STOCK LOSSES.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20272, 14 August 1937, Page 26 (Supplement)

STOCK LOSSES.

VETERINARY ATTENTION. MORE ATTENTION NEEDED. The season of birthdays amongst stock is with us and the problem of casualties and mortalities is engaging the attention of our farming community. Mares at £4O to £SO, dairy cows at £lO to £l2 and breeding ewes at £2 upwards need careful farming but, from an economic standpoint alone, are they getting the veterinary attention such valuable slock requires. Are we it , all equipped with veterinary practitioners to save the huge mortality that occurs or have our farmers and their employees the rudimentary veterinary knowledge to give the requisite firstaid? It is a big question; our farmers are above the average in farming practice, but voteriftary science is another matter. If we are not facing up to the position arc we going to or leave It to the members of our Young Farmers’ Clubs to he better equipped? Problems to bo Faced. Is grass-farming one of our troubles—is the scarcity of feed at lambing and calving times one of our problems? There is something wrong somewhere and with high values for stock the needful economy seems to be In the direction of a better organised farming community to ensure that veterinary officers can practice in every locality without financial risk. The season just passed has seen an Intermittent stream of “ boner ” cattto Kolng through the saleyards. Tfc is estimated that 10 per cent of the dairy herds go into the stream each year. Tho prices for these have been attractive but everyone knows they will not stay at £ i. When they come down to £2, losing the services of £lO dairy cows will lie pretty expensive. For years past one of the most talked of reforms wanted in the dairying industry has been universal farm dairy Instruction—lt is not, in existence yet. Similar schemes for the employment of veterinary officers have been talked of hut, except lor isolated cases which require commendation, nothing much has been done. Is it procrastination or is If, want of organisation? Surely there is no time like the present with high values for all stock to make some efforts to safeguard the farming industry to some extent against its annual casualty and death rate.