DUCKS AND GEESE 



ularly by feeding a ration which is lacking in some- 

 thing needed, such as some form of animal feed like 

 beef scrap which may cause a lack of mineral mat- 

 ter in the ration. If the goslings cannot secure it 

 for themselves a supply of grit or gravel should be 

 placed at their disposal. 



There is an infectious disease of geese which 

 sometimes causes trouble known as goose septicemia 

 or hemorrhagic septicemia. This is a disease similar 

 to fowl cholera and may attack either young or ma- 

 ture geese. It is not often found on farms where 

 the geese are raised in small lots, but sometimes 

 proves troublesome on farms where a large number 

 of geese are gathered together for fattening. The 

 geese are often found dead when one goes to feed 

 them without having shown much preliminary sick- 

 ness. The disease is usually fatal. Shortly before 

 they die the aflfected geese may acquire an uncertain 

 gait and may twist the head about and burrow it in 

 the dirt. Treatment is of no avail. If the disease 

 occurs in a flock, the affected birds should be re- 

 moved and killed, while the rest of the flock should 

 be moved to new ground if possible. The ground 

 which they previously occupied should be plowed 

 and any houses, shelter, feed troughs, and drinking 

 vessels should be thoroughly disinfected. 



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