126 LIVE-STOCK 



Scour ; Diarrhoea in calves. — This is caused by indigestion 

 brought on by repletion. At other times the disease may be 

 produced by the free eating of young tender grass. Starvation 

 or want of sufficient nourishment may also induce the 

 disease. The first thing to do is to administer a mild aperient. 

 ~— 2 ounces of castor oil in half a pint of gruel. Then put 

 the calf on a course of some cordial like the following — pow- 

 dered chalk 2 ounces, powdered catechu 1 ounce, powdered 

 ginger \ ounce, ginger 1 dram, infusion of coriander 1 pint ; 

 -dose, 1 to 2 ounces, 2 or 3 times a day. 



The Sheep. 



The sheep is a mammal belonging to the order Unguiatoa 

 group Rumhiantia, family Ovidae, genus Oris and species] 

 Vvis aries. 



The chief breeds of Southern India are — 



The Madras or South Indian. — This breed is found over 

 the whole Presidency. The sheep have tucked up bellies,^ 

 light feet, bony limbs, flat sides and short tail. Only the; 

 rams have horns. They are covered with short coarse hair f | 

 whose colour is generally red or brown. They have, as a 

 rule, a couple of pendulous lobules hanging from the throat,! 

 known in Tamil as ' Munnies,' that is, bells. 



The Nellore.— The sheep are large in size and about the 

 tallest in India. The average live weight of adult animals is I 

 80 to 100 lb. The rams have twisted horns. The ewes are 

 ^hornless. The prevailing colour is white or a light brownish-; 

 white. The body is densely covered with short hair. 



The Coimbatore. — This district has, in addition to the 

 Madras breed, a breed of wool-producing sheep. The pre- 

 vailing colour is white with a black head, sometimes also.,} 

 black neck. The sheep have a fine covering of wool. They 

 have good square compact carcases. They fatten rapidly, 

 ■and they yield mutton of a superior quality. Full grown 

 animals weigh from 50 to GO lb. 



The Mysore.— This province is noted for a woolly breed 

 of sheep. The rams have well twisted horns but the ewes 

 are, as a rule, hornless. The usual colour is a light to a dark 

 grey or black. Live weight of adult animal is 40 to 60 lb. 

 They are not unlike the Coimbatore in point of build and 

 size. The sheep of this breed are prone to pugnacity, and 

 furnish the chief fighting rams in Southern India. The 

 breed has been improved from time to time by being crossed 

 with Merino rams. 



