174 FITTING SHEEP 



much to be thankful for considering the small number of 

 cases of this kind he has to deal with as compared to what 

 the English shepherd has to contend with in a season. A 

 considerable number of cases of garget are no doubt brought 

 about through the ewes lying on the damp ground in cold 

 weather. Another sure cause of garget is the allowing of 

 ewes to go unattended to when having lost their offspring. 

 It is usually the best milking ewes that are either ruined or 

 lost from this trouble. 



Ewes, when found to be attacked with garget, should be 

 at once given some opening medicine, preferably a dose of 

 Epsom Salts, and the udder should be bathed with warm 

 water into which an ounce of ordinary cooking soda has 

 been added. After the udder has been thoroughly dried 

 with a coarse towel or something of that kind, it should be 

 dressed with a mixture of lard and turpentine, or common 

 ca*mphorated oil, preferably the first named. 



In the case of abcesses forming they should be carefully 

 opened and the wounds thoroughly washed out with a car- 

 bolic acid solution, or any other good antiseptic wash. 



Of course the offspring must be taken away from a ewe 

 that is suffering from this trouble. 



Ewes Casting Their Withers. 



When the womb or "lamb bag" of a ewe comes out she 

 is said (to use the oldtime shepherds' phrase) to have "cast 

 her withers." In replacing a ewe's withers the greatest 

 care must be observed that they are thoroughly cleansed of 

 all foreign matter, such as dirt, straw, etc. I have always 

 found it easier to perform this work with the help of an 



