Care of Livestock during October

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 95, Issue 3, 16 September 1957, Page 246

Care of Livestock during October

SUPPLEMENTARY FEED

SUPPLEMENTARY feed is essential for the proper feeding of cows in winter and in dry summers and to control facial eczema in autumn. As. soon as more pasture

is available than is necessary for the immediate needs of stock the balance should be shut up for silage or hay. On a well-managed

dairy farm it should be possible to shut up at least 40 per cent, of the pasture. Crop growing for fattening of weaned lambs is standard practice in South; Island districts and it could with advantage be adopted more widely in North Island districts which have dry summers. Crops such as thousand-headed kale, chou moellier, and turnips, in addition to providing excellent fattening feed for lambs, are a splendid insurance against facial eczema. In Poverty Bay and Hawke’s Bay they should be sown before the end of October so that they can be well established before dry weather sets in.

MATING OF DAIRY COWS

. Before each cow is mated two heat periods or an interval of at least 30 days should be allowed after calving. Cows mated before this period are less likely to get in calf, and the chances of contaminating

the bull are increased. Hand-mating should be practised and accurate records

kept showing the bull used and the dates of all services. Should breeding trouble occur, these records will be of considerable assistance in arriving at a correct diagnosis.

CATTLE TICK CONTROL

Where cattle ticks are plentiful spraying or dipping

should be carried out in November and December to prevent tick worry and to kill the adult female ticks before they

lay their eggs.

during November or early December. This will protect against the disease, which occurs mainly in summer and

In the east coast areas of the North Island where black disease of sheep occurs vaccination should be carried out

BLACK DISEASE VACCINATION

autumn. Vaccine should be ordered immediately.

BLOOD POISONING AFTER SHEARING

BLACKHEAD IN POULTRY

Deaths after shearing may be due to infection of cuts or bruises with the blackleg germ. This disease can be prevented by vaccinating at least 3 weeks before shearing.

Sheep which have been vaccinated previously may not require revaccination, and a veterinarian or Inspector of Stock should be consulted about the best procedure. Blackhead affects young turkeys and poultry and it can best be prevented by rearing these on land which has not been contaminated by adult poultry. If an outbreak occurs, kill all affected birds and move the remainder to clean ground. If there is a bad outbreak, the local poultry

adviser should be consulted, as in some cases treatment may prove beneficial.

GREENLEG IN BROODER CHICKENS

Greenleg occurs in poorly ventilated brooders, especially if they are overcrowded and

damp. At the first sign of trouble ensure, that ventilation

is adequate and that the litter is changed if it is at all damp.

ROUNDWORMS IN POULTRY

Infestation by roundworms is one of the most important

causes of poor development of young birds. All growing stock should be treated twice with carbon tetrachloride,

once at 3 months old and again at 5 months old.

BLOWFLY STRIKE IN EWES

. In ' districts where crutch strike causes trouble in ewes crutching or early shearing is advised. Close supervision is necessary to detect cases so that suitable treat-

ment can be applied before the strike becomes too extensive. When treating cases of fly strike shear the soiled wool away from the immedi-

ate. vicinity of the strike. Dressings containing aldrin, dieldrin, or BHC will rapidly kill the maggots, which will be expelled from the wound. In addition treatment with either aldrin or dieldrin preparations will prevent restrike until dipping if this is done in January. These dressings do not prevent the flies blowing the sheep with eggs, but they do prevent the maggots from hatching and causing a strike.

Irritant fluids such as kerosene should not be used; they may kill the maggots, but they will irritate the wound and tend to cause restrike.

Jetting ewes is not usually necessary, but if fly strike is severe, it maybe advisable to treat them to give protection until dipping. Apply i gallon of aldrin or dieldrin wash to the crutch of each animal, extending the wetted area to above and round the tail. A pump working at 401 b. to 601 b. pressure per square inch, with a hand cut-out on the nozzle, is advisable for this purpose. Jetting with aldrin or dieldrin at 0.05 per cent, will give 2 months’ complete protection against crutch strike; for longer protection 0.1 per cent, should be used.

COCCIDIOSIS IN CALVES

Scouring in calves under 6 months of age is seldom due to worms; it is much more likely to be due to

coccidiosis, especially if blood is present in the droppings. Effective drugs are available for treatment, but these can

be obtained only on the prescription of a veterinary surgeon, who should be consulted.