Inquiry Processes Livestock: Plants: Laboratory to Farm

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 15 (Supplement)

Inquiry Processes Livestock: Plants: Laboratory to Farm

"Llght, isn't she," said the vetermarian who is one of the investigators of animal disease at the Wallaceville research station. "She" was a sorry looking ewe with a partially bald head, ears that looked as though she had been in a prize figbt, a generally disconsolate appearance, not improved by streaks of blood on her brisket due to samples of her blood having been taken a few minutes earlier for examination etc. in the laboratory. . The ewe was used to life as a facial eczema specimen, and as the scientist lifted her out of the pen she waited for other details of examination evidently associated with his visits. At Wallaceville and at Ruakura research stations the disease is being studied and sheep kept in special conditions are being fed with certain rations and kept in certain conditions to ascertain t.he effects upon them of the feeding and treatment. The investigations have shown that except in regard to one breed of sheep facial eczema is accompanied by liver disorder, in other words that it is associated with dietetic management. In the one breed of sheep facial eczema has been found without the liver affection but so far as Taranaki stock-owners are concerned the advice given by a committee of inquiry two years ago still holds good. The committee found that:— (1) Facial eczema is apparently caused by a quick flush of grass in warm and humid weather following a drought period of excessively hot weather. (2) In eczema years sheep and cattle should be kept off the rapidly growing grass until it is mature. (3) To maintain stock mature grass should be saved by shutting up fields in late December. (4) On most farms the shutting-up of grass necessitates the supplementary feeding of stock.

(5) Farmers should build up reserves of hay and silage. (6) Rye-grass and white-clover pastures growing on land liable to dry out in the summer are most liable to give a quick flush and cause eczema. Special paspalum fields should be sown on moist land as an emergency measure; the flush of paspalum is not dangerous. (7) In districts where paspalum is not a practical pasture, cocksfoot and Montgomery red clover should be sown and held as an alternative pasture to flush young grass. (8) The general plan of prevention should be:— (a) Have a reserve of hay and silage so that controlled grazing can be practised and mature grass saved. (b) Have special paspalum fields which are free from a dangerous flush. (c) Maintain stock on saved grass, special paspalum pastures, and supplementary feed until the autumn flush is mature. (b) Caution is always advisable in changing stock from mature to rapidly growing grass. These instructions are worth noting because climatic conditions this season may be a predisposing factor towards an outhreak of the trouble.

Research Station Routine. Feeding, weighing, examination of blood and cultures made from blood or discharges from affected animals, the effect of light or shade, of "licks" and drug treatments— these are all part of the research station routine. At Wallaceville any specific for the treatment of this or any other stock disease can be tested free of charge and the results of the test made public, but so far no drug or vaccine treatment for facial eczema has been recommended. Affected stock, however, will in some cases respond to treatment and stockowners should not be in too much of a hurry to slaughter affected animals. The investigations at Wallaceville, Ruakura, and on many farms all point to facial eczema being due to the effects of pasture. So while stock are being examined by veterinarians and pathologists the Plant Research Station at Palmerston North, a branch of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, is undertaking the examination of various grasses usuallv found in New Zealand pastures. Mr. E. Bruce Levy, well known to many Taranaki stock-owners, is in charge of this work, and he reported that during the past year swards of pure perennial

rye-grass were being grown under the following conditions:— (a) Normal outside conditions— nonirrigated; (b) outside conditions irrigated; (c) outside conditions— soil temperature controlled by soil-heating element; (d) in two small glasshouses control heated with soil cables and fitted with exaust fan; (e) small lot in cold frames, unheated but covercd with moveable glass frames. The herbage so produced was used by the Chemical Laboratory for their intensive studies into chemical changes that take place in plant growth according to changes in environmental conditions. Plant Research. The Plant Research officials also gave assistance in field observation and in certain grazing and feeding trials, and in mapping pastures and statistically sampling them. Twelve farms were under observation in the Waikato, and, small grazing and feeding trials " were conducted at Wairoa. When the layman sees a research officer cutting a few blades of grass, handling them gently and taking care that their condition is unaltered by the time they reach the laboratory table he gains some idea of the meticulous care required in such investigations. When he see the various processes involved in the botanical and chemical analyses of plant specimens, and remembers that the findings will be further assorted and assimiliated hy scientists elsewhere who will try them on the living animal and see the results "by post mortem examination, the term scientific research has a new interest. He reflects also that there are no short cuts in such work. Disease cannot be overcome by shock tactics. And as he leaves the scientists to thrir task he remembers that the application of most of their findings resolves itself into the simple words "better farm management." The words may be simple, but their implications are wide. And there are some people and politicians who say that farming is an unskilled industry!