TOLL OF ARTHRHIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 14

TOLL OF ARTHRHIS

-Pre88 Association.)

Sheep Farmers Learn Preventive Methods MASSEY ADDRESS

(By Telegrapb-

PALMERSTON N., This Day. Approximately 12,000 lambs during a killing season in New Zealand liave been fotmd to be affected with arthritis. Tbis information ■was made available in a lecture prepaxed by Mr. W, 0, Barry, Director of the Livestock Division and delivored by Dr. Hopkirk, of tbe Wallaceville Laboratory to the conference of sheepfanners at Massey College yesterday. Preventive meaaures . wero fully outlined, it being contended that their application would overcome this disease which gained its inception by means - of a wainui, occurring chiefly at dockin^ time. The lameness produced in young lambs by this joint infection, due to an inflammation, was a matter with which many farmers were familiar. It was a question of considerable eeonomie im~ portance. It resulted in the partial condemnation of many carcases, the most commonly condemned portion being the leg. Apart from the waste occasioned by condemnation, the disease was responsible for an eeonomie loss to the sheep farmer through the set-back which it brought about in affected lambs in a flock. Even when any slightly affected lambs took a considerable time to recover from the check xeceived. Entry Through Wounds. The most susceptible age was up to three or four months and the most common time when lameness among lambs was noticed was about a week to a fortnight after the lambs had been marked. It had been ascertained that a large percentage of cases occurred in wether lambs and this was to be expected as the disease was a wound infection, the inference being that the castration wound offered an increased avenue of entry to the germ. Lambs affected showed evidence of pain when attempting to place weight on the affected leg. There was a consequent disinclination to move which accounted for a rapid loss of condition, due to partial starvation. Complete reeovery usually took place in probably 80 per cent. of the cases within a montk of the onset of symptoms, ln chronis cases deformity of the joints usually resulted. Prevention Better Than Oure, The most important consideration in regard to the disease was its prevention. Curative measures wero useless, but prevention was possible if certain precautions were observed at marking time. On farms where the disease was known to occur, docking should be carried out on a fresh site, the yards previously used for this purpose being avoided. All instruments should be sterilised by boiling before use and frequently immersed in antiseptic solution during the operations. In selecting the site for temporary yards for marking, a jwell-grassed area should be chosen. After marking the lambs on the rail of the outer fence, oare should be takeu ,to place them on their feet and allow ■them to run away in a clean grass paddock. To allow them to simply drop to the ground and possibly fall on their tails and in the dirt was running un-; necessary risks. Regarding the use of antisepties, a too irritant solution must not be employed. A 1 per cent. solution (about one and a-half ounces to the gallon of water) of any of the standard disinfectanta would be sufficient. It was desirable to apply the solution to the skin before castrating and docking were actually performed, as well as after. The use of a syringe by which the solution could be quiekly "jetted" on to the parts by an assistant standing alongside the operator was worthy of consideration. The use of the emasculator or bloodless castrating instrument gave satisfactory results when properly employed, and might be considered on farms on which arthritis in lambs was common. By its use, one avenue of infection — the castration wound — was eliminated. With regard to docking, it was held that the use of the red iron was generallv followed by less trouble and it was pra&ficable that rapid searing of the tail after severance with the knife would prove useful in the prevention of infection. A number of legs showing enlarged stifles and hocks which had been condemned at the freezing works were exhibited. After answering several questions, Dr. Hopkirk was accorded a vote of thanks.