CUTTING THB HOOFS. 169 



Moist, low grounds encourage the growth of the horn ; and 

 it is also highly increased by the presence of hoof-rot. But 

 all Merino flocks require examination, at least once a year, in 

 this particular, or else a considerable portion of the sheep 

 will have their hoofs grown out to an extent which is highly 

 unsightly, which gives them a hobbling, "groggy" gait, and 

 which, when the hoof turns under at the sides, confines 

 between it and the sole a mass of mud or filth which remains 

 there constantly. Occasionally, the hoof turns under so far 

 that these impurities are also kept confined between the 

 toes. This situation of things greatly increases the tendency 

 to fouls, and aggravates hoof-rot where it exists. In England 

 it would probably be thought to originate both. 



Where no disease is present, and the hoofs only require 

 their usual annual shortening, the time of washing is often 

 a very convenient one to attend to it. The hoofs are then 

 freed from dirt and softened by soaking. When the sheep is 

 removed from the washing-vat, the washer, or an attendant, 

 holds it sitting on its rump with its back resting against his 

 legs. He then, with a thin-bladed, strong, sharp knife, cuts 

 away the horn underneath the foot so as to restore it to a 

 level with the sole ; and some of the sole should be pared off 

 too, if it has become unnaturally thick. Care should be taken 

 to preserve the natural bearing of the foot not lowering the 

 heel so much as to throw the weight on the toes, and not 

 lowering the latter so much as to throw it on the heel. An 

 experienced, firm, swift hand will perform this operation on 

 each foot by one or two rapid strokes with the knife. The 

 long toes are then to be cut off with a pair of nippers made 



for the purpose. As these 

 are sometimes necessarily 

 used when the hoofs ai-e dry 

 and tough, they should be 

 TOE-NIPFEBS. made very strong, with 



handles eighteen or twenty inches long, the rivet being half 

 an inch in diameter and confined with a nut, so they can 

 be taken apart for sharpening. The cutting edge should 

 descend upon a strip of copper inserted in the iron to prevent 

 dulling. With this instrument, the largest hoofs are readily 

 severed. All these operations should be performed in a little 

 more time than it takes to read this description of them or 

 else deferred until some other occasion, because, both on 

 account of the washers and the sheep, the washing process 

 is one which ought not to brook much delay. 



