PIG PARASITES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 June 1938, Page 3

PIG PARASITES

CLEANLINESS ESSENTIAL. At this season of the year pigs are frequently tormented by house flies, mosquitoes and lice. This irritation can be allayed to a large extent by giving the pigs a daily dressing (only a very small quantity at each application) of oil to which a small quantity of disinfectant has been added (says the “New Zealand Farmer Weekly”).

The pig has a tough skin and often carries a coarse coat of hair, but despite th : his health may suffer through parasitic infestation. Where the skin is lacerated or badly sunburnt and cracked, blowflies and house flies swarm around, becoming a source of risk to the animal’s general health. Wounds resultant from castration and other operations are favourable places for attack by blowflies. Where there is considerable inflammation, painting the affected areas with a diluted solution of iodine will be helpful. Carbolised glycerine —or boro-glycerine—-is an excellent dressing once the wounds have been thoroughly cleaned by washing and/or syringing out. Any treatment for reduction of irritation and inflammation and assistance in healing will be beneficial. Prevention of attack is often difficult, but something might be attempted along these lines by eradicating breeding grounds like manure heaps, where flies breed freely. Swampy areas encourage mosquitoes and sandflies, and neglected sties and pens and rubbish lying about harbour fleas and lice. A general clean-up along the lines of a spring-cleaning is well worth while.