A SHEEPOWNERS' ENEMY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1014, 2 January 1911, Page 8

A SHEEPOWNERS' ENEMY.

4 FACIAL ECZEJIA. , . , ;• la The Domisiox ' Burins last year ■ • reference was -from time-to time made:to the fact that facial ecsema among'sheep had bccomc a serious trouble in various sheep-raising' districts. Nothing; very conclusive was deduced,at the time, which odds to the interest in an by a member of the Stato-veterinary staff, Mr. Hi- A.'Rcid, I'.R.C.V.S., D.V.H., who has been making investigations ami conducting experiments at the Wallacevillo laboratory.'.Mr. Eeid's article .appears ill the current number of tho "Journal of tho Department of Agriculture." This disease, he snvs, is characterised by an acute inflammation of the skin overiug tho face, which may, if the affection be prolonged, become chronically thiekened'bv the deposition of fibrous tissue. The, affected parts become filially dc- ' nuderl cf hair, and covered by a thick brown'scab underrun with pus. The preliminary irritation, .by which attention to the' prevalence of tho disease is first ■ aroused, leads affected animals to attempt ■ relief by vigorously rubbing the face and z head against any available objects or on. ." tbe'ground surface,'or by violent scratching .with tho hind feet, and endeavouring by other forcible means to allay the irri- . tation. Tho skin in consequence becomes abraded,-and the inflammatory condition aggravated, while soil' and dirt are introducedl into, the self-inflicted wounds. The > inflammation. extends, involving tho fissures . arou,nd the .eyes, which receive further injury from tho animal, in tho manner referred totho resulting con- . junctivitis and . corneitis, may produce blindness. It has been noticed that sheep affected with faeial dermatitis are also frequently. infested to a severe degree by stomach and intestinal worms. The irritation provoked by the presence of these parasites give rise to diarrhoea. This not infrequent combination of gastroenteritis ■ anfl dermatitis is often followed by death from -malnutrition find exhaustion. The primary cause of this' morbid condition appears to be due to somo functional disorder! of the digestive organs, followed, .probably, by the absorption of the' circulatory system.. These either interfere with the cellular nutrition.of the drill,'lor .act as irritants, setting up an ecMmatous eruption. - Revealed by Post Mortcmt. . •Mr." Eeid, proceeds to say' that post . mortems often reveal fatty and congested livers; . It has been remarked that sheep obliged to partake exclusively of one var- , iety of fcctd are more prone to be affected. .-Removal to • ■ fresh pastures involving change of feed generally checks 'the appearance of .further'eases, while, provided the disease has not advanced too far, and .is not'complicated with other disorders, affected animals recover. Becently, by tho : . colirtcsy of owners, sheep -suffering from facial dermatitis in various stages have been, forwarded to the laboratory for fur-ther-study and observation regarding its nature. In every case examined an organ- '• /ism. has been found with the eruption on the face. . ].The -Treatment. ' Experiments- were made.-bv inocula'tine sheep .with 'a-pure'culture of the organism referred to,, and Ithe . result was/that! tiie tczerna developed.:. /■ !! * ;'•■•: ;. U After stating that Mr! Lyons, veteriii- • ary. supervisor in the Auckland district, ;had reported eczema, among cattle, tfhich affected the face and udder and the per- • . sncum, Mr. Eeid deals with tho treatment' Apparently no new treatment can be recommended, as ho adds nothing to what ■ iras-'advised in-the.Department's repqriiipf, 180 S. -/-BrieflyiMie 'advises change t.urb (to a different kind of feed), and the application of an antiseptic lotion such as creolin or lysol. 1 " It .is'said that Mr. Lynps has treated ,cattle ivirh local applications-of'-zinc'oiiit-' 'inent'and had good results: