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Shearing operations were carried out under favourable weather conditions, the wool-price being a record in some districts. Dipping was generally successful and no serious loss or mortality resulted. There was no recurrence of the post-dipping lameness which occurred in some flocks the previous year. The measures taken to prevent lameness have been in every way satisfactory. Dipping has been effective in the control of lice and keds, but some pens of infested sheep have been found in saleyards. Inquiry into the reasons for these infestations invariably reveals that the sheep have not been dipped for a variety of reasons. Lymphadenitis.—The incidence of infection found in mutton carcasses in the South Island is at the same level as that recorded last year. Pregnancy Toxaemia,. —The incidence of this disease in ewe flocks last spring was remarkably low, and there was a similarly low incidence of bearing trouble. The winter was one of the mildest on record in many districts and green feed was available practically throughout the winter. There were no severe snowstorms or series of frosts such as might -cause a check in the feed-supply, and although ewes had to "work" on the short green feed, they arrived at the lambing stage in excellent condition. As they approached lambing and afterward, the feed-supply gradually improved. Milk-fever or Hypocalcaemia.—Because of the excellent winter it was not surprising -to find an increase in the incidence of this trouble in ewes at lambing-time. Cases occurred in ewes both before and after lambing, and in some parts of Southland the number of •ewes affected was a big increase on figures of previous years in that district. Very good results were obtained from the use of calcium borogluconate as a subcutaneous injection. An increased number of ewes was affected with the disease in many parts of €anterbury. Parasitic Gastro-enteritis.—Hoggets wintered well and a minimum of parasitic trouble was experienced in most districts. The season was favourable to young sheep and many owners are using phenothiazine worm medicine as a routine procedure. Contagious Ecthyma.—ln those districts where this disease is known to occur it is being well controlled by vaccination. The vaccine is supplied from the Animal Research Station, Wallaceville, at the request of owners. Facial Eczema. —Because of a spell of warm, dry weather during the summer there was considerable anxiety about the possibility of an outbreak of this disease after rain. Examination of livers of lambs and sheep at meat-works indicated that liver damage was taking place in stock from a fairly wide area. Actual clinical cases of eczema have not been numerous, though sheep grazed on short pasture at such places as showgrounds or sports-grounds were quite seriously affected with the disease. On these special areas grass lawns had been mown during the year and subsequent pasture growth could be expected to be particularly dangerous. Even though many clinical cases do not show up in a season of the type just passed, there is a feeling that damage to the livers of many sheep has been caused. In another district 75 per cent, of a small flock showed clinical symptoms. Here again there were special features of local pasture and climatic conditions. Blackleg in Sheep.-—The incidence of blackleg in sheep in several districts is increasing. An increasing amount of vaccination of sheep against the disease is being carried out by stock-owners. Even in South Island districts blackleg has been shown to be the cause of mortalities in areas where the disease was previously unknown. The organism has been isolated from sheep of all ages from very young lambs to ewes at lambing-time.

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