RANGITAIKI HERDS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 76, 5 September 1947, Page 7

RANGITAIKI HERDS

VETERINARY SURGEON’S REPORT WORK FOR YEAR. In his annual report to the meeting of Suppliers to the Rangitaiki Plains Dairy - Company last week, the Veterinary Surgeon, Mr Alex Thomson, M.R.C.V.S., stated as under:—

During the year the following visits were made: Milk fever 360; calving 165; general 798; horses 252; vaccinating calves 190; pigs 77; dogs 144. Total 1986 visits. The amount of work to be done still seems to be increasing but since Mr Durno Murray arrived in March it has been possible to attend to cases more promptly than was the case previously. Again I wish to stress the necessity for sending calls early whenever possible for, when this is done, calls can be grouped and running costs kept down. In July and August the number of cases of milk fever was far above normal but, fortunately most of the cases were of the uncomplicated type and responded promptly to the calcium borogluconate injection. Later in the spring a small number of cases of the “complicated” type were encountered, but on the whole there were very few losses from this •'bondition.

There were a few cases of grass stagers in September and during the late autumn months there were a number of cases of this condition. Most of these recovered; a few spontaneously and the majority after treatment. Bloat caused losses on a few farms but on the whole was not nearly so serious as in those seasons when the stock are able to keep the grass down. Mastitis caused serious loss of production 'in a few herds before it was brought under control. Vaccine gave good results in some cases, sulphanilamide gave good results in others but in all cases strict shed hygiene was emphasised. Pennicillin is giving good results in the treatment of this condition but so far I ‘have not had the opportunity of trying it out.

During the early spring months I attended numerous cases of a severe type of foot-rot in cows. Many of these cases required treatment for a long period and where there were a number of these cases on one farm it was a full morning’s work for one man to do the necessary dressings. The loss of production, was considerable in some of. these outbreaks. There were numerous cases of red-water in calves. As most of these cases were practically dying when first seen, the mortality rate was high. Calf scours caused numerous deaths on some farms. While some drugs of the “sulfa” group should give good results in the treatment of this condition I have found that their use did not give results materially better thap the older methods of treatment.

Approximately 5,000 calves were vaccinated against contagious abortion. On many farms there are still no facilities for the handling of calves for vaccination and work that could be pleasant on a good day in summer is merely another filthy task.

Paratyphoid and pleurisy caused serious losses amongst pigs on some farms. Several outbreaks occurred on farms that had no previous history of serious losses of pigs. In most of these cases additional pigs had been bought at the pig sale only a short time before the disease made its appearance. While it may be “good business” to cut losses by dumping salvaged pigs in the sale I have grave doubts as -to the honesty of a practice that spreads disease over the whole district.

There was no serious epidemic of canine distemper. - Sixty-nine dogs were immunised against this disease during the year. I wish to place on record my appreciation of the assistance and cooperation given by Mr Hodson at all times during the year.