Veterinary Notes for the Farmer

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 69, Issue 4, 16 October 1944, Page 359

Veterinary Notes for the Farmer

Care of the In-foal Mare

TN the districts where the breeding A of heavy horses is still carried on mares will be foaling, or due to foal, in the course of the next few weeks. The care of the in-foal mare is of some importance so that a welldeveloped healthy foal may be produced. In the case of the young mare broken to work it is probably a better practice to feed reasonably well and carry on with a reasonable amount of work right through to within a few days of foaling. Slow chain work is quite suitable, but sudden heavy draughts or jars, together with dray work, are to be avoided. A mare in fit muscular condition as foaling time approaches will have less difficulty at foaling than mares in soft, overfat condition. The mare in poor condition is liable to suffer from swollen legs, oedema, and dropsy of the udder and tendon in front of the udder. Occasionally rupture of this tendon is seen in aged mares in poor condition. If the mare has been working and has been on hard feed during the spring months, the change on to grass for a few days before foaling date will have a most beneficial effect., ’ The change of feed ensures a laxative condition of the bowels, tends to flush the udder and the milk supply for the young foal, and brings about a relaxation of muscles and ligaments and an easy foaling. Moreover, if the mare is on a clean, fresh paddock she can be safely left there until foaling takes place. Unless some abnormal presentation calls for assistance at the time of foaling, the usual time taken by the mare at foaling is short, and apart from observation it is best to leave the animal alone. If the arrival of the foal is delayed and assistance is called for, the matter should be attended to promptly, as the mare will soon become exhausted through her own efforts. Normally the membranes are expelled within an hour after birth, and no further trouble should be experienced. Retention of the membranes in the mare is more dangerous than in the cow, mainly on account of the absorption of toxins, bringing about the condition known as laminitis and commonly spoken of as “founder.” The foal at. birth generally requires little attention, although owners usually take the precaution of ligaturing the navel cord with silk or cotton

soaked in iodine solution. This safeguard against navel infection and the disease of navel-ill or joint-ill in foals is very necessary on some farms where horse breeding has been carried on for some years. For the first few days it will be sufficient to observe that the mare has plenty of milk in the udder, that the foal is able to suckle the mother, and that the foal is bright, active, and functioning normally. Any tendency to constipation in the foal may be relieved by a dose of a few ounces of castor oil. Probably the most dreaded disease of the young foal is that known as navel-ill, an infection which gains entrance and settles in the joints, bringing about enlarged joints, lameness, and general fever and constitutional upset. Should an owner suspect the onset of the disease, he is advised to consult his veterinary surgeon as soon as possible, as there are good prospects of treatment with modern drugs. In the early stages the affected foal is inclined to lie about and refuse to suckle. If the foal is forced to get up

and move along, it will show a tuckedup appearance, and may be decidedly lame on a fore or hind limb, or both. If a closer examination is made, the knee, hock, or stifle joints may be found to be enlarged and painful. The navel may or may not show anything suggestive; it may have dried up and appear to be healthy. As already stated, veterinary advice in regard to medicinal treatment should be sought as soon as possible. The Stallions Act In connection with the breeding of heavy horses it appears opportune to draw the attention of owners of heavy breeds of stallions to the provisions of the Stallions Act, 1938. Owing to the preponderance of the Clydesdale breed as the draught horse of the Dominion, the Act will apply in the main to owners of Clydesdale stallions. Some owners may not be aware of the provisions of the Act, which came into force on April 1, 1939. At the time the Act was introduced it was necessary in an endeavour to raise the standard of soundness of horses to provide for the licensing of stallions intended to be used for general breed-

ing purposes. In the 1939 season only two-year stallions were required to be licensed, older horses being exempt, although there was provision for a veterinary examination and for the issue of a certificate of soundness to the owner of any stallion who might desire it. With the lapse of time it now becomes necessary for the owners of all Clydesdale stallions within the ages of two and seven years to have them examined and licensed for the present breeding season. This applies to all stallions to be used for service for fees, and any owner who uses a stallion for fees without first obtaining a licence commits an offence under the Act. Licensing of stallions is not necessary where owners use them for the service of their own mares. Owners of stallions who require licences should make application to the Registrar on the prescribed form, which may be obtained from offices of the Department of Agriculture or from the Secretary of the Clydesdale Horse Society, Hawera. Each application should be accompanied by the necessary fees.

Answers to Correspondents

Feeding Calves Without Milk

Heriot:—I would be obliged if you could tell me through your “Journal of Agriculture” how to feed calves without milk. I have a calf here which is three months old, and as I do not want to make her a small beast when she gets older, I wonder if you could help me. How old do calves have to be before you can wean them and turn them out with other cattle? \ LIVESTOCK DIVISION:— I presume that up to the time of writing you have been feeding your three-months-old calf on whole or skim milk without grain concentrates. It is possible, to rear calves on small quantities of milk plus grain supplements. This method of rearing should be practised only when milk is in short supply, as quite apart from the disadvantages of going off the natural food, the cost of grain feeding is higher than feeding on milk and milk products, and also entails more work. In cases where milk is in short supply calves can be successfully reared by milk feeding for four or five weeks, and then gradually weaning the. calf, and substituting for the milk a suitable grain mixture. A suitable mixture would consist of 251 b crushed barley. 401 b. crushed oats, 121 b. bran, 201 b. pea meal, 101 b. linseed meal, 121 b. meatmeal, with mineral mixture added at the rate of 31b. per 1001 b. of grain mixture. However, in your case, in which

"Chair" for Treating Foot-rot

rpHE thorough paring of affected feet, A which is so essential in treating foot-rot, will, be more easily carried out, particularly when working singlehanded, if a chair similar to the one illustrated is used. This chair is in use on the farm of Mr. L. Baker, Rissington, Hawke’s Bay. It can be simply constructed, from old timber (3 x 2 or 3 x 4|) and sacking. The sheep is secured by a leather strap across the neck, fixed on one side of the frame and fitting on to a hook on the other.

Rough dimensions for use with Romneys are:— Base: 2 ft. 6 in. long, 1 ft. 6 in. across. Uprights: 1 ft. 8 in. high. . The sacking “bed” should, of course, be sufficiently long and broad to dip, forming a trough into which the back of the sheep fits. —A. D. M. G. LAING, Veterinarian, Hastings.

you. have only one calf to feed, this mixture, may be rather complex. The following is a more easily made grain supplement, and should be suitable for your requirements: Crushed oats, 6 parts. Bran, 2 parts. Linseed meal, 2 parts. Meat-meal, 2 parts. A three-months-old calf should receive from 2 to 31b. per day of this mixture, the amount being gradually increased until the calf is receiving 61b. per day at 6 months. Substituting grain for milk should be a gradual process, even in a calf of three months, and I would suggest that you continue feeding milk in decreasing amounts for a few weeks to allow the calf’s digestive system to become accustomed to the changed ration. When calves are being reared without milk it is important that they have access to good grazing and ample good-quality hay. To answer your second inquiry in reference to the age at which calves should be weaned: Under normal circumstances they should be fed whole milk or milk products until they are six months old. They may be weaned at this stage provided good grazing and hay. are available. If good grazing is not procurable, some supplementary

grain feeding is desirable after weaning. Many calves are weaned under six months, but to obtain the best results from them when the calves finally come to production it is necessary to feed them for at least this period. Terms Lamb and Hogget “J.G.H.” (Waihi):— I am a beginner at sheep-farming, so would you oblige by giving me answers to the following questions:— 1. What age is a hogget (or, in other words, when does a lamb become a hogget)? 2. Is it correct to call a hogget a two-tooth hogget? 3. What age is a two-tooth? LIVESTOCK DIVISION:— The terms lamb and hogget are used quite loosely, depending upon whether either term is used by a farmer, a stock-buyer, or by a butcher. The term lamb is used for the young animal from birth up to the end of the first year, until the next crop of lambs comes along to take its place. In this

■category there are several subdivisions and terms to describe lambs; thus we have early spring lambs, milk-fed lambs fat off the mother, weaned lambs, rape-fed lambs, and carry-over lambs. The latter lambs from March onwards, intended to be wintered, either for replacements to the ewe flock or to be carried on and fattened as wethers, are frequently described by farmers and graziers as hoggets, and are described as ewe hoggets or wether hoggets. Strictly speaking they are all still lambs at this age. Right up to the age of 12 months the lamb shows no broad or permanent teeth, only milk teeth being present in the gum. The hogget has been described from the butcher’s point of view as an animal showing not more than two permanent incisor teeth. These two teeth are normally expected to be showing through the gum at 15 months, and to be up and in full wear at 18 months. Thus a two-tooth hogget, quite a correct term, implies an animal about 15 to 18 months, or even a little more. The next pair of incisor teeth is expected to appear at about 21 months, and to be in full wear at 24 months. Thus, from the butcher’s point of view, the young hogget mutton which is in demand as being more tender than older mutton is from the two-tooth age group. Again it is not rare to hear stockmen speak of four-tooth hoggets or even six-tooth hoggets. It would be better to refer to these latter animals according to their age as two-year-old, three-year-old, full mouths, etc.

3 Loose Swelling Under i Heifers 1 Jaws

J. “H.S.”, Kaukapakapa: i I have about 20 rising, three-year Hereford heifers running on good lime--3 stone country which has not been topj dressed. The heifers are in nice, j healthy condition, but I noticed lately that several of them have a loose swell- ’ ing under the jaw. A number of them " had the same swelling last year, but I r did not worry much then, as I was t very short of feed and they were very 5 poor. Could you tell me what the , trouble might be and what I could do j for it. Do you think a mineral lick would help? If so, what would you i suggest? ' LIVESTOCK DIVISION: i i The swelling described in the anij mals is not likely to be strictly a j diseased condition, unless further symptoms, such. as dribbling at the mouth or loss of condition, become evident. - A loose swelling below the jaw as indicated is evidence of a dropsical con- ’ dition- quite frequently seen in all grazing animals at this time of the > year. It naturally becomes more pro- • nounced in animals on short feed or in , poor condition; hence its appearance i last winter, when the animals' were i poor. ' Being three years old this winter, it . is presumed that the animals are in . good condition after the summer’s feed. r It is not likely that animals of this a age will be affected with worms, ' although worms might have been pre--5 sent last year. Whether any treatment should be carried out will depend largely on the condition of the animals. A severe

dropsical condition is evidence of anaemia or bloodlessness, whereas a slight swelling may be taken as normal at this season of the year. If you decide to provide a lick, it is suggested that a mixture of 80 lb. of salt with 20 lb. of limonite might prove quite useful. As you know, limonite is an iron oxide, which should assist in overcoming any anaemia which might be present. The cattle are running on limestone country so other minerals are not likely to be in short supply.

Cow with "Lumpy Jaw"

“W.H.K.” (New Plymouth):— I have here a moderately valuable cow (first cal ver) which developed a swelling underneath the jaw a few days ago. It is fairly hard, but does not seem to increase. The cow has gone “off her feed” and correspondingly gives much less milk, although she does graze and chew her cud. Do you think this can be “lumpy jaw,” or a hurt? If lumpy jaw, Maynard says potassium iodide will cure; but it is very expensive and he' prefers lancing. If this is required, do you think the operation could be performed by myself? The cow does not act as if ill, and her eyes are bright. LIVESTOCK DIVISION:— •. From description and the fact that the animal is a first calver there is little doubt that your cow is affected with what is commonly known as “wooden tongue” or “lumpy jaw.” This is an infection caused by a specific type of organism, and lancing the hard swelling will not be effective in bringing about recovery. As potassium iodide has proved very valuable in the treatment of these cases, I would suggest you contact your nearest Inspector of Stock, who will arrange to inspect the animal and outline a course of potassium iodide treatment. Should the animal be slow to respond to the iodide treatment, the inspector will follow up the progress of the treatment. As the cow is going off her feed, it is apparent that the tongue is already considerably enlarged, and the sooner treatment is carried out the better. The drop in milk yield naturally follows as the animal is suffering from the disability of being unable to feed and ruminate properly.