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Tales From Dead Lambs : Results Of A Survey Of Lambing Losses, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

During the past year the Animal Health Laboratory has been conducting a preliminary survey into the infectious causes of abortion in sheep and perinatal lamb mortalities. This work was prompted by:

* The diagnosis of vibrionic abortion for the first time in Western Australia in 1961, and

* The estimate that 30 per cent, of all ewes mated in Australia each year may fail to produce a viable lamb that survives to marking time.

This enormous lamb wastage is due to a variety of causes and the role of infectious agents has yet to be evaluated.

The Animal Quarantine Service, R K. Kent

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Exotic diseases are a constant threat to Australia's animal industry and there are many reasons for the uncompromising ban on the import of certain animals from overseas.

Such diseases as foot and mouth and blue tongue would cost Australia a tremendous amount of money if they became established here.

Just how Australia protects itself against the introduction of exotic diseases is described by Veterinary Surgeon, R. K. Kent, M.R.C.V.S., in this article .

Internal Parasites Of Cattle, J Craig, R. Butler, M. E. Nairn

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Worm parasites can have a most serious effect on cattle, even causing deaths.

This article describes the main parasites of cattle, treatment with modern anthelmintic drugs and the best means of preventing and controlling worm outbreaks.

A Simplified Mulesing Crush, G T. Halpin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

DURING the last two years Mr. Tom Flanigan, a mulesing contractor in a large area centred at Katanning, has performed the mules-tailstrip operation on many thousands of lambs and sheep.

Starvation/Mismothering : A Major Cause Of Lambing Losses, Stanley M. Dennis

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

RESULTS of the preliminary survey into the infectious causes of perinatal lamb mortalities carried out last year by the Department of Agriculture showed that starvation/ mismothering was the most important single cause of death.

Horse Problems In The Kimberleys, M R. Gardiner

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A review of current horse disease and ill-thrift problems in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, with emphasis on the "Kimberley horse disease".

DISEASES and other conditions affecting the health and working capacity of the horse have long had an important bearing on the economy of the cattle and sheep industries of the northern part of Western Australia.

Under present conditions it is impossible to muster stock on the large pastoral leases in the Kimberley districts without the aid of horses, and many other operations would be more difficult if stockmen were denied their services.

Piglet Anaemia : An Iron Deficiency Disease, F C. Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

PIGLETS are born usually with only about 40 mg. of iron in their bodies and the sow's milk only supplies about 1 mg. of the 7 mg. needed each day by the piglets.

This means that if the piglets do not get additional iron, the body stores soon become depleted and anaemia occurs at about one to three weeks of age.

Mules And Tailstrip Lambs At Marking Time, R J. Lightfoot

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE mules and tailstrip operation is basic to fly strike control and should be routine practice in all flocks in the same way as other accepted management practices like marking and crutching.

The Effect Of Mulesing And Tailstripping At Lamb Marking On Subsequent Lamb Growth And Incidence Of Fly Strike, R J. Lightfoot, W. L. Mcgarry

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

THE modified mules and tailstrip operation has been shown to be highly effective in reducing the incidence of crutch strike in sheep.

In Western Australia the operation is usually performed on ewe weaners or hoggets immediately after either crutching or shearing.