ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume XXVII, Issue 3, 20 September 1923, Page 201

ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES.

IN order to ensure reply to questions, correspondents must give their name and address, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Letters should be addressed to the Editor.

HYDATID CYSTS IN. CATTLE. “Subscriber,” Gisborne:— . , .

Could you give me any information on hydatids in cattle, more especially as to what effect they would have on the milk of a cow ?

The Live-stock Division :—

Hydatid cysts are the cystic stage of a tape-worm (Taenia echinococcus) of the dog, and are commonly found in the lungs, liver, and abdominal cavity of cattle, but may occur in almost any organ or tissue. The cyst takes six months to develop, and ranges in size from a pea to a duck-egg, or even larger. A liver or lung thus affected is more or less 1 enlarged according to the size or number of cysts present. Symptoms vary in proportion to the seriousness of the infection. Where the lungs are badly infected there is marked alteration in the breathing; and in the case of the liver, digestion is disturbed and emaciation becomes marked. Diarrhoea is not uncommon. It is only in these cases that any marked alteration is noted in the quantity and quality of the milk, and though there would be no danger of hydatid infection from drinking it, this would be inadvisable, owing to the general ill health of the animal. *

GRASS-MIXTURE FOR HILL-SLIPS

G. H. Williams, Rakauroa :—

Will you please advise me as to the best grass to sow on hill-slips ? They are of a sand-and-pumice nature, and soon dry up. ’ Also, I notice you recommend the inclusion of danthonia in some of the mixtures given in the Journal for May last ; as I believe there are various danthonias, which variety would you recommend as the best ? . '•

The Fields Division :—

If the land is not likely to be ploughed the following mixture is advised : Perennial rye-grass, 8 lb. ; Waipu brown-top, 2 lb. ; Chewings fescue, 4 lb. ; Danthonia pilosa, 2 lb. ; white clover, 1 lb. ; suckling clover and Lotus major, J lb. each ; Yorkshire fog, 3 lb. Sow at the rate of 25 lb. per acre. There are several varieties of danthonia ; the pilosa variety should be used.

ABORTION AMONG EWES. E. R. B., Swannanoa :—■

I should be pleased if you would inform me the cause of a large percentage of my ewes in a flock of sixty slipping their lambs three weeks before due date of lambing. The ewes have had the run of a mixed-grass paddock, with as much oat-sheaf chaff as they could eat, and an occasional load of mangolds (pitted three or four weeks before using). In May last the ewes suffered from the flood, being a day and night in 20 in. of water, but have kept in good condition all through the winter. Would the abortion be caused by the chill. of flood-water, or by eating the mangolds too readily ? Believing the abortion to be contagious, I removed each ewe as the trouble commenced. Will the ewes breed again the following year ?

The Live-stock Division —

Contagious abortion in ewes is unknown in New Zealand, but ordinary abortion may be brought about by a variety of conditions, including, excessive pressure on • the pregnant uterus, such as over-distension of the rumen by

engorgement with chaff, fermentable mangolds, frosted turnips, &c. The use of old rams also may cause the slipping of lambs. The fact that your ewes were standing in 20 in. of water for a day and night would certainly 'be a contributing cause, owing to the chilling effect on the entire system and the struggling of the ewe. If mated, the ewes 'will breed again the following year.

CAUSTIC SODA FOR ORCHARD PESTS. A. Williams, Wairere Falls :—

Could you let me know if you recommend caustic soda as a fungicide for fruittrees ? If so, at what strength is it used ?

The Horticulture Division :• —■

Many years ago, before spraying practice was co-ordinated, caustic soda was used by a good many people to clear the trunks and large branches of fruit-trees from scale insects and moss and lichens. The soda was used with very little dilution and applied with' a brush, the operator’s hands being protected by leather gloves. Small branches and buds were protected against the scorching .effect of the solution by the simple process of leaving them untreated. Later caustic -soda solution was used as a spray at strengths ranging up to 8 lb. to 50 gallons and stronger. This, while excellent" for cleaning purposes, was rather severe on the operator as well as the sprayinggear, particularly the valves of the pump. In those early days of fruitgrowing very little attention was paid to black-spot and kindred diseases. The fruit was affected or it was not, just as it happened. The great development in fruitgrowing rendered control of diseases and insect pests a necessity. This led to the use of more efficient and less crude methods— spraying-oils, lime-sulphur, &c., for insects, and sulphate of copper and lime-sulphur as the chief fungicides. At the present time, though one does occasionally hear ' of caustic soda being used, such use is not generally recommended.

“ PEAS ” IN COW’S TEATS.

Kirk Bros., Mokaniti, Taumarunui :—

Last May we dried off a three-year-old cow and turned her out for the winter quite sound, but with “ peas ” in all her teats. She has recently calved, and is blind in three quarters, evidently caused by the peas. Can anything -be done for her, or to ensure her coming in sound next season ?

The Live-stock Division

The complaint described by you is one of frequent occurrence, and is caused by inflammation of the teat-ducts, probably of an infectious nature. The obstructions can be removed or broken down, but the operation is not always successful. In spite of the most careful treatment, inflammation, with destruction of the quarter, frequently-follows. On this account the operation is not to be recommended. If the obstruction is not interfered, with the milk will gradually disappear from the quarter or quarters, and before the next calving-period, in many cases, it will be found that the obstruction in the teats has also disappeared.

COCKSFOOT FOR SEED-PRODUCTION “ Interested,” Masterton —

Last April I put down a paddock in cocksfoot for harvesting. Will you please inform me if it is advisable to harvest it next summer, or keep it fed down with stock until the following harvest season ?

The Fields Division :—

It will not be wise to’ harvest your cocksfoot-paddock this coming season, as the cocksfoot will not be properly established by then. Treat it. as a pasturepaddock this summer (but avoiding any heavy stocking), and harvesting operations can then be carried out the following season. Even then the yield will not be great, as it takes a cocksfoot stand some three or fcur years to come into , full bearing. ■