DISEASE IN COWS.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17805, 2 September 1929, Page 8

DISEASE IN COWS.

THE WAIKATO EPIDEMIC. OFFICIALS ALIVE TO POSITION, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT. A reassuring statement on the epidemic of sepsis In cows now existent in the Waikato was made by Mr. T. A. Blake, Government Veterinary Surgeon, In an Interview with a Waikato Times reporter this afternoon. ■. The disease, which has been taking toll of Waikato • dairy herds is not called sepsis by Mr. Blake, but bovine parturient eclampsia. According to the cases reported, he said, it was evident the disease is not so prevalent as it was last year. In company with Mr. D. Marshall, another Government Veterinary Surgeon, Mr. .Blake has been concentrating on this new disturbing aspect of slock disease and has been providing advice, instruction and treatment to farmers over a wide area. These gentlemen are anxious for as much first-hand evidence of the disease as possible, as research work is still in the experimental stage and any remedies must be relative.

According to our experience,” Mr. Blake said, •“ The post-mortem symptoms do not indicate that the disease is due to septic metritis. It is an entirely seasonal disease and is apparently confined to the period from the middle of July to the end of September. The usual symptoms are staggering gait, twitching muscles, rolling eyeballs;' while sudden death is quite common. There are, of course, other symptoms denoting general nervous disorder.”

\ Fc?r prevention, Mr. Blake advises hay farmers to feed hay watered with molasses, and not to put cows on rich, luscious pastures immediately after calving. The provision of hay should not be neglected. Many Waikato pastures contained an extraordinary tiigh percentage of nitrogen, which should be offset by a widening of the ration of hay and roots. A mixture of 1001 bof bone meal, 501 b of salt, and 3 ounces of potassium iodide should he made available to cows I efore and after calving. A further preventive after calving was such a laxative as from 8 to 12 ounces of Epsom salts and iLb of treacle in a quart of hot water. A similar composition should be used for treating affected cows. Mr. Blake concluded his remarks by expressing the hope that farmers, whose cows showed the staggering symptoms, would advise the Department of Agriculture, which was prepared to undertake specific treatment at short notice.