Lungworm in the Wairarapa.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 512, 30 September 1890, Page 3

Lungworm in the Wairarapa.

Till prevalence of lungworm in the Wairarapa having considerably affected the sheep in that district, the Government recently instructed Mr M’Clean, M.R.C.V.S., to report upon it. Mr M'Clean’s report is a document of special interest to sheepfarmere generally, and we therefore reproduce the substance of it. Having examined affected stock anfi country, Mr M'Clean says that until pastoralists acquaint themselves more closely with the life history of the lungworm, qnd recognise that year by year the pest will increase its ravages, according to the locality and the suitableness of the seasons, but little benefit pan accrue from any recommendation he may make. Dealing with remedies, the report proceeds as follows:—“There is no doubt that where lungworm is prevalent the best remedy of all is to plough up and crop the infected area let one or two seasons. The substitution of cattle for sheep for a season will a’tt> go a very long way towards cleaning a country, as the lungworm of sheep does not . affect cattle, and vice Versa. Then, again, there is the Australian method of shutting up the

infer ed area for some months, and then fifing the growth that bus taken place. Where owners cannot or will not adopt any of the above methods, it only remains for them to take all care that their lambs are in good condition before and at the time of weaning, and thus render their systems less liable to fall an easy prey to the disease. This, I need hardly say, can only be attained by good feed and pure water in liberal quantity, and general good management. In the country I have been examining I cannot too strongly recommend the allowance of a free supply of salt from the middle of summer right through the autumn. For this purpose I would prefer to use inferior common salt, commonly known as Liverpool salt, placed in troughs about the paddocks. Bock salt, though infinitely better than no salt at all, is too liable to injure the teeth of lambs and thus render them unfit for turnips later on in the season. Another advantage Liverpool salt possesses ia that any other medicament may be incorporated with it, and for this purpose I know of nothing better than the following mixture :—Liverpool salt 100 parts, chlorate of potash 10 parts, sulphate oi iron 5 parts. Lambs provided with this mixture will render themselves worm-proof. lam often ask'd if drenching lambs is any good, and am forced to reply in the negative, for I am of opinion that unless in the hands of a competent and careful man much unnecessary pain and serious damage is too often inflicted on animals, mostly in a delicate state of health, by the injudicious mixing and administration of the various drugs used. If an owner is of opinion that he ought to drench his lambs, let it be done two or three times early in the year, and, advisedly, with turpentine and milk thoroughly incorporated. It is wo se then useless to wait till such time as the hoggets are coughing; the object of drenching should be to cause the expulsion of the worm before it has gained an entry into the lungs or blood stream. The lambs should be carefully handled, the mouth gently opened by an assistant, and the medicine slowly allowed to fall into the mouth, in order that the animal may have time to swallow it, and not, as one too often sees, the mouth roughly torn open by one man while another as roughly squirts the medicine out of a syringe, the bulk of it not entering the intended, but passing direct into the Jarnyx, and setting up a violent fit of coughing, and in the end causing severe bronchial disturbance.” In conclusion Mr M’Clean expressees an opinion that if owners attend to these directions it may be confidently expected that lungworm will be reduced to a minimum.—N.Z. Times.