Page 136 Advertisement 1

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 99, Issue 2, 15 August 1959, Page 136

EASIER, SAFER CALVING AND LAMBING MOST farmers can fill the role of capable midwives to their stock in normal circumstances,' but unusual presentations of calves and lambs may call for more skilled attention. . Complications can result in the loss of valuable animals, not only of calves and lambs but of cows and ewes. Each abnormal calving or lambing may . present different problems, many of which can be overcome only by a trained obstetrician. To emphasise the danger of undue interference by unqualified workers and to advise on what farmers can do to lessen the suffering and save the lives of valuable animals, the ' Department of Agriculture has published ..a new bulletin, No. 394, "Safer, Easier Calving and Lambing". The bulletin describes the equipment required for both calving and lambing difficulties, stresses the importance of cleanliness at all stages, indicates the stage when animals will require assistance, and describes the stages preceding birth when examination is advisable to detect complications. The section on calving describes the procedure needed to. deal with normal presentations, and gives step-by-step descriptions of methods to overcome the complications arising from abnormal presentations, eight of which are illustrated. The bulletin can be obtained for Is. a copy at all main offices of the Department of Agriculture.