FARMING NOTES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 149, 1 September 1941, Page 2

FARMING NOTES

RANGITAIKI DAIRY COMPANY ANNUAL REPORTS PRESENTED The following annual reports were presented to the annual meeting of shareholders of the Rangitaiki Dairy Company held at Kdgecumbe on Thursday by Ml* t. S. Hodson (Bacteriologist) and Mr A. C. Thomson (Veterinary Surgeon): Bacteriologist's Report Milks tested 17,497 Cream and Butter 327 Water Bull tests Vacuum gauges -35 Vacuum issued 25,600 c.c. There were 24 herds under full control and 4 part of the season lor occasional tests and 2< herds from Opotiki. In these herds there appeared to be more of the irritationai mammitis rather than the contagious type. Where the contagious type showed up, vaccine was prepared .and in all cases the need for reducing the milking vacuum as (ow as possible was stressed. It is regrettable that more did not have their gauges checked —the checking Is free and only, a small charge made if adjustment and oiling is required. At odd times and during different seasons the visit of the herd tester has been blamed for a subsequent increase of hard quarters and it was suggested that it was brought from another shed per medium of the buckets. This last season two cascsi were brought to my notice with herds under our monthly check where samples taken a day or two after the visit shewed an increase of the mild type but not. the-tontagious type. Although one could not say vhat it was im possible for the trouble to be brought from another shed; it is extremely unlikely and in these cases the explanation is simple. One shed used a vacuum reducing device or stripper with a 16 vacuum, When milked for herd test these were not used and the high vacuum was to blame and not the herd tester. In the other shed a vacuum break was in use and the explanation was more obscure. Normally when milking with the break machine the milk is still elevated approximately 5 feet to the milk line and this lowers the actual vacuum 5 inches as long as there is mill; being lifted—milking into the open bucket there would not be this lift and the vacuum in proportion . It would therefore seem advisable in these cases to alter the relief valve temporarily to lower the vacuum. At the present time the laboratory is checking up ;i vacuum reducing device applicable to all machines Avith the exception of the vacuum break types. It has one special advantage that each cow controls its own vacuum. Owing to delay in getting one installed we have only one herd to give results from, and the following are the figures : December test 44 cows 19 mammitis; January 45, 18; March 44, 19. Safety devices installed 4th Aipril test taken on 17th showed April 42, 10 mammitis; May 39, 3. Leg roping has been dispensed with in several sheds and stripping? in most cases greatly reduced. It seems to be giving so much satisfaction that the agent cannot get enough attachments to fulfil the orders. The attachment does not give a fixed vacuum but reduces whatever vacuum is used by six inches, its construction is simple, and practically foolproof. There is one available for inspection at the Laboratory. Investigations proving the harmful effect of bright light on butter were carried out and the factory skylights suitably dealt with. I' wish to express my appreciation of the shifting of the Laboratory to its new position and the alteration and additional room provided. The assistance afforded by the various departments in the shifting was also much appreciated. As lias always been the case Mr Thomson's co-operation has been most helpful. Veterinary Surgeon's Report During the year the following visits were made:— , Calving cases Milk Fever cases 03 General cases 464

Horses 279 Pigs 49 Dogs 34 Milk fever was common from the beginning of the season but only in cows carrying excessive condition did I find the response to the routine treatment to be poor. "Bloat" was not as common as in previous years as there was an abundance of grass ■at all times from mid-winter onwards. White and Blood Scour in Calves: The bacteria responsible for this condition remain viable in the soil of calf paddocks and in insanitary calf houses from one year to the next. Heavily infected paddocks should be cropped and clean areas set aside for next season's calves. Calf buckets should be thoroughly cleaned and scalded, after each feed. Affected calves should be isolated and dosed with castor oil as soon as seen to be ill. Milk should be diluted with an equal volume of warm water and only small feeds given for two or three days. The addition of kerol or lysol to the feed is beneficial as, a cure and also as a preventative. The ideal treatment is to stop all milk for several days and to feed on barley water only. ' Pig Diseases: There were few outbreaks of disease in piggeries, I advise all those suppliers who are changing over to cheese supply, and who are not keeping pigs, to plough and crop their pig pens, and so destroy harmful bacteria in the soil. Strangles: An epidemic of strangles broke out in the district soon after the horse fair in the spring. ,{ind at the present time there are s-till one or two fresh cases. As it is extremely contagious it is most essential to isolate suspected cases as soon as noticed. There were quite a few farms where every horse was infected and unfit for work. n Parasitic in calves was just as common as in previous years. Tf possible farmers should remove iheir young stock to clean pastures before trouble starts in the autumn but if this cannot be done the calves must be drenched regularlvPhenothiazine, a drug which has been discovered to be lethal to varieties of worms unaffected by the iiicctjnc sulphate—copper sulphate drench, is now available in New Zealand. According to reports it is much safer than the nicotine-blue-stone drench and also more. e:ieient. Unfortunately it is also considerably more expensive and only trial will show whether or not the increased efficiency and safety warrants its use. Debility in yearlings is common from the middle of May onwards till the end of August. Although most yearlings so affected appear exactly similar to those, affected with stomach worms the nicotinebluestone drench gives no results. Such yearlings are. best given kerol ;n milk twice a week and some supplementary feed.. Milk gives thi> best results especially with the addition oi boiled linseed. When milk is unprocurable bran and a calf meal or "nuts" is beneficial. Messages: I thank all those who send their calls early in the day and who state to the best of their ability the nature of the case requiring my attention. Unfortunately there are still a few suppliers give no co-operation in this and much valuable time and petrol is wasted in these unnecessary second runs. Now that the veterinary dejjartment is under one roof instead of the various sheds round the yard working conditions are much more congenial and it avill be possible to carry larger stocks than in the past. Owing to Avar conditions, however, some of our requirements are almost impossible to get but as far as possible a suitable substitute will be offered. I appeal to suppliers to waste as little as possible. Condy's solution should be made by making a saturated solution in a pint bottle and adding sufficient of this solution to a bucket of water for washing the udder and teats. Tins for oils, disinfectants ans drenches should be sent when these goods are required.