Care of Livestock during January

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 97, Issue 6, 15 December 1958, Page 528

Care of Livestock during January

Contributed by the Animal Research Division

LAMB WEANING

VP7EANING is an important event in the life of a lamb ’’ and special care at this time will be well repaid. Longwool lambs should be shorn and all others crutched.

Hogget ill-thrift in the North Island seldom manifests itself before the flush autumn growth appears. Before this time lambs should be given the pick of well

controlled pastures, as these give best live weight gains. At first sign of failure to do well on such feed they must be given the longest and most mature feed available.’ In most districts preparations to have such feed available must be made before the summer dry spell. The hoggets should be stocked as lightly as possible for best results. Drenching is seldom necessary during the dry period, and the first drenching should be about 2 weeks after rain, and should always be followed by an immediate shift into a clean paddock, preferably prepared in advance by cattle. Drenching of the hoggets may be necessary at about 3 weekly intervals during warm, humid conditions.

TEST FOR COBALT DEFICIENCY

Cobalt deficiency may be a cause of unthriftiness in lambs from an early age, but is more likely to be important from about weaning time onward. If the disease "is suspected, 20 or more lambs

should each be given a cobalt bullet and the thrift of this group compared with that of a

similar untreated group during the succeeding 1 to 3 months. Cobalt bullets should not be given to lambs under 8 weeks of age. • '

Preferably both groups should be weighed at the beginning and again at the end of the trial. An easy weighing method is for the operator to stand supporting the lamb on bathroom scales. The difference between the recorded weight and the weight of the operator gives the weight of the lamb. If at the end of the trial the average increase in weight of the bullet-treated group is more than 5 lb. greater than that of the untreated group, cobalt deficiency is indicated. ’

LAMB FATTENING FODDERS

Rape should not be grazed until the leaves show a purplish tinge. “Unripe” rape does not fatten so quickly and seems to “scald” more readily. Best results are

probably obtained by grazing in breaks which last the lambs about a week. It is false economy to

keep lambs on a break until the last leaf is eaten. Move them on while they are still getting a full feed. The paddock can be cleaned up with ewes. Run-offs have little to recommend them and unless they contain good pasture, they will depress the lambs’ rate of growth. If hay is fed, it must be of the very best quality. Other fodder crops can give poor results if immature. Chou moellier, unless sown early in October, will not be readily eaten in January and February. Fed later the same crop gives excellent results. Thousandheaded kale is splendid lamb-fattening fodder, but because it is relatively unpalatable, it must be managed properly. It must always be fed in small breaks and grazed only lightly before the lambs are moved on to the next break. Never use a run-off. Treated in this way the kale makes excellent regrowth and can be regrazed several times and, if necessary, the grazing can be extended into autumn

and winter.

EWE CULLING

After lambs have been weaned the ewes should be gone through carefully to select those which require culling. Feet and wool should be examined carefully. Special

attention should be paid to udders and teats, and ewes should be culled if they have defective udders or very large or

damaged teats, as me minus U 1 SUUII.CWCS uucii VllC mini starvation before they are a week old. If ewes are in reasonable condition and have sound udders and good fleeces, they should be retained. Even “gummy” ewes will rear satisfactory lambs on good pasture. Lambing percentage increases with age, reaching the highest level at 5 to 8 years. Many ewes on fat lamb farms could well be kept for 1 or 2 years longer, but fat ewes which have not reared a lamb should be culled. Ewes should be kept on low rations during the next 2 months to prevent their becoming overfat.

FOOT-ROT ERADICATION

Campaigns for foot-rot eradication should be started as soon as the lambs have been weaned. Once foot-rot

has been eradicated from a flock it does not recur unless it is reintroduced from outside. The Department’s

Bulletin No. 325, “Foot-rot in Sheep Can be Eradicated”, gives full instructions on the subject.

ERGOTISED GRASS MAKES DANGEROUS HAY

Serious lameness can be caused by cattle eating hay heavily infested with ergot. Such hay can be easily

recognised by the black ergots which replace the seeds of ryegrass and

other grasses. Where ergot is known to occur hay should be made before the grasses have time to seed.

SHEEP DIPPING

Modern dips are so effective that the eradication of lice and ticks should be quite feasible. Best results, however, will be achieved only if the instructions for mixing

and replenishing dips are followed accurately. Carelessness in dipping can cause disastrous losses. If sheep are dipped off shears, the shear cuts may become infected and deaths

from blood poisoning may occur. These can be prevented by vaccinating the sheep with blackleg vaccine at least a fortnight before dipping. The vaccine is available at a reasonable price. Departmental Veterinarians or Livestock Instructors should be consulted about its use.

ST. JOHN’S WORT MAKES DIPPING DANGEROUS

Sheep that eat St. John’s wort become sensitive to sunlight and scabs develop on the ears, face, and back. If sheep in such condition are dipped, they take convul-

sions and may be drowned. If possible, sheep should be grazed

on country free from St. John’s wort for several weeks before dipping. If this is not possible, dip on dull days only.

CATTLE ON HILL COUNTRY

On hill country where cattle are kept primarily for development work the bulls, put out in late October, can be removed and the calves weaned at the end of January

.or early February. This leaves the herd unencumbered and available for useful work. Calves early weaned on hard country at an average age

of 4 to 5 months may not do quite as well in their first year as those late weaned, but suffer no permanent disadvantage and by mating time at 2 years, are as well developed as those late weaned.