BRAXY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1211, 21 August 1911, Page 8

BRAXY.

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THE DISEASE IN AUSTRALIA. A braxy-like disease, which at one time caused a largo mortality iu New Zealand among hoggets, especially when feeding on turnips, has been identified in the (locks. Nowadays tho disease 13 rarely, if ever, mot with in NeiV Zealand. Dealing with this matter in a speech some two years ago, Mr. C. J. Iteakcs, Chief of tho Veterinary Division of tho Agricultural Department, said tho cause of tho- disease was the pernicious habit of leaving tho carcasses of dead sheep unburied, and thereby contaminating tho ground, the contaminated area being increased by portions of the flesh being carried to other spots by dogs, hawks, etc. Burying, or otherwise destroying, Hie carcasses of dead sheep combined with tho practice of giving the sheep a run off on to grass when on turnips resulted' in little loss from the disease.

(( Tho'ro is reason to" believe, says the Australasian,referring to investigations by tho Veterinary Research Institute,. that the disease is more prevalent among Hocks than is generally suspected. "Braxy," says Mr. N. Mac Donald, B.V.Sc., in a paper on his investigations, "is tho popular term applied in Scotland to a disease in sheep chiefly.characterised by its sudden termination, with few 'or no premonitory symptoms. It. occurs chieHy in young animals and especially those in good condition. It is most prevalent during tho winter ' months, outbreaks of tho disease at other seasons of tho. year being very rare. There is always rapid putrefaction of tho carcass after death; the abdominal and chest cavities contain a f/uautity of bloodstained fluid, and frequently if not constantly ; there ■ lit. inflammation with ulceration of the lining membrane of the fourth stomach. In a certain part of Victoria for a number of years a greater or less annual mortality"' has occurred amongst sheep,, the cause of- which remained obscuro until recently, when Professor Gilruth definitely established the disease as being brax.v. In Tasmania-the disease has apparently been prevalent for a considerable time, causing-- each year 'a definite though varying death-rote' on certain properties; but the true nature of tho disease was not proved until 1009, when, as the result ot" an investigation conducted on the island and subsequent experimental work, Professor Gilruth was able to demonstrate the microbe of braxv as the causal agent. In other parts of Australia although braxy, as such, is not recorded as occurring, it would not be surprising to find that the disease known to sheepmen in New South Wales as "the blacks." and similar diseases elsewhere, proved on investigation to lw> of tho braxy nature, if not identical with it. In New Zealand, on many farms in tho South Island, where hoggets are fattened on turnips, annual losses have been experienced for a number of years, tho mortality ranging from 5 per cent, upwards. This has proved to bo also a braxy-like disease.

"So far tho disease lias been demonstrated as .occurring on only one properly, but there is reason to believe that if investigation ba mado its occurrence will be found to bo more frequent than is generally appreciated. The sheep-run affected in tho caSo under review comprises 7000 acres of broken country, with granite ridges, and shallow valley's. The sail is not rich, its carrying capacity being about It sheen lo tho acre. It is fairly well watered by springs, and has many swampy axea3 over which the sheep are allowed to graze. Fluke disease is common, but is not the occasion of great mortality.' Tho animals ' affected are merino sheep, and for a number of years there has been a varying annual 'mortality. In 1901, after the break-up of the drought, the greatest loss was experienced, tho nature of tho disease being at that time unknown', but the owner considers it probable that the deaths were/due to the same cause throughout. During tho summer of 1009-10 there was the rather alarming death-rate of 500 four and six-tooth ewes and wethers out of 3000, equivalent to over 1G per cent, of the. Hock. One or more sheep would bo found dead evety morning, although the previous day no sickness in any couid bo detected. After the Jlarch rains the mortality almost coased for two or three weeks, to ultimately resume its monotonous toil till Jtav, when the wet weather became general. It should be observed that not all of tho property is subject to the disease, as on over 1000 acres out of tho 7000 not more than an average flock mortality is experienced. Tho soil and herbagodid not differ materially over the whole property, so theso factors could not bo regarded as tho main cause of the disease.

"In tho outbreak in Victoria four and six-tooth ewes and wethers were affected. In Tasmauiu, the mortality was chiefly among hoggets. In both cases tho'animals affected were almost invariably in good condition; but while youth and condition are undoubtedly very important factors in predisposing sheep to the disease, yet they are by no means tho sole or perhaps tlio most important, cause. Tho season of tho year exerts apparently a. most powerful influence, though varying according to different circumstances. Thus we find tho ■ disease occurring in Victoria during the dry months of summer, and practically disappearing after the first autumn rains; in Tasmania during the months of August and September, when the spring grass begins to shoot; in New Zealand during the winter, when the turnips becoino eaten fairly closo to the earth, little besides the shells remaining. That braxy should appear in Victoria during the summer, tho European disease during frost without snow, Tasmania at the end of winter, and New Zealand when the turnips aro generally eaten very low, may at first sight appear incompatible, but on reflection wo find that it is during such periods of the year that tho ground in tho locality affected is barest, or, at nil events, when the sheep are more likely to take in particles of soil along witii th» foud. .

• 'That somo condition dependent on tho seasonal influence in relation to feeding und pasture, and not any particular season in itself alone, determines tho natural occurrence of tho disease, has been proved by experimental work at tho Veturinary Research Institute,-sheep having been inoculated with the disease during each month of tho year„and"it was found they were 'at all times equally susccptiblo to tho disease, so" that-at'no time can there be said to be an 'immune period." According to Professor Gilrutii, "tho disease is caused by the entrance into tho system of a rod-shoped microbe. These aro present chiefly iu the blood-stained fluid under tho skin, and in the body cavities; but if an animal has been dead some time, especially if the weather be hot, owing to Tapid multiplication the microbes" may bo found in tho blood, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc., Jp very large numbers. It has been demonstrated experimentally _that_a_ver,t_siiiiill quantity of such diseased material is capable of causing tho disease, hence the need for thorough destruction of nil carcasses, preferably by burning. In natural cases sheep alone aro affected by braxy, but the microbe will experimentally produce tho disease in rabbits, guinea pigs, and pigeons, post-mortem lesions similar to those met with in tho sheep being found."