DISEASES OF ANIMALS, NO 2 , WITH REMARKS ON SHEEP HUSBANDRY. 
156 
to which they are subjected. It was long ago no¬ 
ticed by Professor Drake, of Cincinnati, that hardly 
a hog was slaughtered at that market that had not 
a diseased liver. I have noticed it myself during 
seven years’ residence in this section of country. 
To satisfy my curiosity, when I have had the op¬ 
portunity in a number of cases of sheep dying 
from staggers, running of the nose, &c., I have in¬ 
variably found their livers to be extensively diseased. 
It would be an easy matter to assign the cause of 
this and other diseases among sheep in the West; 
but we must be brief. In the first place, we must 
commence with those sheep that are brought here. 
One great error in most people is, that they look at 
lowness of price, instead of looking at quality and 
condition, and consequently a large portion are 
very old and infirm,, the cullings from choice sheep, 
whose more prudent breeders would not part with. 
Such sheep cannot stand being driven several hun¬ 
dred miles. They are generally driven west in very 
hot and dry weather; the dust to which they are 
continually exposed, and which they inhale, is a 
constant source of irritation to the lungs and air 
passages, and completely deranges the whole di¬ 
gestive functions, and sooner or later the w T hole 
flock is extensively diseased. Such sheep gene¬ 
rally die off the first winter in this country. 
Again, sheep, as well as other stock, suffer 
much, and often die in summer season on the 
prairies for want of sufficient good water; such 
has been the case the season past; the drouth has 
been so great that streams that have usually afford¬ 
ed plenty of water have been entirely dry, and 
if animals obtained any water at all it was very bad, 
stagnated, and full of filth and miasm. I have 
often seen them sucking every particle of such 
water, when it looked so green and putrid that the 
very sight of it would excite in me a strong dispo¬ 
sition to nausea. Dr. C. Stimson brought in a flock 
of two thousand sheep from parts of Canada and 
Ohio, during the warm and dry season of the past 
summer. They appeared to have suffered much 
from dust, fatigue, and heat. To add to their 
suffering and mortality, the drouth was so ex¬ 
tensive that many died for want of water. I fre¬ 
quently rode by them on the prairie where they 
were kept. The taste that I always have had for 
sheep-raising, combined with the interest I felt 
for my friend, caused me to observe them very 
closely. Once in particular, one half-grown lamb 
and a sheep were completely prostrated for want of 
water. The shepherd had taken the lamb all the 
way in his arms, some three miles, to the stream, 
hoping to find water, but there was none—a num¬ 
ber had already died. 
It may be thought by some that I am too minute 
in the detail of circumstances; but I think a few 
instances like the above worth more than a volume 
of theory. If sheep or other animals do not do 
well here, there,are good reasons for it! Many 
get a quantity, regardless whether they are the 
kind adapted by constitution, &c., to our climate, 
and the circumstances of the country, and turn 
them out to take care of themselves, and if they 
fail to do well, “ sheep business,” in their estima¬ 
tion, is “ bad business.” No prudent person can 
reasonably expect to succeed in this way. Sheep 
must be taken care of; they must have extraordi¬ 
nary attention, and that continually. They must 
have a sufficiency of good water, and that of easy 
access, so that they can drink whenever nature 
prompts. Many depend on springs and natural 
streams for water; this will not do; for the 
springs in this country generally fail nearly every 
summer; consequently an efficient well of water, 
with a good pump, should be provided. There is 
no excuse for not being duly supplied with the 
best water, for generally through the West it can 
be found on an average within thirty feet of the 
surface ; and no impediment usually offers to dig¬ 
ging. A'pump with a little expense can be worked 
with horse, or even sheep power; or it may be 
contrived on the wind-mill plan for summer opera¬ 
tion, for on our broad expansive prairies a day 
hardly passes without a fine breeze from some 
quarter. Narrow troughs or vats may be con¬ 
structed in the ground, on the plan of a small canal, 
with hydraulic lime, and made with a little ex¬ 
pense to convey water to any distance. 
Let it be indelibly impressed on the memory of 
every one wishing for the health of his flocks, that 
they never should be allowed to drink at a stagnant 
stream or puddle. The shepherd must be up early, 
and his sheep cropping the moist grass, that they 
may be supplied before the heat of the sun ener¬ 
vates vital energies ; and a shady grove with a few 
sheds should be secured in the feeding range; for 
during the summer sheep cannot feed with much 
comfort from nine in the morning to six in the 
evening; therefore it is highly necessary for the 
attendant to keep them out until nine or ten o’clock 
at night. Neither should they be huddled together 
in a close, dirty yard, so small and ill-ventilated 
that they are obliged to inhale each other’s breath. 
Again, another great error is not only the keeping 
of too many together, but of those of different 
kinds. Ewes and lambs never should be kept 
with wethers, nor bucks, except in the proper sea¬ 
son. Many young lambs and weak sheep are 
teased and fatigued by bucks and wethers until 
they are completely overcome, and die in conse¬ 
quence. A diseased or affected sheep never should 
be allowed to remain with the healthy; the flock 
should be closely watched, and as soon as a dis¬ 
eased one is noticed it should be instantly removed 
to its appropriate place— the hospital. 
As the season is fast approaching when many 
will undoubtedly be preparing to drive sheep, in 
their way of immigration into this country, one 
word of advice from one who has long been experi¬ 
enced in sheep husbandry may not only save them 
many a dollar, but do a service to our western 
population likewise. Select such sheep as are 
hardy, of a rugged and sound constitution. They 
should be from one and a half to four yem old, 
which is the true scale to be confined to in that 
respect. Old sheep will not only die off' after ar¬ 
riving here, but should they be ewes (which kind 
it is supposed will mostly be brought as breeders), 
they will not raise their iambs. Sheep younger 
than one a half years will not stand the fatigue of 
a long journey without much trouble and care. It 
will well pay, and be a great saving in the end, to 
give something more for choice kinds of sheep 
