A case of "watery mouth" in a New Zealand Romney lamb

Watery mouth was diagnosed as the cause of illness and subsequent death in a 3-day-old Romney lamb which had not received early colostrum. The history, clinical signs and post-mortem findings were typical of the disease as seen in other countries, including Great Britain. The diagnosis was based on the clinical signs and was supported by an absence of post-mortem findings of other specific neonatal diseases. The potential importance of watery mouth under conditions of intensive husbandry in New Zealand is discussed.     

Nutrient changes in potting mix and Eucalyptus nitens leaf tissue under macadamia biochar amendments

The effect of macadamia nut shell biochar on nitrogen,potassium,phosphorus,magnesium,calcium and sodium concentrations in potting mix used to grow Eucalyptus nitens seedlings was investigated in a glasshouse experiment.The treatments combined two fertiliser rates(50 and 100% rate of the commercial mix commonly used in forestry nurseries) with eight biochar rates(0,2,5,10,20,50,80 and 100 t ha~(-1)) arranged in a randomised complete block with three replicates of four sample plants.Nutrients were quantified in the potting mix and seedling leaves at four destructive harvests 135,177,219 and269 days after planting.Biochar significantly increased nitrate-N,Colwell P,Colwell K and exchangeable Na andreduced ammonium-N,Mg and Ca concentrations in the potting mix.Seedling leaf concentrations of P,K and Na were increased by biochar application,while N remained dependent on fertiliser rate only.Mg and Ca leaf concentrations decreased in response to increasing biochar rates.Elevated nitrate-N and decreased ammonium-N concentrations suggest that biochar might have increased nitrification in the potting mix.We presumed that biochar mediated processes that reduced uptake of P and K when high doses of biochar were combined with full fertilisation.Changes in potting mix K,Na,Mg and Ca were consistent with selective adsorption of ions to biochar surfaces.     

Sheep helminth parasitic disease in south eastern Scotland arising as a possible consequence of climate change

The climate in the UK is changing, with a trend towards increased rainfall in the autumn and winter and warmer average temperatures throughout the year. There has also been a 4-week extension of the herbage growing season over the past 40 years. These changes may have implications for the epidemiology of sheep helminth parasites. Here, we describe production-limiting disease outbreaks caused by Haemonchus contortus, Nematodirus battus, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Fasciola hepatica in sheep flocks in south eastern Scotland. The occurrence and timing of these disease outbreaks could not have been predicted in this region highlighting changes in the epidemiology of helminth infections from the patterns historically described. These cases are used to introduce discussion regarding the potential effects of climate change on the epidemiology of helminth parasites and the implications for sheep farming in the UK.     

The potential of small ruminant farming as a means of poverty alleviation in rural southern India

Small ruminant production has the potential to address the global challenge of greatly increased food production in impoverished rural areas in a manner that is socioeconomically sustainable and carbon efficient. Twenty-six small ruminant landless farmers in three villages in the Kanchipuram District of the state of Tamil Nadu were surveyed with regard to their sheep farming practice and production indices, with the preliminary aim of evaluating the potential of small ruminant farming in alleviating poverty in parts of rural in southern India. The small ruminant farmers reared mostly indigenous Madras Red sheep as a means of generating primary or supplementary income. Participatory interviews were undertaken to enable the completion of a questionnaire pertaining to sheep production over the four most recent annual production cycles (referred to as instances) at the time of the study. When calculating the annual farm profits without taking into consideration the opportunity cost of labour, 83% of annual sheep production cycles over a 4-year period added to household incomes. Further, 23% of the instances that accounted for the opportunity cost of labour, household income was raised above the Indian Government’s defined poverty line solely through small ruminant farming. Management practices were identified, while participating in landless farmer interviews provided an insight into the husbandry, or lack thereof, which resulted in low lambing percentages and rates of high ewe losses, perinatal lamb mortality and abortion. The study showed both the vulnerability and potential resilience of small ruminant farming to natural disaster, in this case catastrophic flooding in 2015. While small ruminant farming generated income in most instances, the way it is practiced creates opportunities for simple changes in husbandry and management that could make it more efficient in poverty alleviation.