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XXII. — On aNeio Form of Disease among Lambs. 



By R. S. Keynolds, M.R.C.V.S.Eng., Alfreton, Derbyshire. 



A NEW form of disease has appeared of late among the lambs 

 near Mansfield, and also in this district (nine miles apart), 

 and some other neighbourhoods, to "which I will not presume 

 to give a name. Its increasing prevalence and the serious losses 

 which it has occasioned during the last four or five years have 

 induced me to make its pathology my study, the results of which 

 I now place at the service of the agricultural public. 



The flocks I have been called upon to attend are principally 

 of the Lincoln and Leicester breeds : those consisting of the 

 improved Shropshire, with a trace of the old forest sheep of this 

 locality — a hardier race — though not thoroughly exempt, are 

 much less susceptible than the long-woolled sheep. I have seen 

 the malady upon the limestones of Derbyshire, and also upon 

 the forest sand-land of this neighbourhood. It chiefly occurs 

 amongst farmers who keep their stock well, and force their 

 lambs upon dry food, in addition to the natural and artificial 

 grasses, from the time they are separated from the ewes. 



Wherever this disease has occurred, I find that the manage- 

 ment of the lambs has corresponded in its general features, and been 

 pretty nearly as follows : — From weaning-time they are pastured 

 in dry upland situations ; if the summer is dry they are removed 

 every three or four days from one pasture to another, on account 

 of the slow growth of the herbage. They have a daily allowance 

 of one quarter to one-third of a pound of dry food, which consists of 

 crushed barley, linseed-cake, oats, and pods of locust-bean — some 

 flocks being supplied with one of these constituents, some with 

 another, and some with a combination of all, in which the two 

 first named always preponderate. It has never occurred when 

 cake has been given alone.* The crisis of the disease is always 

 brought about by the fall of the autumnal rains, the most espe- 

 cially marked effects arising if the rain has been accompanied by 

 a warm genial atmosphere, producing a " flush of grass." A 

 change to turnips is also frequently followed by an outbreak of 

 the malady. In a day or two after the fall of rain, or the removal 

 on to turnips, several of the lambs are seen to purge, but they 

 do not appear seriously ill until the diarrhoea has lasted from 

 three to six days, when they gradually sink and die, apparently 

 exhausted. 



If the owner is a good practical farmer he is confident that the 



* I liave this week been to see a flock of lambs suffering from this disease, 

 ■which has had a liberal allowance of linseed and cotton-cakes mixed (the first I 

 have known to be aifected when supplied with cake alone). Aug. 5th, 1865. 



