ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1929, Page 7

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY

LAMBING TROUBLES LN EWES. A WARNING TO SHEEPFARMERS. (By tlie Department of Agriculture.) Many of the troubles met with in stock in New Zealand are peculiar to this country, which is singularly free from infectious diseases. The cause of our losses in many cases can be traced to the effects of feeding conditions. In colder, less temperate climates, where the growing season is much shorter than in New Zealand, the question of winter grazing of sheep often presents a ■ problem. In New Zealand, however, sheep-farmers are favoured with a long grass season and in some districts, with the exception of . roots very little supplementary feeding is necessary. With the extended and varied use of fertilisers the present long grass season may be further prolonged. There is a danger that in some cases the conditions of feed may be too congenial, more especially for the heavier breeds of sheep. In the South Island more provisions for winter feeding is necessary than in the North. In the North Island feed is as a rule plentiful, so far as sheep are concerned, for the greater part of the year. The sheep’s close grazing habits enable it to obtain its food supply on pastures where some of the larger ruminants would encounter difficulty, j DANGERS OF FATNESS. In either case, whether the food is supplied as supplementary to the available grazing, or whether it consists almost entirely of grass, there is a serious danger of the breeding ewe becoming too fat. It is safe to say that more losses are encountered in the breeding flock from an excess of condition than from a shortage of the food supply. Compared with the cow the ewe has a short period of production as the lambs are as a rule weaned early. There is then a period when the animal under our congenial conditions is inclined to - become too fat. As a result of obesity, and also on account of advancing pregnanoe, the owes become sluggish and very lazy in their habits. This sluggishness is noted in all pregnant animals, rut ewes being more phlegmatic than cows or mares, the da tiger of lack of exercise in the ewe flock, if the feed conditions are plentiful and do not call for forced exercise, is a very real one. With a shortage of feed the ewes are farced to travel afield in search of it. The forced exercise thus ensured, rendeis the animal physiologically fit, the bowels are regular, constipation and indigestion are guarded against, and the result is a fit flock, not a fat one, and lambing troubles are infinitisemal. PLENTIFUL SUPPLY OF FOOD. To consider the case of the flock with a plentiful supply of food. The flock does not take any exercise, it has no need to; the feed is within easy reach, whether it is grass or supplementary foods, the ewes are naturally lazy, they lay on fat even to the extent of fatty infiltration of the liver and other organs. There is a tendency to constipation with indigestion, impaired function of the liver, evert some evidence of jaundice. The most acute cases in the flock are inclined to become listless, have difficulty in rising, and drag behind the remainder of the flock. In a day or so the ewe is found down and unable to get up. if raised, the hind-quarters appear unsteady, and if forced to move the animal often staggers and falls. This condition is well-known' to the farmer, and is known as paralysis of the hind-quarers. If the eye is examined it is found that it has lost its sensitiveness, and the animal is only semi-conscious. If not disturbed it will remain lying and often die without a struggle. Hence, in some districts this mortality of pregnant ewes has been referred to as “sleeping-sickness,’’ a term which is somewhat symptomatic, hut otherwise has no bearing whatever on the nature of the disease.

PREVENTION THE BEST CURE. As already indicated this condition of tho pregnant ewe is 'brought about through not obtaining sufficient exercise when grazing. This is the season of the year when it is advisable to anticipate the trouble. The best cure is prevention. Pregnant ewes require to be exercised regularly for a priod of at least a month to six weeks before lambing. It has been proved by the majority of owners that regular exercise before lambing, rendering the ewes physically fit, not fat, absolutely and entirely prevents losses from this cause. A minority still considers this trouble infectious, but there is no evidence whatever to suggest that the trouble is of bacterial origin or transiftisible from one ewe to another. In a. typical case of this trouble in Marlborough where deaths were taking place the pasture on which the sheep were feeding was rather bare, but the owner was feeding the flock on hay, roost, and chaff which were taken to the paddock daily. As a result the ewes did not take any exercise, merely feeding and lying down to ruminate and feed again. The ewes were in good condition. The owner was advised to drive the ewts

daily to a paddock of green feed, allow thorn to graze thereon for two hours daily, and then return. No further losses took place, and adopting preventive measures on these lines no losses from this cause were experienced last lambing season. The practice of forcing exercise upon pregnant ewes in good condition is being more and more adopted. NEED FOR EXERCISE. Ewes carrying twin lambs are more often the victims, but even ewes carrying single lambs succumb. Aged ewes arc more susceptible than young ewes. The exercise should not be hurried or forced, but should be regular for a period of from four to six weeks before lambing is experienced. Losses are met with about 10 to 20 days before lambing, so that the preventive measure necessary, the exercise requires to be started six weeks before lambing. Treatment of the affected ewes is not satisfactoiy, although a number of owners have claimed cures front the use of a laxative (four ounces salts dissolved in water), a.nd forced exercise afterwards. If seen in the early stages, medicinal treatment may be tried, but unfortunately too ‘many cases are only seen when the animals are too far gone, hence the necessity of taking effective preventive npeasures and exercising early. BEARING-TROUBLE IN EWES. Closely related to the above condition, in that ft occurs under similar feed conditions and more commonly in ewes in good condition, is what' is commonly spoken of as “bearingtrouble” in pregnant ewes, Every sheepfarmer has seen eases of this trouble in his ewe flock before lambing, Here, again, ewes carrying twins are more .eommojnly affected; and fat ewos with a plentiful food supply are more liable to the trouble.

It is a well-recognised fact that all pregnant animals are lazy and sluggish and lie down a great deal, but the pregnant ewe is particularly so. Lack of exercise reduces the tone of the muscles generally, and when combined with a fatty condition of the internal organs, increased abdominal pressure, those (sphincter) circular muscles of the vulva and vagina relax and allow the eversion of the vaginal wall. The reddened, swollen, everted vagina is the actual “bearing-trouble.”

The immediate cause of the trouble may be congestion of the urinary bladder or constipation, or both. Lack of exercise is most conducive to both the above conditions. It is a regular practice when ewes are stirred up, especially if they have been lying down for some time, that almost every me of them urminates, some in fact to an excessive amount. EARLY TREATMENT. If the ewes fail to evacuate the bladder at regular intervals through lying down, the bladder becomes distended, spasm of the neck of the bladder may prevent urination, and if extra pressure is exerted by the owe the walls of the vagina are forced outward through muscles which have lost their tone and the typical prolapsed condition as met with is produced. The pregnant womb is carried backwards over the brim of the pelvis, and further prevents the escape of urine from the bladder. The affected ewe strains violently to empty the bladder, and instead of obtaining relief merely accentuates the eversion.

If the ewe is not seen early the everted vagina becomes very swollen, blackened, liable to infection, and even gangrene may set in and death results. Unless treatment is adopted early success docs not follow, as even when replaced the swollen eversion is so irritating that it causes further straining and further prolapse. Sutures are sometimes inserted through the lips of the vulva to prevent prolapse;- the wool in this region is so tied across the natural opening with the same object in view. Occasionally affected ewes are tied to the fence with the hind-quarters raised, and after 12 hours are allowed their liberty. If seen early the prolapse should ibe thoroughly cleansed with water to which a little antiseptic has been added. With the aid of some lubricant such as medicated vaseline or carbolised oil, the prolapse is reduced and kept in position until it regains its normal heat. The owes may be given two teaspoonfuls of laudanum in gruel to prevent straining, or some of the measures above mentioned re sutures may be adopted. Treatment is not satisfactory in many cases. It is not called for if the measures now recommended are put into operation for several weeks before lambing. Lack of exercise with easy and plentiful food conditions are the cause of both of these troubles, and those fanners who have adopted the precautionary measures here recommended bear testimony to tlie effectiveness of regularly moving the flock from paddock to paddock daily. If available, two hours daily grazing on some young feed has a beneficial laxative effect, and cone billed with the daily exercise to .:nd fro, the trouble is prevented. If no fresh green feed is available, the ewes should be exercised in the paddock twice daily. An old dog is more suitable for ewes advanced in pregnancy. The season, in the North Island particularly, lias been a most favourable one in regard to the production of feed. These notes are intended ns a guide to the farmer, and if the advice given is carried out, there should be a considerable reduction of mortality from tlieso two troubles.