of the testicles should be a bold one, extending from ohe end of the testicle to the other. Such an incersion permits proper drainage afterwards, the effect of small incersion leaving pockets where pus can accumulate. Cleanliness should be observed throughout the operation, the knife being returned to the vessel containing the antiseptic when not in use.

Improper or partial castration or leaving the animals to mature further before the operation is carried out results in coarser flesh and even tainted meat. Carelessness in the operation with abscess formation in the scortum or in the neighbouring parts may result in the condenmation either wholly or partially by the inspector at the works. It will be realised the abscesses in the region of the scrotum constitute a serious matter in that the hams are the most valuable part of the carcase. At the present time. too| many pigs arrive at the abattoirs and slaughter houses throughout the country improperly or carelessly castrated, and requiring the attention of the inspector. So serious and so prevalent are troubles due toj faulty castration that some buyers to protect themselves and their employers, are examining by palpitation all pigs before purchase* There is no compensation for such animals partially condemned on this account, and the buyer is only protecting his firm, and therefore buying at a reduced price pigs which, with a little care, coxxld have fetched the highest market figure. From an economoc point of view the loses to the pig industry throughout the year must be considerable. It is reckoned that 3 per cent, of pigs may be partially or wholly condemned as a result of improper castration alone. Pig farmers in their own interests, therefor, should see that reasonable care as regards the cleanliness and attention to details, will amply reward them in the enhanced returns from the

sale of sound and wholly marketable products. ULCRATION IN PIGS.

A form of skin ulceration in pigs has been brought to notice of the department. The causative factor is found to be the Spirrochaete suilla, a soil organism associated with dirty yards and styes. The lesions set up are in certain respects similar to those caused by the necrosis organism, also a soil organism and met with in unsanitary yards and styes. The most common regions affected by the former are the head and ears, bu.t later the trouble may spread toi the shoulders and back. Where this skin trouble has made its appearance it is advisable to segregate the affected animals. A thorough clean up of the styes and disinfection of the entire premises is necessary. It may even be necessary in a badly infested sight to transfer the piggery or build a new piggery on an entirely clean sight.

In the early stages scraping the skin slightly and the application of tincture of iodine or other antiseptic will assist in recovery of thej affected. That such troubles keep cropping up is another illustration of the necessity of cleanliness and sanitation of the feeding troughs and feeding utensils, the styes and general attention to hygiene and care of pigs. The old belief that pigs could .live under almost any conditions is well recognised by the modern pig keeper to be a fallacy, and conducive to diseases of many varieties and also to prasitic infestation.