FOOTROT IN SHEEP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 July 1938, Page 3

FOOTROT IN SHEEP

EARLY TREATMENT ESSENTIAL. Provided proper preventive and curative treatment is given sheep will not be much affected by footrot but any delay can bring about serious economic loss. The methods of treatment of footrot may be classed under two main headings—hand dressed and foot-bath treatment; but the essential operation common to both these methods is the proper and thorough trimming of the foot before any medicinal dressing is applied. Trimming of a foot consists in cutting away all overgrown horn, especially that part of the wall which becomes bent inwards over the sole, and in removing all loose or diseased horn, besides any dead or decaying tissue. A pair of cutters is useful in the quick trimming of the overgrown wall. The aim of the operator should be to allow the drainage of pus from the lesion, with as little removal of healthy tissue as possible, the cutting not being carried deep enough to allow the escape of much blood.

USE OF DRESSINGS. After the feet have been trimmed the application of an antiseptic and astringent dressing should be undertaken. When only small numbers of sheep have to be treated hand dressing is usually practised, and for this purpose there are several good drugs available whose successful action has been proved during many past years. Ointments are useful on account of their prolonged action, the one recommended being made up as follows: — Over a slow fire mix powdered bluestone, one part; lard, one part; and Stockholm tar, two parts. The foot should be dry for the proper application of an ointment. Other preparations in use are tincture of iodine, carbolic acid (1 part in 20 of water), and sheep dip. Foi - severe cases butter of' antimony may be applied with a feather or small brush, taking great care in its use because of its caustic properties. This is especially useful where fungoid growths resembling proud flesh are in evidence.

USE OF FOOT-BATH. When large numbers have to be dealt tvith, it is necessary to pick out the sheep badly affected, so that more constant attention may be given to them than the flock generally. For the latter a foot-bath is recommended. This should be built of concrete or wood, either permanently with fixed rails or placed in position with hurdles to act as guides. It should be in the form of a trough 12 feet, long 18 inches wide, and 6 inches high; or a portion of the yard may be railed off and concreted, with the edges of the concrete raised a few inches to hold the solution. This latter plan is a good one, in that sheep dan be stood in the solution for a few minutes while .the remainder of the animals are being prepared. A thin layer of wool may be laid on the floor of the trough to prevent splashing. According to the strength and nature of the solution, the time of immersion should range from one to a few minutes—allowing only one minute for poisonous baths and, say, five minutes for the bluestone mixture. There is no need for more solution in the bath than will just cover the feet of the sheep. For poisonous baths it is necessary to provide a yard for drying in order to prevent mortality from the ingestion of grass contaminated with the poisonous ingredients.

BATH SOLUTIONS. (1) Bluestone dissolved in water at the rate of 4oz. to one gallon. Double this strength may be used on cases which need a greater caustic action. Bluestone is cheap, non-poisonous, fairly easily dissolved, and has been found quite efficacious. (2) Arsenic dissolved in water in the following manner and proportions: Over a slow fire heat lib. white arsenic, lib. carbonate, of soda, and 1 gallon water until the arsenic is dissolved. Add five gallons of water to make the mixture ready for use. When using this solution sheep should be walked through and not allowed to stand in the bath. Arsenic is poisonous, so must be carefully handled, and the possibility of ingestion by stock or human beings avoided. (3) The various sheep dips and footrot cures on the market, made up according to directions, should also be quite successful. VZhatever particular medicament is used as a dressing, it must be borne in mind that drainage of the foot is necessary, and, with that object in view careful and thorough trimming is essential. The frequency of any form of treatment must be decided by the proportion of animals affected and by the severity of the individual cases. Bad cases need attention every second or third day, while once a week is not too often for a walk through the bath when a flock is seriously affected. Having regard to the causes of footrot it will be recognised that sheep should be put into the driest paddocks available, and especially into such paddocks as will provide an opportunity for the normal wear of the horny part of the foot. As in other diseases, prevention is better than cure. Trim regularly, and use the foot-bath.