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Many hundreds of valuable cows were saved, either through udder inflation or through the use of an injection of a suitable calcium salt. Some owners claimed to have 100 per cent, success through injecting the gluconate of calcium into affected animals. In regard to the incidence of the disease the District Superintendent, Wellington, writes : — " There was a much greater incidence of milk-fever, particularly in the Taranaki District. This was associated with and, in my opinion, due to the greater amount of early spring growth of grass in the paddocks. A further factor was probably the lesser amount of good hay available. It was observed both in Taranaki with respect to milk-fever, and perhaps more so in the Manawatu with cases of the grass-staggers type occurring a week or two after calving, that these cases were more numerous on the farms where hay feeding had been discontinued. Opportunity was taken to collect blood and urine samples, and these appeared to confirm the belief that nearly all cases were true milk-fever. Treatment by inflation of the udder alone did not seem generally successful, the best results following calcium injections." The officers of the Department assisted in every way possible by giving advice and demonstrations to herd-owners. Owing to a widespread demand for the xise of calcium salts, it was necessary to arrange for supplies to be distributed as widely as possible in accordance with the needs of the district. Parasitic Disease in Young Cattle. —In the dairying districts, where large numbers of calves are reared annually for replacement purposes, there is always a certain amount of parasitic disease. Owing to a very favourable winter and early spring, less trouble was experienced than in other years. As the disease is so closely associated with the question of feeding the young stock, it was natural to expect loss trouble. A plentiful supply of good autumn and winter feed can be depended upon to keep the disease in check and prevent serious losses. SHEEP. The past season was a favourable one for the sheep-farmer. The winter was mild, and feed was reasonably good up to lambing-time, so that there was a minimum loss of ewes from lambing troubles. The fact that ewes lambed a little later in some districts may also have assisted, as the spring feed came away early. An excellent crop of lambs was reported from most districts, with the general lambing percentage above normal. The wool-clip was up to expectations and realized good returns. The larger number of lambs slaughtered for export were well finished and averaged good weights. In some parts of the South Island, owing to warm dry summer conditions, there was a danger of feed becoming scarce, and some lighter lambs were sent forward for slaughter. The feed position improved later on. There is a general increase over last year's figures in the numbers of lambs put through the works. Many changes have been necessary under the present war conditions in the preparation of meat for export. The difficulties have been met by the co-operation of all engaged in the slaughtering, preparation, and inspection of the meat for export. Both from a quantitative and qualitative viewpoint the year's production must be considered very satisfactory. Infectious Entero-toxcemia (Pulpy Kidney). —In districts where this disease of lambs has been most troublesome in the past, the disease is now reasonably controlled by the use of vaccination. Vaccination of ewe flocks is carried out to a larger extent than formerly, and sheepowners are generally satisfied as to the measure of control effected. The District Superintendent, Dunedin, writes as follows : — " The death-rate from pulpy kidney throughout the district has not been high, although lambs did particularly well. Vaccination of pregnant ewes was once again used widely as a measure of prophylaxis against the disease. Sufficient vaccine was sold throughout the district for the vaccination of approximately 100,000 ewes." As mentioned in last year's annual report, the question of abscess formation at the site of vaccination is a serious matter in an animal which may be slaughtered for export. A number of lines of ewes were reported from freezing-works as having shown well-marked lesions at the injection site when slaughtered. Although trimming may be effective in some cases, it was necessary to reject for export a number of ewes on account of the lesions. The greatest care and cleanliness should be used over the operation of vaccination to control abscess formation as much as possible. The injection site should be carefully selected and the injection carefully given subcutaneously, to prevent deep-seated abscesses or chains of abscesses. A valuable measure in the prevention of a fatal disease in lambs should not be discarded or brought into disrepute through want of care on the part of the operator using the vaccine. Lymphadenitis. —Information on the necessary measures for the control of this disease has been disseminated among owners whose sheep have shown a high incidence of the disease at slaughter. As previously reported, the general incidence is higher in some South Island flocks. On one property where active control measures against the disease were adopted, an examination of the flock revealed many animals clinically affected. The segregation measures adopted in such cases assist in preventing further spread of the disease in the flock. Although the incidence is, comparatively speaking, very low in North Island (locks, it is still necessary to incise the carcass lymphatic glands of all mutton carcasses at the time of slaughter. Pregnancy Toxaemia ( Ante-partum Paralysis) in Ewes. —The incidence of this trouble was very low during the year, only odd cases being reported. This was undoubtedly influenced by the good feed conditions existing during the mild, open winter and the onset of an early favourable spring.

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