CHAPTER III. 

 DISEASES PECULIAR TO RAMS. 



1. Inflammation of the Testicles. 



This is caused by an injury of some kind, such as the 

 bunt of another sheep or a kick of some kind. 



Symptoms. — It is very painful. The ram walks stiff. 

 The bag is swollen and sore to handle. He eats little and 

 lies down most of the time to relieve the testicles as much as 

 possible. If the inflammation is allowed to run on the bag 

 and testicles become blackened and mortified. It passes up 

 the cords of the testicles into the belly and soon kills the ram. 



Treatment. — As soon as the trouble is noticed, separate 

 him from the rest of the flock. Keep him in a quiet, cool 

 place and poultice the bag with a hot poultice of half linseed 

 meal and half bran. Change the poultice every three hours, 

 and each time while changing the poultice bathe the bag 

 with hot vinegar for a while before applying the next poul- 

 tice. If the ram is fat give the following: 



Epsom Salts % pound. 



Laudanum y 2 ounce or 2 dessertspoonfuls. 



Mix in half a pint of lukewarm water and give as a 

 drench. Should the bag fester it is necessary to lance it. 

 Press lightly upon it to ascertain a soft spot. When this 

 condition is present it is fit to be lanced. Open at this point 

 and allow the matter to discharge. Poultice until all the 

 matter has escaped, but as soon as the inflammation has sub- 

 sided poultice but half of the time. 



2. Castration. 



Throw the ram and have him held or tied securely. 



With a sharp knife make an incision lengthwise on the 

 bag and sufficiently low to prevent the formation of a pocket 

 after the operation and sufficiently large to admit the testicle. 

 Pull the testicle through the opening thus made three or four 

 inches and tie a strong string tightly round the spermatic 

 cord to prevent bleeding. Leave the ends of the string to 

 hang four or five inches from the knot so that when let go 

 they hang from the bag. In a few days they rot off and fall 



