130 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Of all the domestic animals, sheep, it is well known, are the 

 most delicate in their organization and constitntion, and too 

 often they lack the commonest care and attention. A little 

 close observation of the condition and requirements of a flock, 

 with prompt attention to the prevention of disease, would secure 

 us an almost entire immunity. But if a farmer allows his sheep 

 to be exposed on frost-bitten herbage, to the cold storms of No- 

 vember, he needn'^ be disappointed if they come in with a cold 

 and a cough, or catarrh. If he keeps them all winter on dry 

 hay alone, without roots or salt, he may expect stretches. If 

 from that, he turns thera out to rank feed in the spring, they 

 will scour, but all these difficulties may be prevented. 



Catarrh or Cold is very common at the fall of the year, 

 particularly if the season has been very wet, or the flock much 

 exposed to cold storms. Keeping sheep too close in ill-ventilated 

 stables, will also produce that, and other diseases of the lungs. 

 The membrane lining the chest, nostrils, throat and wind- 

 pipe becomes inflamed, a considerable discharge of mucus 

 takes place, and a cough is produced, from which the animal 

 may recover of itself, and usually does with a little care, though 

 the inflammation may extend to the lungs and prove fatal. The 

 effect of a cold is at least to retard the improvement of the 

 animal, and every severe case should be met with attention. 

 Warm shelter and good nursing in mild cases, will usually 

 effect a cure. If the symptoms are more severe, a mild dose 

 of purgative medicine should be tried. 



Foot Rot is an exceedingly troublesome disease which pre- 

 vails more or less wherever sheep are kept, though there is 

 less complaint of it in our returns than we might have ex- 

 pected. While it is not generally fatal, by its irritation and 

 the lameness it produces, it robs the animal of its flesh to the 

 great injury of its owner. Whether or not the foot rot is con- 

 tagious is still an unsettled question in England. Some of the 

 most eminent agricultural writers and veterinary surgeons doubt 

 it, among whom are ]\rr. Spooner, Dr. Blacklock, Mr. Read, 

 and Prof. Dick. The prudent course, however, where it ap- 

 pears, Avould be to remove immediately every infected sheep 

 from the flock, and not to allow any sheep to go on a pasture 

 where such have been recently kept. The foot rot is only found 

 on low or moist lands, and is supposed to arise from the hoof 



