REPORT ON FOOT-ROT IN SHEEP. 37 



a charge, it is quite possible to keep sheep, if not entirely free 

 of foot-rot, at least from suffering any serious effects from it. It 

 is highly reprehensible to keep shepherds working at farm labour, 

 as is the custom in a great many districts, neglecting his flock; the 

 blame then rests totally with the farmer. The only preventive 

 being draining the pasture thoroughly, and the strict attention 

 of the shepherd in treating the disease as soon as it can be 

 recognised. Upon rich old grass parks the disease is not so 

 easily prevented. Indeed, upon some gentlemen's parks, where 

 they have lain long in pasture, and where they are not allowed 

 to be ploughed, prevention is almost a matter of impossibility in 

 certain seasons; and there is often no other alternative but strict 

 attention to treatment, and examining every sheep minutely, and 

 paring the loose hoof off before it begins to fester, and anoint- 

 ing with the already mentioned application where there is the 

 slightest symptom of disease. When the foot-rot attacks lambs, 

 breaking out between the hoofs, discharging a thick adhesive 

 matter, I have seen lime act well. A few cartloads were laid 

 down at a gate in the entrance to a park, and the lambs were 

 driven over it twice a-day, which had the effect of hardening the 

 hoof and drying any matter. The lime, however, in a short time 

 gets baked and hard from the constant treading, and requires to 

 be loosened or raked up every now and again ; but, as we have 

 already said, lambs are most liable to be attacked in wet weather, 

 and then the safest course is to put them on bare, dry pasture. 



Since the above report was written, I have known farmers, owing 

 to the cattle plague, keeping sheep in courts all winter for the 

 purpose of converting their straw into manure, and the attack of 

 foot-rot was very severe, arising from an insufficient supply of 

 litter, for the feet of the sheep will not stand being steeped in 

 urine like cattle. During the winter of 1865-66, Mr Mitchell, 

 Middlestead, put 110 hogs into courts, when in a short time the 

 most of them were suffering severely from foot-rot, which greatly 

 deteriorated them, and from which some continued to suffer till 

 after Whitsunday. Next winter I prevailed upon Mr Mitchell to 

 give the courts another trial, offering to guarantee against foot-rot, 

 if allowed sufficient litter. I put in one-third the number there 

 was the previous winter, and was allowed space in proportion. 

 They were placed in the courts in November, where they remained 

 till April, having what I considered ample litter, and during all 

 that time there was only one slight case of foot-rot, which was 

 cured on the first treatment. 



