REPORT ON FOOT-ROT IN SHEEP. 35 



ulcers and proud flesh, and the carcass reduced to such a state of 

 emaciation that it cannot regain condition during the same 

 season. When dressing foot-rot, a dry day ought always to be 

 selected if possible, as the application is likely not to have the 

 same effect when the animal is turned at once to damp, wet pas- 

 ture. Small quantities of the butter of antimony for present use 

 ought to be kept in a bottle, as the liquid readily loses strength, 

 and in all cases the bottle ought to be closely corked up when 

 not in use. I have seen many applications had recourse to for 

 the cure of foot-rot, and even patronised by persons of practical 

 experience, but I know none equal to butter of antimony when 

 the disease breaks out below the crust. I have had many oppor- 

 tunities of testing this mode of treatment while acting as shepherd 

 in various districts, and, as I have already said, the disease 

 abounds in gentlemen's home farms where the pasture is old and 

 rich. I will relate the following fact, which occurred when I was 

 with Mr Kenneth Scoon, Castleton, Mid-Lothian, who at that 

 time rented the parks on the home farm of Arniston ; some of 

 them had lain long in pasture and were very liable to foot-rot. 

 Mr Scoon at that time drafted his Blaokfaced old ewes from the 

 pastoral farm of Dewar, in the month of October, and grazed 

 them at Arniston all winter, and sold them in April at House of 

 Muir Market. I entered his service at Martinmas, and found 

 a great many of the ewes affected with foot-rot, and some of them 

 a good deal fallen off in condition. I removed the diseased from 

 the healthy, managed and treated them as already described, and 

 in the course of a few weeks I got the disease nearly subdued ; a 

 few fresh cases were always breaking out weekly, but by proper 

 attention and treatment, the disease never spread to any extent, 

 and when the ewes, eight score in number, were sold, only one 

 sheep was slightly affected. 



I will next consider the treatment of foot-rot when it breaks 

 out between the hoof, discharging a thick adhesive matter. As 

 we have already said, lambs are most liable to be affected in this 

 manner ; sometimes the whole four feet are attacked at the same 

 time. The most successful application I have ever seen is Cuff's 

 foot-rot powder, if the disease is caught in the first stage, and it 

 is highly necessary a dry day should be selected for dressing. 

 As soon as the animal is observed to show lameness, it ought 

 to be caught, and a hard cloth should be drawn between the 

 hoof to clean it well, after which a little of the powder 

 in a dry state should be applied, which can be easily done 

 with the point of a knife. The animal ought always to be 

 held on its rump for a few minutes after the application. The 

 first or second dressing will always effect a cure if the disease is 

 taken in time. If the disease appears to spread through a flock, 

 the whole ought to be examined at once, and not wait till they 



