DISEASED DAIRY COWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 164, 5 August 1909, Page 4

DISEASED DAIRY COWS.

DISCUSSED AT FARMERS' UNION CONFERENCE. At the Farmers' Union Conference,in Wellington last week, Mr. Dye (Auckland) moved, "That this Conference urge that dairy stock be inspected periodically on.tlic farm on 'which they are depasturing. Any stock found to be diseased to be destroyed and half value paid to the owner. Inspectors to be fully qualified veterinarians." He said, however, that he found that the Department already paid half value.

Mr. Matheson (Ekctahuna) believed the proposal practical linancially if restricted at first to dairy herds. Mr. Jones opposed the proposal on the ground that it would police the country with inspectors, and be inconsistent with the policy of retrenchment. Mr. Maxwell (Taranaki) said tuberculosis was very prevalent among dairy herds.

Mr. D. Jones: Let the dairy factories deal with it.

Mr. Maxwell; They ; ,re not aware of it. And there arc not enough thoroughly good men who know, or men honest enough to make known, the existence of disease, in order to make' the efforts of the Department effective. A few diseased animals affect a whole district. Half measures are proving ineffectual. It is of no use to kill one diseased cow and let live others go on existing. Mr. Leadley (Ashburton) regretted to hear the way in which the North Islanders were ADVERTISING THE ROTTENNESS OF THEIR STOCK. They seemed never tired of claiming to possess every disease under the sun. Mr. Maxwell protested against this unworthy aspersion upon men who were doing their best honestly to remedy an evil.

Mr. Leadley remarked that the returns of stock condemned for disease at the abattoirs did not confirm the statements made.

A delegate: That is not dairy stock. Mr. Lane (Hawke's Buy) claimed th;u the North Island had more good slock than the South. It was the South Island people -who were afraid to have their stallions tested. (Laughter.) Mr. C. J. Keakes, Government Veterinarian, said that the object of the motion—to get rid of dangerously infectious animals—was good. Still, there was a lot of sense in what Mr. D. Jones said against policing the country with inspectors. There were, however, inspectors and inspectors. Inspectors who could give valualu advice to farmers as to ( prevention of disease would, no doubt, be very much welcomed. Something had been said about a wholesale slaughter that had taken place in the South Island. The only wholesale slaughter he knew of was conducted by hiiiiselt. and had been done at the special request of the owners themselves. It began with Mr. Buchanan, and the craze to„k possession of almost the whole of the Banks J'euiusiila. It'almost broke his heart to see such a lot of valuable cows, only slightly diseased. KOmg for slaughter. 11, „-<, u ld rather have seen then, treated ~, the rational method, and isolated. However there was no doubt the actio,, then taken cleared away much of the disease, and the district was now healthier. TUBEUCULOSISJSTKADIIA- GAIXIXG

GROUND. Replying tu a question as to whether Hie .North or the South wa 6 the most diseased, .Air. Reakes stated that some parts of the South had considerably disease, but .Mr. Leadley's particular disnct happened to he more free from it. (Laughter and applause). Tuberculosis in some .New Zealand district, was, mv fortunately, steadily gaining ground Systematic inspection, as indicated, would greatly help to cheek its increase, combined with pasteurisation of skimmed milk and whey. In regard to elimination of contagious inanimitis, much assistance and advice could be given bv th» -inspectors, ft was not a question of going and killing the cows, but of preventing infection. At present the disease was costing the country much money annually, but the disease could be treated and mastered. Inspectors roi.hl tell the farmers, and show them what steps should be taken to effect the cure and this wn« the sort of inspection which he hoped would soon be introduced. _ (Applause).

Sir. ilatlicson (Kkßtalmnn): Would it help il mamniitis were placed on the schedule of notifiable diseases? ilr. lieakes: Ves. because it would enab.e the Department to control the snle and distribution of diseased animals. At present diseased animals can be sold without restraint, and in this way mueii ot the disease is now. spread. Replying to another question, Mr lieakes said that no doubt milkin<» machines, if not kept thoroughly clean and uismtected, spread mammitis consider-ably-more so than hand milkiii" because ) I was admitted that milkers did sometimes wash their hands. (Liui»h-

The motion was carried by seven votes to six.

51 ILK I NT. .METHODS IX AIKiIOXTIXA.

. Dairy work in Argentina is conducted m « somi-what rough-and-ready wav Hie Argentine farmer considers milking a mere mljnijct to stock-raisin", which probably accounts for his mcth"'is A rmle enclosure of hardwood posts, t-rooke.l as a rain's horn, run with wire, is erected in the open for the cows, and a smaller one near it for the calves. This herd is divided into two lots tor milking, ami the calves are kept "way from tliei r mothers for twelve lours lifter .milking. One of the two lots of cows is driven into the large en%osiirc. ,™1 several, talves, wlfich have already been placed i-,i the smaller one, are allowed access to the cowvard. J ne.v. ot course, seek out their mothers, and liegm to suck.

An attendant, called the tver-up, at once pounces upon one of the 'cows than singled oul. and fastens her hind leas above the hock* with „ grccuhide rope; the calf is then dragged a wav and tied to her oil foreieg, while the milker, who has his stool strapped to him. comes with his bucket and draws off the milk she has let down. He leaves some lor the calf, which is set free as soon as he has taken as much ns he thinks proper, and sets to work on tlie next cow, which the tyer-up has hobbled ready for him.

Übrokcn cows are held for milking by a different method. Each in turn is his-oocd round the bonis by a horseman, who drags her by maiii force to ii pair of posts firmly planted in the ground for the purpose; her head is lastenel to one post, and her hind legs to the other, in such wise that she cannot move an inch, when the milker takes what he csfti get from her. _ The milk yield of the average Argentine cow is vavy small—about two (marts per day—and the period of lactation is only five or six months. The large herd owner generally works on the share system. He finds the lands, stock, and working plant, including a complete creamery outfit; the dairyman finds all the labor required, a:id the ue. profits are divided equally. One dairyman takes fro nl 100 to 200 cows with (heir calves at foot, and these are divided into two lots, one for morning, the other for evening milk.