Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3 Western Australia, Series 3
Volume 5
Number 6 November-December, 1956 Article 21
11-1956
Stock disease control by correspondence Stock disease control by correspondence
J. Shilkin
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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation
Shilkin, J. (1956) "Stock disease control by correspondence," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 3: Vol. 5: No. 6, Article 21.
Available at: https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture3/vol5/iss6/21
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f STOCK DISEASES CONTROL BY 1
S CORRESPONDENCE I
O By J. SHILKIN, B.V.Sc, Senior Veterinary Surgeon g
& e c c o o c c o c o c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c c o c c c c c c c o c c c o c c c c c e c c c c c c c o c c c c o c c c c o c c c c o 9 r p H E R E is a time honoured legend t h a t the following letter was received by a Govern-
A m e n t Veterinary Surgeon, "Dear Sir, my horse is sick what shall I do? I t r u s t you will be able to reply by r e t u r n mail as I a m very worried. Yours faithfully, J o h n Smith." While this story m a y or may not be entirely true it is a t least very close to the t r u t h as m a n y veterinarians can testify.
Letters are continually being received by the D e p a r t m e n t of Agriculture seeking advice regarding t h e diagnosis and t r e a t - ment of sickness or disease in animals.
While diagnosis of ill-health is often diffi- cult enough when t h e animal concerned is in a position to be examined thoroughly by a veterinarian, t h e difficulties are greatly increased when diagnosis is a t - tempted per medium of a letter a n d still more, when virtually no information other t h a n t h a t the animals are sick is given in such letters.
The assistance t h a t officers of t h e Veterinary Branch can give in regard to preventive measures or remedial t r e a t - m e n t is dependent upon a diagnosis t h a t is as accurate as possible. If t h e informa- tion supplied is scanty or almost negli- gible, it is practically impossible to make an accurate diagnosis.
If this position is to be improved t h e n the farmer will w a n t to know w h a t i n - formation is likely to be required.
As disease is really only any departure from normal h e a l t h it is necessary to know what the animal or animals were like when in normal health. The informa- tion should therefore include breed, colour, age, sex and condition. In t h e case of a single animal, t e m p e r a m e n t m a y be in- p o r t a n t a n d if a female whether pregnant and the duration of pregnancy should be stated. In writing about a dairy cow say when she last calved a n d how much milk she is giving; with sheep say when last shorn and indicate t h e length and type of wool carried.
Symptoms should t h e n be described. I n the case of wounds, swellings or abscesses indicate their position a n d shape, w h e t h e r hot, painful, soft, hard or bony, a t t a c h e d to, or movable under, the skin or whether an impression made by pressing firmly with the finger remains after the finger is removed. With wounds always give their size, shape, depth and the angle to the ground of long cuts. A simple sketch may often be valuable.
Describe carefully any abnormality in the posture of the animal or any of its organs. For example the third eyelid may protrude further over t h e eye t h a n is normal. Discharges from t h e eyes, nose, mouth, vagina etc., should be mentioned together with some reference to t h e type of discharge, e.g. watery, blood-stained, or containing pus.
Any apparent pain should also be m e n - tioned as well as any abnormality in the action of the bowels. Whether the respira- tion, t h a t is the rate of breathing, is regular or irregular should be stated t o - gether with any coughing if noticed.
Following as much in the way of symp- toms as can be given the history of course of the complaint should t h e n be detailed.
Information required comprises t h e sur- roundings of the animal or animals, t h e weather, food, date when symptoms were first noticed and t h e course t a k e n by t h e disease up to the time of writing. Details of any t r e a t m e n t carried out should also be stated.
If writing about animals t h a t have died, the results of any post-mortem examina- 761
Journal of agriculture Vol. 5 1956
tion t h a t m a y h a v e been carried out are (2) All abnormalities.
likely to be valuable but only if carried out . . . . . . . fairly soon after d e a t h . <3> C o u r s e o f t h e d l s e a s e-
Additional details t h a t m a y be helpful (4) T r e a t m e n t , if attempted.
where n u m b e r s of animals are involved ,_. _ . .. -
a r e t h e d a t e t h e first a n i m a l became af- ( 5 ) D e t a i l s r o f any post-mortem ex- fected a n d if possible t h e dates on which animations carried out.
subsequent a n i m a l s were found to be sick (6) I n outbreaks, numbers a n d dates.
or dead, t h e t o t a l n u m b e r affected, the T^#^»«.«+4 „i +u„™ u „„ ™ u , „ . .. . .. . . Information along these lines would
="£ 2 f K SL'SSSnS. X5rS5;Vfr o r ? e p a r t m e n ^
officers to reply to letters of inquiry and enable t h e D e p a r t m e n t to perform a more useful advisory service where it h a s to be carried out by correspondence.
Always m e n t i o n if any animals h a d been introduced prior to t h e outbreak a n d if so how long before t h e first case occurred.
T h e information required, therefore, is
briefly:—• (From a broadcast talk, republished by (1) Description of t h e animal or courtesy of the Australian Broadcasting
a n i m a l s . Commission).
seoeooeeoseeeossssssssssoeeQSsoscssssGsssssssssssesssssssssessssssssees
2 ° 2 ° 8 8
o NEW MILKING MACHINE SERVICE o
o o
§ The Superintendent of Dairying (Mr. M. Cullity), recently reported on a new § o service for testing the efficiency of operation of milking machines which is being o
o introduced in Western Australia. O
o o o For some time, he said, work being carried out by the Ruakura Research o
o Institute, New Zealand, on the operation of the milking machine, has been followed §
§ with great interest, particularly in view of the emphasis placed upon correct milking §
o procedure by overseas workers. o
o o g Several years ago a standard vacuum gauge was used to check those installed on g
several machines throughout the dairying districts when it was demonstrated the o o latter were not reading correctly. Approval was later granted under the Common- §
§ wealth Dairy Extension Grant to procure a vacuum recorder and an airflow meter § o as designed by the Ruakura research team. These have recently come to hand and o
o are being used in a preliminary survey of machines in the dairy districts. o o Mr. G. W. R. Scott, Dairy Instructor, during visits to country districts to inspect o
§ the work of Herd Recorders, is visiting three farms in each unit. The results so far §
§ achieved have demonstrated decisively that most of the machines need some adjust- 2 O ment, while many are being worked in a grossly inefficient manner. Mr. Scott's o o investigations will continue with his further visits to the country, and it is expected §
§ that his work will assist many farmers in improving the operation of their machines § o On each visit, he makes a routine check of the operation of the machine, o
§ measuring the reserve air at various points, the operation of the vacuum pump, the § g effectiveness of the relief valve, and the operation of the pulsators. A report is left <*
O wth the farmer setting out the condition of the vacuum pump, the amount of O o reserve air compared to what it should be, the air consumption, whether satisfactory o
§ or not, any error in the vacuum gauge, the effectiveness of the relief valve, the pulsator § o readings and the adjustments which are recommended. At present it is not practicable <*
o to extend this service to all dairy farmers. O
2 °
2 °
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