DISEASES OF SHEEP 447 



distended paunch often gives relief by stopping the accumulation 

 of gas. 



Constipation. — In winter when the ration is composed largely 

 of dry woody food, sheep often suffer from impaction, which' 

 often leads to constipation and in some instances to inflamma- 

 tion of the bowels. This condition of the digestive tract ma- 

 terially weakens the animal, and it becomes susceptible to 

 various ailments. All tendencies to impaction, constipation, 

 inflammation, and the like should be avoided by feeding daily 

 some laxative food, such as roots, silage, oil meal "pea size," 

 along with the dry food. If sheep growing is to prove profit- 

 able, some such foods must be used. 



When impaction occurs, it may be relieved by giving Epsom 

 salts. The size of the dose should vary somewhat according to 

 the size of the animal ; a 150-pound animal may be given from 4 

 to 6 ounces dissolved in a pint of hot water. If not relieved 

 within 10 hours, repeat the dose. 



Disorders caused by overfeeding. — As indicated in the discus- 

 sion on feeding lambs in winter (page 399) , digestive disorders due 

 to overfeeding are likely to prove fatal. Occasionally fatalities 

 will occur from this cause on the best regulated farms. Many 

 remedies have been suggested to relieve such disorders, but they 

 fail. Death is almost sure to follow, no matter what may be 

 done. In fact, among sheep suffering from apoplexy, the result 

 of overfeeding, little time will be given to do anything. The 

 lambs die in a few minutes. This sometimes can be impressed 

 only by experience. The lambs will seemingly be in the best of 

 condition, when, for some reason, one gets an overfeed, and fatal 

 results rapidly follow. It is usually the largest and strongest 

 lambs that are attacked, as they are the ones likely to crowd the 

 smaller ones away and consume too much feed. The ration, 

 particularly the grain, should be increased very slowly. While 

 it is very important that the sheep be fed all they will consume, it 

 is even more important that they be not fed more than they will 



