THE HORSE'S FOOT: SHOEING, ETC. 123 



SHEEP. 



209. The foot of the sheep in conformation is closely analogous to 

 that of the cow. 



210. Foot Troubles and Disease in Sheep.— Like cows, 

 sheep are subject to foreign bodies getting fixed between the digits, 

 to stabs or pricks in the sole of the foot, to ulceration from foot and 

 mouth disease, to excoriation of the skin round the band of the hoof 

 and between the claws, to excessive travelling on hard roads, and to 

 inflammation of the blind duct or canal, found in the front of each 

 sheep's foot. When lameness is observed, the foot should be care- 

 fully examined and dressed where required, as recommended for the 

 cow (par. 203). The commonest ailment the feet of sheep are 

 subject to is foot-rot. 



2ii. Foot-Rot in Sheep. — An ulcerative disease of the feet of 

 sheep of a highly inoculative character, and most frequently seen 

 amongst heavy, well-bred, and well-fed sheep, folded on long 

 luxuriant grasses and on soft, velvety turf. These take too little 

 exercise to wear away the ground-surface of the crust of the hoof, 

 which gets too long, turns round,, overlaps and presses the sole, 

 setting up inflammation and the formation of matter, sometimes at 

 the band of the foot, at other times at the sole or between the 

 digits. The matter formed separates the horn from the sensitive 

 parts, when dirty-looking sores and sprouty growths are developed. 

 Sheep affected with foot-rot should on no account be taken on to a 

 farm or amongst a flock where the disease has never existed. I 

 could relate case after case where the malady has been carried in 

 this way. Some pastures are, however, more prone to the develop- 

 ment of the disease than others, while on the bare rocky mountain 

 slopes and the gritty sandy banks adjoining the sea the malady is 

 seldom, if ever, seen. 



212. Treatment for foot-rot is to first separate the lame sheep 

 from the sound; next, have the lame ones turned up, and 

 their feet examined and dressed every fifth or sixth day. All dead 

 or broken horn should be carefully dressed off with a sharp knife, 



