ANIMAL DISEASES

Hokitika Guardian, 10 July 1929, Page 8

ANIMAL DISEASES

PREVENTION AND CURES. VETERINARY SURGEONS VIEWS. During the meeting of the New Zealand Veterinary Association which has been held in Wellington during last week, a number of papers have been read and discussed in the effort to bring order out of the condition which exists in the minds of many concerning some animal diseases. PA R ASIT 1C G A S'l’R O-ENTER HIS. The first paper dealt with parasitic gastro-enteritis of sheep, and was read by Ah- A. AI. Paterson, of Timaru. The discussion on this paper was a- timely one in view of the ravage of parasites during the last two years, particularly in hoggets in some districts in New Zealand. The paper dealt first of al 1 with the life history of the parasite showing that from the time the egg was passed on to the pasture until the adult parasite was ready to produce eggs was in the vicinity of 30 days. The necessity of internal worm parasites to have damp conditions in which to develop was stressed, as was also the incredible number of larval parasites which must he present on ninnv pastures waiting for the necessary sheep host to eat them in order that they might develop, Alothods of attacking the parasites received attention. Drenching was given pride ol place, and various methods were discussed, together with ingredients of drenches. Copper sulphate was considered the most useful of the parasiticides. 'file time when sheep should be drenched was given by Mr Paterson as at one month intervals from weaning. He stressed, too, the necessity if parasites were to be cleared off pastures of drenching older sheep as well, at the same intervals, as such sheep actually acted as reservoirs for the egg supplies tp the pastures.

The question of types of pasture and parasitic infection was touched upon, but later received considerable discussion from the meeting. Many the >rics were advanced, hnd it was agreed that there was very great necessity for veterinarians to meet farmeres personally and to do all in their power to discuss and instruct them on the way to prevent infection, and in many instances how to run hoggets, which in certain seasons were very liable to trouble. Possibly one pf the chief methods of prevention was the judicious use of cattle and older sheep. Air Paterson suggested that a large sum of money should be made available for a combined attack on a condition which was always preventable.

PARALYSIS IN PIGS. In dealing with the condition of paralysis in pigs, Mr Blake gave a description of some experimental. work which we had an opportunity of carrying out in the Auckland district. He described the condition under which the pigs lived, the, feed each pig was given, and the treatment which it had been possible to adopt. A general discussion of rickets as a scource of the stiffness took place, but it was stated to be a matter for further research. The most interesting point was the response of the pigs to the judicious use-of epsom salts. , Mr tlopkirk described some of his experimental work at Wallaceville on this trouble, where feeding of pigs had been going on with deficiencies of vitamines A, D, and 13, but his work was incom-

plete as he had yet failed to set up the conditions experiementally.

Two .conditions obviously dietetic in origin were dealt with by Mr Marshall from Hamilton; the one red water in calves, the other scours in sucking pigs lledwater in calves was a condition met with in only the very host animals reared on rich food. It had been found exceedingly difficult . to treat calves which were affected. Various methods,. including the use of salt, of iron of salt to widen the ration, were not of sufficient benefit to cure the animals.

Scours in sucking pigs was a condition found in one farm only, but it had caused very considerable loss as the young pigs died, or i'f they lived were stunted in growth. The sconrage started from three to four days old up to three weeks, and only lasted 24 to 3G hours before death occurred. The feeding of the scours had been rather deficient in green food, but otherwise was good. For this reason one of the soluble salts had been fed, and from that time death stopped in both the fed and untreated lots. Therefore it was not known whether the experimental dosage was of use or not. The ifac^

tors which seems to have been effective was the flush of green grass which came about at that time—an iron-con-taining food, but also one containing much vitamine.

STERILITY IN DAIRY COAVS. A paper by Air Pierson on “ Sterility in Dairy Cows and its Treatment” Was given a very great deal of discussion and following the paper to be discussed along with it. Air liopkirk described a new theory in regard to the disease, -that of a possible deficiency of vitamine E. Mr Pierson described his method of treating the genital organs of cows, his antiseptic solutions and also the epidemic from which he found the disease took in Southland. He was emphatic in his belief that the condition was due to some infective agent, but not to granular vaginitis, and he thought not to abortion disease. 'l'he paper evoked considerable technical discussion from workers in this field, who reserved the opinion of infection for further investigational proof, and who were sceptical as to the results obtained compared with their own results under some what similar treatment. Further figures on the recent season’s treatment were yet to come to hand, and Mr Pierson promised to give further data on the subject at a future time. The paper served to show the intense interest which this disease was creating amongst the veterinarians and also showed what a volume of experimental work had been attempted by those interested. Air Cooper Maitland, with the aid pf lantern slides described the conditions of stock on the Chatham Islands, and showed that without roads farming was rather primitive, but there was comparative freedom from serious disease. Dairying was only just being taken up, the whole industry at one time being sheep farming.

MORTALITY OF CHEEP AFTER DIPPING. Air Lukev, of Christchurch, delved into the subject of “Alortality of sheep After Dipping.” A description of the contents and methods of prepar ation of dips, poisonous and so-called noil-poisonous, was given. The symptoms of sheep dying, following dipping was chiefly Hint.., of a, pneumonia duo to the swallowing of‘the floating scum through the improper use of the crutch or to the system of dipping which kept the sheep too long submerged. The concensus of opinion on the question was that it did not matter what din was used, the cause of large mortalities was not so much the possibility of poisoning, analysis often having shown no arsenic to be present, but was the direct result of the inadvertent swallowing or inhalation of the mixture so causing pneumonia. The last paper of the meeting was one by Mr Fletcher on a largo array of cases met with in l his practice in Afasterton, ranging from fractures of legs of horses to minor injuries in canaries. This paper was of very great interest to the practising veterinarians,' and of no less interest to his Government confrere. It brought up many episodes in the life of the veterinarian from those present. , ' * A further meeting was held at the close of the conference of the visiting Government officers to discuss ways and means of assisting the dissemination of knowledge to the stock owner and of gaining his confidence. Some discussion also took place ns to the position of tlie' private practitioner in relation to the State official.