FACIAL ECZEMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 March 1939, Page 3

FACIAL ECZEMA

ISOLATED CASES REPORTED CONDITIONS IN NORTH ISLAND. STIJ-.L FAVOURABLE FOR SERIOUS OUTBREAK. A statement on facial eczema among farm stock was issued today by the Director-General of Agriculture, Mr A. H. Cockayne. “Although no serious outbreak of facial eczema has yet occurred,” said Mr Cockayne, “a number of isolated cases, and. a few small outbreaks among lambs have been reported. Lambs’ livers from one abattoir have been found to. be affected, although the lambs themselves were apparently healthy at the time they were slaughtered. Conditions in several parts of the North Island are still such as to make a serious outbreak probable should warm humid weather accompany the autumn rains. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES. “It therefore behoves stock owners to take all possible precautions. These should be initiated immediately if a rapid autumn flush occurs as they may not prove effective if delayed until cases occur. It was noticed last year that dairy cow production fell when the flush occurred. This is in marked contrast to the increase in production which usually accompanies the normal autumn flush. Should such an unusual fall in production occur this autumn it should be regarded as a danger signal and precautionary measures should be commenced immediately. “Experience of previous outbreaks indicates that every effort should be made to avoid grazing the rapid flush which follows warm autumn rains. If the advice of the Facial Eczema Management Committee, published in the December issue of the Journal of Agriculture, has been followed mature feed should be available and this should be rotationally grazed in such a way as to prevent it being eaten down hard enough for the flush to come through and be eaten by the stock. If mature feed is not available stock should be confined to small bare paddocks and fed hay, silage or any other supplementary feed. In districts where an outbreak seems probable it would be wise to commence educating sheep to eat hay or silage at once. It has been observed that silage is taken better if fed at night as this prevents it becoming dry and unpalatable. TREATMENT. “Affected animals should be brought into sheds or placed in bare paddocks having plenty of natural shade. Lesions should be dressed with an ointment made by mixing one ounce of boracic powder with a pound of vaseline or lard. This can be further improved by adding sufficient vegetable black to make a jet black ointment which helps to protect the lesions from the harmful sun rays. “In order to assist in the investigation of the disease stock owners are urged to report any cases immediately to the nearest veterinarian or stock inspector who will do all, in. thejr power to assist in treating and preventing the disease.”