736 
DISEASES OE LAMBS AND CALVES. 
[The following paper, somewhat abridged from the report in the Notting¬ 
hamshire Guardian, was read by Mr. Brett, before the Nottingham 
Chamber of Agriculture in June last.] 
The lamb disease was of unusual severity the last autumn. 
In many cases more than 30 per cent, have been lost; in some 
cases I fear 30 per cent. No doubt the extraordinary wet 
season has had much to do with it. Yet I do believe it is in 
a great measure for the want of observation in addition to the 
wet season. The usual time of weaning lambs is in July. 
Generally a piece of old grass is chosen to put them on at 
this time. It is, however, of the utmost importance that it 
has not been grazed with sheep all through the spring and 
summer. In most years if you put lambs, after w T eaning, 
where sheep have been grazed you are almost certain to 
have the hoose or lamb disease, especially in vret seasons. 
You always find lambs do well where thinly stocked, which 
I think is sufficient evidence to show the treatment they 
require. You will say where are we to put our lambs? 
Where sheep have not been is the great secret. If we have 
no old pasture or clover eddish, except where sheep have 
been grazed, we must provide other food, such as rape, 
mustard, early common turnips, tares, or cabbages. I have 
never seen lambs unhealthy on tares or rape. A run on the 
stubbles is always a good change. I have found them do 
well on old mangels. A few extra acres grown and reserved 
for this purpose are invaluable. I could give you numbers 
of cases where the lamb disease has been in a great measure 
prevented by this plan of providing suitable food. 
With regard to medicine, many grave errors are com¬ 
mitted. It is an easy matter to procure books to tell you 
what will cure this and that disease; but the great difficulty 
is to know—what is the disease you are trying to cure. 
Take, for instance, diarrhoea, a disease from wffiich many of 
our lambs appear to die. What is this diarrhoea ? In many 
cases it is an effort of nature to throw off some impurities in 
the system. What do many people do in this case? Begin 
to administer powerful astringents, thereby aggravating 
the disease you are trying to cure. First, remove the cause 
by change of food, and a dose or two of linseed oil, with a 
little laudanum, and tincture of rhubarb. This will in most 
cases set all straight, and I know no kind of good that would 
be so beneficial here as some “ untaxed malt.” As a condi¬ 
ment for all stock, especially when out of health, there is 
