SHEEP MANAGEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1740, 3 May 1913, Page 8

SHEEP MANAGEMENT.

; ' NOTES BY AN EXPERT. Referring, to tho management of tho ewo iu an articlo on 6heep management, , Mr. C. J. Iteakes, Chiet Government Veterinarian, has the following to say:— "Breeding ewes aro very apt, especially when carrying their lambs, to put on fat freely, to becomo lazy, and tako too little exercise, and to degenerate in health and vigour in consequonco. Well-marked instances of the results of a combination ot'too much good ;feed and too little exercise, are seen in two conditions occurring in ewes toforo lambing, and known respectively as anto-partum paralysis and ante-partum extrusion of tho vagina. The first-mentioned ivas fonnorly principally met with in Canterbury and Otago. but of lata years it has been often found in the North Island also. Extrusion of the vagina is still far more common in tho North than in the South Island. Both can be prevented by suitable management, and even after cither has made its appearand a change to short pasture combined with a sufficiency of daily exercise is the most effectual means of stopping the trouble. The change of feed most desirable, if it bo available, is. to place the ewes on a paddock of short freshgrowing grass oi - ono of young green oats, the laxative effect of this feed no doubt assisting r.aturo in restoring the balance of the system and enabling tho ewe to return, to a condition of normal health. I had (says Mr. Keakes) an interesting practical experience of this soma years since.. A number of stud owes in "high condition were on exceptionally good feed, and.deaths began to occur. In a few days the mortality reached an average of seven or eight dally, and the owner natijrally bocamo alarmed. At his request a visit was made to the farm, and after a caro:ful examination the cause of tho trouble was determined. A change on to short pasturo was advised, together -with tho ensuring of daily by a man going ; iuto the paddock twice daily and keeping tho animals on the move for an . hour or so each time. The result was that after, two days tho mortality ceased entirely. Similar treatment has ■been found equally successful m other cases of the kind when tho owner has •been able to properly earry it out—not always an easy 'matter when a man's timo is'involved; but tho change of pasturo alone does a. lot of good. ." "jExtrusion of tho vagina rarely affects ewes other than those carrying twin ..lambs; and with this, care in preventing the owe 3 coming to their lambing in too high condition, at the same time ensuring tlutt they get a sufficiency of exercise, ..is of tlio highest value as a preventivo measure. It is a mistake to suppose that tho higher the condition of tho cwo the stronger and healthier -will be her lamb -.or -lambs. The ewe most likely to produce 1 the best and strongest progeny is tho ewe in good healthy, strong condition. A cwo which is too fat is neither Iftnlthy nor strong. Tho timo to provide an abundance of good feed for breeding-owes is not before they lamb, but. after, whon they are suckling their young. Before lambing all they need is a Sulfitusncy to keep them in good sound health"- and condition, but not an excess, such n» would bo liable to iuduco laziness and an accumulation of fat in the ■cystem*- An instance of tho efficacy of ..this practical and common-sense treat- - went wine under notice recently. A. largo sheep-owner who had been troubled with extrusion, of tho vagina among his stud ewes'", year after year decided to try it. lie/brought his eives to their lambing in a'paddock of short sweet grass, and put an''old'man to go among them daily, stir them up, and keop them moving round. Tho result was most satisfactory, only ono or two isolated cases occurring instead of a considerable number as had boon the caso in previous years. Thoro is still some diversity of opinion among sheep-owners as to tho cause' of this trouble, and this is no doubt encouraged by. tho fact that occasionally a case occurs ■in a owe not in high condition. But occasipnal'cascs may occur from other causes, as, .for instance, constipation, indigestion, causing distension of the first stomach or tho bowels, through tho formation of gas produced bv the fermentation of imperfectly masticated, or improperly digested food. Retention of urine, again, caused by the muscles controlling tho neck of tho bladder not relaxing and allowing tho ■urine to bo passed when it should be, ■and consequent straining on. the part of the owe, is another very probable direct cilice. lint this, as with digestive trouble, constipation, etc., is far moro likely to occur in a fat lazy ewe than in one in l«;s high condition.

Lamb Troubles. "Another source of loss to the sheepfanner, if the necessity lor proper preventive measures be not acted upon, lies in tho tendency of lambs—usually single iambs—to develop a condition of neiito congestion of tlio kidneys, due to overnutrition when their dams are on. good feed and are yielding a plenitude of rich milk." Cimii'miiug, Mr. Keakes says:— "Earlier I indicated the necessity tor providing plenty of Rood feed for ewes suckling their lambs as preferablo to putting tlieni on it before', their lambs are born. This if especially necessary for tho production of early lambs of good freezing quality, but the lambs need careful watching iii order to ensure that they do not suffer aa a conseuuenco of too plentiful

and too rich a food supply. I'win lambs, having In share iho milk of one owe, are rarely affected with, kidnov congestion, singlo lambs tho chief sufferers. Tile remedy is simple, seeing that the trouble in most cases makes its appearance before tlio laml)3 are cut and tailed, what is needed being something which will counteract the plethoric condition of tho system and tho consequent overworking of tho kidneys; this is provided by tho bleeding which results from theso operations. This relieves tho plethora and enables the system to regain its normal balance, tho lambs consequently continuing to do well after a quick recovery from the temporary check. Whenever i'at lusty lambs commence to die, tho whole of IhoVp in the flock should at onco bo cut and tailed. This will u.-unlly stop tho trouble, though occasionally it occurs later, a littlo time niter marking. Then tho blood-letting resulting from taking a little bit more off tho tail does good. Or, removing ewes and lambs for a littlo time to a poorer pasture and ensuring a sufficient amount ot' exerciso is of great vahic as a mcasuro to. counteract tho mortality, though it may throw back in. condition tho more backward lambs. "When Cxirrying out 1 lie operations ot cuttinjy and tailing oaro must ba taken to eusuro that any knife used is pertectly clean. Heavy, mortality duo to bloodpoisoning lias occurred in lambs wero operated upon with an iinsteriliseu knifo often used by its owner for skinning dead sheep. Tho practice of searing tlio stump of tho tail of lambs is often adopted, and whero the lambs nro not in reallv high condition it is n good practice. Tho 'lamb which is not p ethoric falls back temporarily through loss o£ blood, and searing helps to prDvent tins. J!«t with fat, lusty single lambs a little b ceding does no fiarm at all, but may have tho effect of keeping alive good marketable lambs which otherwiso would be lost."