lo Oct., 1910.] Fatty Disease of tJie Liver in Pregnant Ewes. 633 



oi the heaviest and largest ewes never moved far from the feed-boxes, and 

 took practically no exercise. However, after a welcome rainfall the sheep 

 were changed to a pasture of young grass, and the mortality quicklv 

 ceased. Another large sheep-owner lost in his flock of stud ewes, which 

 were highly fed, up to 25 per cent., whilst his ordinary flock, which 

 Inmbed later and had no supplementary feed, remained healthy. 



" Again, I visited two adjoining farms, one of which had a large mor- 

 tality ; the other had none. Both these farms were portions of the same 

 estate, recently subdivided, having each the same class of soil and sub- 

 soil, with the same water supply. One farmer expected to lose a consider- 

 able number of his sheep, as he had no artificial food for them, and con- 

 .'•equently they approached the lambing season in comparatively poor 

 condition. He lost none of his flock of seven hundred ewes. His 

 neighbour, however, who had been feeding with hay, turnips, and chaff, 

 was losing considerably till the rain came, when, the ewes being supplied 

 with succulent grass, the mortality ceased. 



Symptoms. 

 " Premonitory symptoms will only be noted by the careful observer. 

 In a good, well-conditioned flock of ewes, from ten to twenty days before 

 himbing, one or more, evidently heavy in lamb, may be observed to be 

 dull, off feed, and away from the rest of the flock. If approached, little 

 cr no notice is taken, and when actively disturbed the affected animal will 

 cnly move off very slowly and in an aimless manner. Later on, she will 

 be found standing stupidly, will be with difficulty moved, will not start 

 at the approach of the shepherd, and may not even pay any attention to 

 dogs ; the mouth is clammy, the eyes apparently sightless, and the animal 

 cnly semi-conscious. Soon after this she will be found lying down, and 

 if raised to her feet will only stand listlessly, while, if forced to move, 

 v.'ill stagger a few paces and then probably fall ; the eyes are sightless, 

 there is grinding of the teeth, and probably the wool is found to readily 

 come out. Even in this condition the animal may live for from two to 

 three days. From the time the first symptoms are exhibited until death 

 supervenes a period of from two to eight days may elapse. In the vast 

 majority of cases the disease is only observed when the animal is in the 

 later stages, consequently the course of the malady generally appears 

 much shorter than is really the case. 



P0.ST-MORTEM Appearaxces. 

 " The carcase is always in good condition. True, there may be at the 

 time of death little fat along the region of the back, but this is greatly 

 attributable to the absorption of that fat during the period of illness. In 

 the abdominal regions the fatty deposit is usually very great, especially 

 what are known as the " kidney " and " caul " fats being large in quan- 

 t'ty. That much of this internal fat has also been absorbed during the 

 Illness is evidenced by its peculiar watery, boiled-looking appearance. 

 Tne liver is abnormally fatty. It is enlarged and of a pale-yellow colour, 

 very friable, and readily broken down by the fingers. On breaking up 

 the liver in the hands each microscopical lobule stands out distinctly, and 

 the knife used for cutting the organ shows a distinctly oily coating. The 

 kidney is also frequently pale and fatty, while even the muscle of the 

 heart itself may be more or less similarly afi^ected. In 95 per cent, of 

 cases twin lambs are found in the womb, but both these and the womb 

 are healthy. 



