CARE OF LIVESTOCK DURING SEPTEMBER

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 2, 15 August 1949, Page 100

CARE OF LIVESTOCK DURING SEPTEMBER

Contributed by the Animal Research Division.

' LAMB KiAnvTMr IVIAKKirNvi

LAMBS should never be marked in old yards, as these are bound to be infected with the germs which cause blood poisoning, lockjaw, or arthritis.

Temporary yards should be erected on an area which has not been used £ J U £' T't," • for yards before. his is necessary

even when bloodless castration is practised, as it has' been proved that blood poisoning can follow this form of marking. If rubber rings are used, special care is necessary, as lambs marked with these seem to be rather susceptible to lockjaw. On fat-lamb farms the rings can be applied in the paddock on the day the lamb is born and this appears to be quite a satisfactory practice. If the ewes have been vaccinated with a view to preventing blood poisoning in the lambs, marking should be done as early as possible, as the immunity passed to the lamb in the first milk lasts only for a few weeks. Instruments should always be washed frequently in a reliable antiseptic solution.

VACCINATION AGAINST SCABBY MOUTH

When lambs are being marked is a convenient time for vaccinating them against scabby mouth. Where this disease occurs vaccination should always

be practised, as it confers a very good immunity. The vac-

cine is available free through any office of the Department of Agriculture. If the lambs are not protected, they are very liable to suffer check, as the disease makes eating very painful.

CULLING OF DRY EWES

All dry ewes should be removed from the flock to provide extra grazing for the ewes with lambs. Dry ewes should be carefully inspected with a view

cud^n §'- Ewes which have not produced a lamb are generally best culled, as many of them are likely

to prove barren in the next season. Udders of all dry ewes should be very carefully inspected and any ewe with damaged teats, large teats, very small teats, badly-placed teats, or an udder from which little or no milk can be obtained after lambing should be culled. Ewes which are to be culled will fatten more readily if they are shorn at once.

ROTATIONAL GRAZING OF CALVES

If calves are to be reared successfully, they must not be kept in a calf paddock. As soon as they are able to walk they should be rotated

through the paddocks ahead of the cows. In this way they will

always get good, clean pasture. This practice avoids deaths in winter, eliminates the need for drenching against worms, and produces yearlings 1001 b. heavier than those reared in a calf paddock.

CARE OF PIGS

Spring-born litters should be well fed with a view to producing heavy ‘ weaners, as these are essential if high returns are to be obtained. A 401 b.

weaner should be the aim of every breeder, but this weight will not be obtained unless creep feeding is prac-

tised. Meat meal will give good results if fed dry at the rate of 2oz. per pig per day at 3 weeks, gradually raising the amount to -Jib. by weaning time. Skimmed milk or whey should always be available. Wintered stores should receive only what milk is left over and if necessary some of them should be sold as forward stores. Sows should be fed adequately and mated individually, and service dates should be noted on the shed sheets. >

FEEDING OF NEWLY-CALVED COWS

Autumn-saved pasture should still be available and this must be grazed in small breaks. If the pasture has been handled properly, 1 acre should

provide about an hour’s grazing for 100 cows, and cows should get 2

hours’ grazing per day. Ample silage should also be fed, and if the ground does not pug, this can be given on the grazed portion of the autumn-saved area. After milking cows have grazed a paddock it should be cleaned up with dry stock and harrowed to spread the droppings.

MASTITIS

Mastitis is usually most prevalent in spring. Milk from all quarters should be carefully examined in a strip cup every day. If any abnormality is

detected,, the quarter should, be treated with three tubes of penicillin

cerate at 24-hour intervals. Prompt treatment at this time of the year would greatly minimise loss in production resulting from light or dry quarters.

COCCIDIOSIS IN POULTRY

To prevent coccidiosis in chickens it is necessary to keep them growing steadily. Any check is dangerous. Cleanliness is very important, as the

disease spreads through the soiling of food by droppings. If an outbreak occurs, sulphamezathine

should be used in the drinking water. Full particulars of dosage may be obtained from the. Department of Agriculture’s Poultry Instructors.

RICKETS IN POULTRY

Chickens reared without access to sunshine are liable to suffer from rickets. ■ This can be prevented by using in the mash an oil containing vitamin D,

provided an oil with a guaranteed chick-tested vitamin D content of not less than 100 international

units per c.c. is used; 1| pints of oil should be mixed with every. 1001 b. of mash.