A LAMBING PROBLEM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 10

A LAMBING PROBLEM.

PULPY KIDNEY. . ' SYMPTOMS, CAUSE, AND TREAT- . ,•;:,■; •"•"■".'":'■■'.■-MENT.. ...With, the advent of the lambing- season, it may be.of advantage to farmers to deal with a trouble which usually occurs at this period, viz., acute renal congestion (pulpy kidney) in.plethoric lambs. Annually, on certain properties, there is a greater or.'less mortality amongst the best and .apparently the.strongest .lambs,- the' cause of which is generally entirely understood. There are. ho syiripto'ms of a premonitory nature. Usually the lamb, strong,in 1 build, fat in condition, apparently a "single" lamb, and about a month old, is found dead, lying in a more or less,'natural attitude. Death, generally occurs suddenly—often when the lamb is playing. Occasionally some form of giddiness may, be observed for a few minutes before [death, .but nothing more definite. 'Poit-Mp'rtenv 'Appearances', y -■■■ If-the internal organs are examined immediately after death, they will be found practically normal- to the casual observer. There is a considerable amount .of. subcutaneous and peritoneal fat> The functions of the rumen have just begun to.be employed, as evidenced by grass being present. 'The age of the affected lambs is constantly from about four to eight weeks. The fourth stomach contains a quantity of curdled milk, which, although only tobe expected, seeing that the animal has but recently-fed, is frequently and erroneously deemed pathogenic by the shepherd. Almost -with equal constancy may l>e founds amongst the contents of this stomach a loose ball of wool and grass, to the presence of which death is most generally attributed. As such a collection of.wool is almost invariably:found in any lamb's stomach",' it having gradually accumulated through strands..of.'wool .being swallowed accidentally in-the process of sucking the mother's teats,, and- as it is practically never, in such a situation as to cause interruption, to the passage of ingesta onwards f/om the stomach, and as there is'hcver any .evidence whatever of gastritis; its presence is totally without significance from a pathogenic point of view. Kidneys the Seat of Disease, The kidneys are the only constant seat of disease,-..arid they are readily overlooked. Thoy are generally enlarged, darkcoloured, and often so soft and extremely pulpy that they cannot be removed in a complete condition. Frequently, if the capsulo is ruptured in manipulation, only a dark pulpy mass may be secured. In removing the capsule, the tissue underneath has almost the appearance of a blood-clot, due to congestion, and tho enormous haemorrhage which has occurred in the substance of the organ. Microscopic examination shows intense congestion of all the renal capillaries, with extremely numerous haemorrhagie areas, it being rare to find any part of the organ entirely free from the latter. The liver is also generally congested, though haemorrhagie areas- are much rarer. 'The heart is frequently, distended. The pericardium generally contains a considerable quantity of, clear. gelatinous serous fluid, varying in quantity from 2oz. to 4oz. Microscopical and bacteriological examination fails to demonstrate the presence of any organisms cither in the kidney, the liver, the pericardial fluid, or the blood, provided the case is examined early after death. If examination is delayed putrefaction rapidly supervenes, and a satisfactory examination is difficult. - - j - The Cause and the Remedy. It is difficult to state exactly what is the exciting cause of the renal and hepatic congestion, but Hip predisposing causes are very evident. They are given as follows by Mr. C. ,T. Renkes, Director of the Veterinary and Live Stock Division of tho Agricultural Department:—The age of the animal—that is, the time when tho ,milk of the mother has begun lo be supplemented by herbage—rich and plentiful supply'of mother's milk, the absence of another lamb to diminish the excessive supply' of mother's milk, and good pasture, favouring the production of this rich and plentiful supply of milk. In other words, all, that tends to induce a plethoric condition in tho lamb at the age of from four to eight weeks, before it hns bo.eun to take exercise far afield from- tho mother, predisposes to this disease. That this is so is proved by tho fact that the best, and surest preventive measure to adopt is-the-docking of the tail when the lamb is about three weeks old. After castration, the disease rarely or never appears in rani lambs, whereas in cwo lambs, especially docked _ when about a week or ten days old, it may o.ppeaT !nter._ This means simply that ample bleeding, by reducing the plethoric, condition of. the animal, removes the primary predisposing cause of this disease. As to .the actual and.exciting cause of tho congestion and haemorrhage in the kidneys, it is possible this may be connected with inability to elimmntcasrapidly as is necessary the urea and other poisonous substances naturally—and then oxressively—present in the blood fowini? to the rich and abundant diet), but this is somewhat obscure. The result of tho renal condition, however, is tho forma•ti,on of the pericardial exudate through interference with' the Moid-pressure, and to these, conditions together nsrain reacting on the heart is due undoubtedly (he suddenness with which death takes place. . . Obviously there is no treatment applicable as a curative measure. Prevention, however, is simple, consisting 03 it does of dockiwr before the dinger »rW

of life occurs. In the casa of ewe lambs, which it is necessary to dock early, tho tails should be left sufficiently long to permit of another joint being removed if found ndvisablo Inter on, to reduce condition by bleeding, and so prevent further losses by tho disease. .