98 



The Rot in Sheep. 



cercance, but destroy the early hatched distomata, and thus 

 remove the cause of the malady. The rules for the exhibition 

 of the medicated food must, however, be modified, as the object 

 sought is somewhat different. 



It is almost impossible to name the time the medicinal com- 

 pound may have to be employed, and therefore care should be 

 taken that no ill effects follow its long-continued use. In wet 

 years, like 1860 and 1879, it may even be found requisite to 

 commence its exhibition early in June, if not in May, and to 

 continue it to the end of October. Under such circumstances, 

 however, if a moderate quantity only is daily allowed, no 

 possible harm can arise. To meet, however, a difficulty of 

 this kind we would alter the proportion of the medicine to that 

 of the nitrogenised food, by adding to the two bushels of linseed- 

 cake and pea-meal two more bushels of corn. We should prefer 

 one of crushed oats and another of crushed maize, to both being of 

 the same kind. Either is good food for sheep, but a mixture of 

 both is better. The relative proportion of the salt and of the 

 other ingredients is thus reduced one-half, thereby enabling the 

 agriculturist to vary the amount of the medicine according to 

 circumstances, but always securing the exhibition of some of it 

 by giving from half a pint to a pint daily of the food-compound, 

 divided or not, as seems best, into two feeds. Provision also is 

 thus made for the nutrition of the animals when the grasses have 

 either not obtained ripeness or lost much of their nutritive 

 quality, as they invariably have when surcharged with moisture. 



A difficulty frequently exists in getting sheep to eat " manger 

 food," especially if mixed with hay-chaff, when the animals are 

 on pastures during the summer, but it is not insurmountable. 

 Every arable farm yields at this period of the year some green 

 food, such as tares, clover, Italian rye-grass. &c, a small quantity 

 of which can be daily cut into chaff, with a proportion of hay, 

 for mixing with the other food. Judicious management will 

 surmount many an obstacle, and the result be an ample reward 

 for the care and attention which has been bestowed. If the 

 system be properly and perseveringly carried out we should 

 have little fear of the occurrence of rot, even in unpropitious 

 seasons or on land proverbially bad for sheep. 



It will be seen that the quantity of salt we have named is 

 much below that which is ordinarily used. No doubt a larger 

 amount may be safely employed, but in our opinion its prophy- 

 lactic power depends more on its long-continued use than on the 

 largeness of its quantity for a short time. A complete change of 

 weather may call for its withdrawal, but, on the contrary, it 

 may have to be continued throughout the entire summer and 

 autumn. The fondness of animals for salt will lead them to 

 partake readily of an amount which may under certain circum- 



