LOSSES IN LAMBS AFTER PROLONGED WET WEATHER

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 2, 15 August 1949, Page 122

LOSSES IN LAMBS AFTER PROLONGED WET WEATHER

npHE need for careful watching of lambs after any prolonged spell of wet weather to avoid losses through cases of mycotic dermatitis, a fungus disease, is stressed in this article by D. H. LeSouef, Veterinarian, Department of Agriculture, Wellington.

TWO cases of mycotic dermatitis oc- -®- curred last year in Marlborough after some days of heavy rain. One case occurred during September in a flock of about 200 ewes with lambs 2 to 4 weeks old. There had been heavy rain a week or so before the visit of the writer and the lambs had been standing in water or were very wet for up to 48 hours. Well over 50 per cent, of the lambs were very lame in the joints of either fore or hind limbs or both, with heat and pain, but little swelling. Some had elastic bands on the purse and tail, but there was no difference between the numbers of lame lambs in the group so treated.and the untreated group; furthermore, males and females were similarly affected. Other flocks of about the same size and ages on hill country were not affected. Recovery took place on removal of the stock from the wet paddock to new pasture during the fine, warm days which followed. The lameness gradually, disappeared as the lambs exercised themselves and permanent arthritis did not result. Matting of Wool The other case occurred in August in another part of the same district after-the same wet spell, when lambs, though not standing in water, had been continually wet for some days.

In a flock of 100 ewes with lambs varying in age from 1 to 4 weeks 4 lambs had died and 2 were very weak when seen by the writer. The skin and wool of the worst cases had matted and set into one piece like a board on either side of the lamb, with the hardness in some cases extending to the limbs and neck. Others had only irregular patches effected throughout the area of the skin, Use or Copper Sulphate The wool was treated with a weak olon of COD p er sulnhate and the worst cases were benched with epsom r r v ho matfpd wnnl ponld not be softened satisfactorily, cleaned with arm water, soap, or soda ’ or cupped °; , . • . ~ . * About 9 lambs were lost in all, but bad 'S'SISSkI on a r y e S rass and whl t e clover pas--o'' rass and red clover pasture, In view of the possibility, of prolonged wet weather again this spring, symptoms of this disease should be watched for carefully. Where inflammation of the skin with matting of the woo i takes place the affected area should be soaked well all round with a wea k solution of bluestone,