Danger Of Spread Of Facial Eczema

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1948, Page 3

Danger Of Spread Of Facial Eczema

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« -w Mareii lo. The- ^aiigfer. of .thi/spread^ of facial eczema'as-a i-esult of'tKe sdaking rains and mild' temperatures .in h^&ny Norti ihlahd diatrictg- isr ntreised ip. a statcy isstied the f,fi)epaHment of Agi^ultu^e. /I^ie Dapartiyent sayj,; soakihg r;fins and mild temperatures during the last three days njust make ■the danger of outbreaks" v'ery acnte. This applied partieularly to the Waikato 'district wjiere considerable diver ..4|^age gad {?bme. cliiiical pases followed j;n#?^aHy FebrUary.. rainsiv i An examination of lamb livers at Horotiu works during last week showed that sbme' livers Were alfected. in 73 per cent; of the lmes kilJed and these- were from very widely distributed district3. An inspection of pastures in Waikato showed that ali cas.y country must be considered dangerous. Cases were uoticcd even on pastures dominant in paspalum or danthonia. All farmers in the areas whicli have experienbed- the rains should now take immediate -precautions, says the Department. Probably the Oiily e'ouhtry which. can be considered 'at all safe is .hard hili country carrying natiye pastures. On all other country , sheep sjhould imtnediately be crowd'eci into small areas at the rate of not lesS than 100 -sheep to.thc acre. Where crops such as rape,

turnips, swedes, chou moellier, -maize or; lucerne are avaifalflei^lifeep ^lidnJ/d be. erowded into the 'paddhcks' cfose'tO tlle' crops so tliat they can be given some grazing daily on them without having to walk across dangerOus paddocks. exccpt for grazing on the aforementioned crops. ■ Even short periods of grazing on paddocks or roads where young green pasture is growing may prove very dangerous. Where crops are not available hay should be fed to the sheep in the paddocks in which they are erowded. Killable lumbs and all ewes sliowing lesions should be i'orvvarded to the works with tlie least possible delay. ■ Though dairy cattlc are inuehj""" less •vsceptible than sheep Ytir-flte]? iaans'fin the Waikato area may produce"' trdufile iu them also. Dairy- farmers should, tperefore, put their. catldp.-Qn. tkerhughest pasture available ahd" feed' them as niuch hay and silage as possible.. • Uhesfcj iprecauflonnj says- tJhe Department, should be continued until further statements by it have indicateil (hat tlie, pastures are considered safe. . : i-l