384 SHEBP HUSBANDRY. 



therefore to cure, keep the sheep in dry pastures. It is said that some- 

 times this disease is contracted by sheep being put into the same pasture 

 where sheep were grazing even the year previous. 



Common Foot-rot or Gravel. This is not contagious, and is 

 due to the excessive wear of the horny part of the hoof, caused by walk- 

 ing upon hard gravel or stony land, or by this crust of the hoof growing 

 too long in soft, moist pastures. In either case, gravel or some other 

 foreign matter gets between the crust and the underlying tissues, and 

 causes inflammation. 



Remove the gravel or other foreign matter carefully, by means of a 

 sharp knife, or a knitting needle or awl. Then clease the foot and put 

 on the following antiseptic wash: 



1 ounce Chloride of Zinc, 

 1 quart Water. 



Blue vitriol may be used in the place of the chloride of zinc, if more 

 convenient. If the case proves very bad and ulcerates, the wash used 

 for contagious foot-rot should be applied. 



The Sheep Gad-fly. This is a very annoying animal and causes 

 that disgusting condition, "Grub in the Head." The gad-flies during 

 July and August disturb the sheep by trying to deposit their eggs upon 

 the sheep's nose. Where the fly is in great numbers the sheep will 

 crowd together, stop feeding, and hold their noses to the ground, stamp 

 the feet in their efforts to evade this pest. The fly has a body about 

 one-half inch long, over which is spread two wings which will, when 

 extended, measure one inch across. The egg, is deposited on the 

 sheep's nose, and as soon as hatched the grub crawls up the nostril 

 and remains in the sinuses of the head, living on the secretions of the 

 mucous membrane till the next spring, when it is ready to crawl down 

 and out, to form a chrysalis which in time will hatch a new gad-fly to 

 deposit its eggs on the nose of the innocent annimal. In entering the 

 nostrils and on leaving them the grub causes a great annoyance to the 

 sheep. The remedy is to prevent the fly from laying its egg on the 

 nostril, or destroying the egg if deposited. This is successfully accom- 

 plished by smearing the nose of the sheep every day or so during the 

 months of July and August with pine-tar diluted with oil, lard, or fresh 

 butter. This can be easily done by a brush as they pass out from a 

 yard through a long narrow passage only wide enough for one to pass 

 through at a time. When the grub gets ready to dislodge in the early 



