240 
Liver Rot of Sheep 
2. Sheep are kept away from suspected fields or places. An 
interesting variant which only came to my notice a few times, 
is that sheep are only allowed upon ground known to be otherwise 
dangerous either during, or after, sharp frost, a good example 
of the result of careful observation by intelligent men, who will 
generally find some way out of difficulties which prove too great 
for others. Many farms are able to safeguard their flocks to a 
large extent by keeping them on dry land during the most 
dangerous periods, and the practice of “summering” lowland 
flocks upon the mountains (dry grass or peat) results in a great 
reduction in the numbers exposed to infection. 
There is no doubt, that, taken as a whole, a kind of rough 
adjustment has taken place (chiefly the result of actual trouble) 
which in normal time prevents heavy losses. 
One farmer will maintain a successful flock where another 
would lose it, largely a matter of individual observation and 
knowledge, as is no doubt also the case with some other endemic 
diseases. Speaking generally, rot occurs in this Area in many 
instances through accident, unforeseen circumstances, or careless¬ 
ness. 
3. The farmer changes his system; ewes are bought in afresh each 
autumn and sold again after producing one crop of lambs. It is 
noted that ewes that have been on the same farm for several 
seasons will suffer from the cumulative effects of flukes. 
4. Sheep are only bought to graze and fatten, and hence are only 
on the land for a limited period, or “tack” sheep are taken for 
the winter months only, when the chances of infection are gener¬ 
ally greatly reduced. 
5. Experienced and astute men examine the eyes of sheep before 
purchase and may thus detect cases in the earlier stages. Sheep 
on infected farms are similarly examined from time to time, 
and suspected sheep “culled” to curtail further loss. Certain 
farms that make a practice of selling sheep each autumn, to 
lowland flocks, are troubled with endemic rot, and buyers, in con- 
secjuence, may suffer losses. Such farms in course of time acquire 
a bad name and may have some difficulty in disposing of their 
stock, these people, not unnaturally, are chary of giving infor¬ 
mation as to the presence of the disease among their flocks, and 
may deny all knowledge of it. This aspect of the case somewhat 
hindered the work at times, and had to be met by other methods, 
