FOOT-ROT IN SHEEP.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3046, 23 January 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOOT-ROT IN SHEEP.

The following paper on " Foot-rot in Sheep " was read before tho members of the Cambridge branch of the Waikuto Farmers' Club at their last meeting, by Major Wilson :—

We were asked on a former occasion to read a. paper before the defunct Cambridge Farmers' Club ; and proposed one on the subject of " scab in sheep." " Well," they said, " Yes, that may do, but there is no scab in the province !'' We wish it could as truly be said, "There is no disease of foot-rot in the province, or even in thft district. Unfortunately, it is too common to escape the observation of even the uninitiated.

When one sees an animal limping and with discoloared knees, showing thereby that it has to ease the limb by kneeling to feed, he may be sure that foot-rot is the cause ; and an examination will disclose a state of the foot far removed from its normal condition.

It is curious to note the indifference with which flock-ownera appear to view the malady under consideration ; and yet the very idea of the introduction of scabies is thought of with horror. We, from our varied experience of both diseases, would much rather have to deal with that of scab, as being more amenable to treatment; whereas with foot-rot, one never knows, how soon nor how often he may have to combat it.

The disease is confined to no one country or climate, though in respect of the latter ; dry countries have a manifest advantage of those that are wet; Australia being favoured, perbap3, above all other lands; with the exception, possibly, of Chili; where there are however, only few sheep—on the eastern side of the Andes ; and especially in the Argentine, the disease has become endemic, due doubtless, more to the rank pasture than to the swampy nature of the soil, which is mostly dry on the extensive plans. If we observe how the afflicted animals are affected, we shall at once discover the malignant character of the disease. On examination, it will be observed that each division of the hoof is formed by a horny substance, running from the coronet to the sole of the foot, aud " returned" for some little distance on the sole which is of a softer and more elastic nature. When sheep are kept on soft or moist land, or on rich pasture, the horny substance not being abraded, grows and turns round the sole, forming a fl;uige, as it were, and elongating abnormally; soon collecting an amount of dirt, which remaining, so irritates aud disorganises the structure that ulceration supervenes ; granulations of a funguoid character, commonly called proud flesh, appear; and flies attracted by the invariably accompanying odour, attack the foot, thereby breeding maggots; the whole presenting a most deplorable appeaaance. In this state, the poor animal can only go upon its knees to feed, unless immediate remedial measures are taken, its misery may be terminated by death.

As the units make up a flock, however large, it Can readily be conceived to what a state all must be reduced if the disease obtains an ascendency. This condition of the foot is, we diagnose, as the true disease of foot-rot, though many consider that it commences iu the biflex canal betweeu the toes, which is very often indeed affected by the inflammation of the malady now described extending upwards.

A flock may become diseased in various ways. As a rule where it obtains we have usually not far to look for the cause, the primary one being, doubtless, wet and spongy feeding-grounds and, more especially, camping-places, and where, too, sheep are very often yarded in wet weather, which besides disturbing the sheep keeps them for so long in an unwholesome place, wet or damp and pasty with their own droppings. Under such circumstances it is a wonder foot-rot is not oftciner induced than it is. If, however, the sheep are at all disposed to an irregular growth of hoof, undue and prolonged working in the yard is pretty certain to accelerate an attack. From a large experience we have found that water—surface water, as in toi, flax and manuka, in winter—is not particularly detrimental. This water, being clear, seems to wash and keep the feet clean, and it is not until this has evaporated that danger arises.

Rank feed on loamy, peaty, and alluvial soils is also an important factor in pro* motiug the malady, especially if paddocks are small and over-stocked. The greatest of care should be taken on such grazing-lands, more particularly in lowlying alluvial flats and rich river-banks. Although the conditions named are the fruitful causes of foot-rot, it ie yet. sur- j prising to note the immunity that obtains in spite of these surroundings. Every condition that has been described as a factor in producing the disease was pre> sent in the large Rangitikei district, including that of Turakina, and for, at least, a period of ten years no trouble < was experienced. Our flock in the Turakina was the first that showed any sign of the malady, and the writer caught the first that appeared affected. This was a well-conditioned two tooth ewe, with shapely feet, showing no abnormal growth. The hoofs looked as sound as a goat's, and yet the animal was down on one knee feeding. Oα examination, nothing out of the way could be seen. The pasterns and the biflex canal shewed no inflammation, nor was any symptom discovered, till upon pressure of one of the toes the animal winced. All the other toes had been tried without any feeling. Upon gradually paring from the point of the toe, and when about a quarter of an inch had been cut away, there spurted out a thin sanious fluid, with a most intolerable smell. So pungent was this that the sense of smell was offended for quite three days. Aftewarde we became so accustomed to this, that it actually seemed to increase our appetite. This was our first case, and the disease spread over the whole flock, some four thousand. It was some years before we had it erradicated, and it gave us iufinitely more trouble than the scab from which we had juet become free. It may be worth while here, shortly, to detail the circumstances under which we believed the disease was introduced. In dressing the flock for scab, each detachment, as it was dreaaed, was sent higher up the valley, where a fence separated the higher from the lower portion of the run ; and although there was abundance of feed, the sheep would head down against the wind, as their wont is, until they were stopped by the fence. This place became a large camping ground, as it were, from which they could only be kept by constaut driving; the consequence being that the place more resembled a yard, than even a camping ground, as it were ; on this poached and pasty soil did the disease originate, and here'it was that the discovery already noted was made. We make no apology for here introducing this account, as it clearly indicates , , we think, how foot-rot may be contracted.

Passing now to the question of contagion. It is generally considered that foot-rot is highly contagions, though ssrne, whose opinions are to be respected, contend that there is no danger whatever from this source, that it is not communicable, bat that the cause by which the disease was initially contracted, is the one from which danger is to be apprehended. We have pointed out how the disease usually commences j nevertheless, when once the disease haa become

• tablished, the whole run become contaminated by tho virus left everywhere, as the sheej) piss over. No one, we imagine, could doubt the contagiousness wiio had much to do with ;t diseased flock. The only cause, as some believe cannot be from over growth of hoof, for we Hee the young lambs with normally grown feet, down on their knees in all directions. Our own experience has shown that even goats cau receive the contamination. The writer had three milch goats which fed on dry gravelly soil, covered over with stones, as we see on the Canterbury plains, and though their feet were to all appearances quite sound, they became very lame, and had to be treated in the same manner a.s wcro the sheep. A celebrated French veterinary surgeon, Gasparin, as quoted by Youatt, affirmed that the contagion occasionally spread to the pigs, the dogs, and even to poultry.

Apart from any experience of our own in this direction, it is found, that in Europe, a mass of evidence has been accumulated to satisfy the most incredulous. Flocks that had always been free from the disease, when mixed with purchases that proved lame, immediately became diseased, and this in every case ; showing ourselves the care that should be taken in introducing fresh sheep into the flocks ; for even the iwceesary renewal of rams may be, as they have been, a means of contamination.

Some breeds are much more susceptible to footrot than others, notably the Merino, which, being lighter and of a roving disposition, roquirei a larger run and dryer grounds than the other and heavier breeds. The dry plains of Australia, and the Rua Taniwha plains and the limestone ridges of Hawke's Bay, are favourable to the Merino, and so too, doubtless, would Patefcere and the districts farther inland. For small enclosures and on rich lands the larger breeds answer better. It is surprising how the heavy Lincolns and Romuey Marah can pasture in comparatively small bounds and on the rankest of herbage, often carrying ten sheep to tho acre all the year round, as in the Hutt Valley, near Wellington, and not have a sign of footrot ; whereas if the lighter Merinos were tried, only speedy disaster could be the result.

Having described the disease And its causes, our attention may now shortly be directed to the means of oure. Youatt, in the preface to hie elaborate work on sheep, says " the medical treatment of sheep is comparatively a new subject," in which, we presume, is included the surgical treatment. At one time the diseases of animals were treated by empirics, and in a large meaeure by " rule of thumb," the dumb creatures being doctored by the ordinary attendants, or their return to health left for the most part to chance. "Let nature cure ita own ills " seemed to be the axiom ; and though many who might not be experts were wonderfully successful in their treatment, yet the great bulk of the domesticated brute creation were the sufferers from the universal ignorance of the period. In these days, however, we have, happily, highly-educated and gifted men who are an honour to their profession, and through them the animal world shares with man in the beneficence of the times.

For the cure of footrot there are as many remedies recommended as there are for scab ; but no application will be of service without the free use of the knife, and to ensure quick aud efficient working the sheep should be dressed at the wool-shed, where every convenience is at hand.

Those dressing the feet should be seated and two knives used, one a common pruning and the other with a stract edge like a " Painpa " knife ; these must, of course, be kept with a keen edge, and, as in the shearing shed, there must be a constant resort to the whet-stone. To every party of, say three, there may be garden pranera, such as is used for gooseberry trimming, and also a fine saw to be used when the toes are long, horny and hard, as many will be when dry, about mid-day or in the afternoon. A good plan is to place all such in u trough with water for an hour before dressing the feet. When the sheep are turned out they must on no account bs allowed to go into the soiled yards, but must pass over either concrete or straw or cocoanut matting to the grass ; they should, however, be kept in the shed for a couple of hours after dressing to allow the application to dry. In paring the feet, all extra growth must be removed, and every particle of loose hoof and granulation excised, even though the whole covering of the hoof has to be cut away; then any of the following applications may be used : —1. To be brushed with butyr of antimony. 2. 21b. nitric acid, lib. quick silver; dilute with equal weight of Brush as with first preparation. 3. Blueetone, pounded or triturated as fine as flour, and make into a paste with lard, apply with a spatula or flat stick. 4. Powder -well with good lime ; shell preferable. If the feet have been Beverely trimmed they will, after dressing, have to be covered with a piece of canvas or calico, and tied not too tightly with a piece of (• >e or calico—not with twine—and all such cases should be kept by themselves in a small paddock, and after few days examined. We had one ram bo bad with the disease on all feet that every particle of hoof had to be removed, even to the coronet, and the bluestone (No. 3) applied and covered with calico. The animal then could not stand, and had to be carried to the grass. In a fortnight we had much difficulty in catching it. On examination it was found to be perfectly cured, with well-formed and substantial hoofs.

It was this No. 3 preparation that wag in use by us, and also No. 1, but we found No. 3 much more effectual. No 2 preparation was used north of Wanganui, and gave satisfaction, Messrs Moore and Curry, of Kai-Iwi, having cured their large flock by its use. We have seen No. 4 used, but prefer the other preparations named. As soon as may be, after the dressings described, the whole flocks should bo run through troughs prepared for the purpose, filled with one of the following mixtures :—No. 1, lib. chloride of lime to ii gallon of water ; No. 2, 2oz. arsenic and 4oz. soda to a gallon of hot water ; No. 3, 4oz. bluestone to one gallon of hot water —some use a saturation of water stronger than above ; No. 4, one bushel shell lime to ten galtons of water ; No. 5, run through two inches of dry shell lime; and there are some pateut mixtures of which the writer haa had no experience. The troughs may be made of wood to hold a liquid to the depth of four or five inches. Concrete is better than wood ; better in all reapecte, as the sheep do not slip as they do in the wooden troughs. The pen into which the sheep enter after emerging from the trough should also be concrete, the drippings from the ghecp returning from this pen into the trough. After standing for some time the sheep should be made to run over straw or something that will not soil tho feet till the clean grass can be reached. If a flock is not bad; the. troughs may be sufficient without a dressing, but all elongated hoof* must be previously reduced. If after.all this anxious tune and necessary work the flock be, if practicable placed on "clean" dry ground hilly 0 undulating preferable; and a constant

watch kept for any further sign of lameness, there need be no fear of trouble from foot-rot. It will be well, however, to keep tho .stock off the old run as long as can be done, that an opportunity may ba given to the disease covered ground to become "clean," copious rains being of advantage to this end.

Any flock-owner who has been a sufferer through this disease must have observed how thoroughly disorganised the health of his sheep has been in consequence. He will have noted that the animals, in mauy cases, cease to ruminate, that the clip of wool is much reduced, that he has had a bad lambing season ; that myiy of the lambs die, not only from the disease, but more particularly from want of nourishment; it being well known, that a healthy ewe will give as much milk as two or three of those Buffering from foot-rot. The experience of all flociownere, so situated, has been grievous in the extreme ; for uot ouly do they lose in the lambing and by tho abuormial death rate of matured animals, but these will not fatten properly, or at all events the clip of wool, too, is much reduced, and those who wish to further stock their farina, will be disinclined to purchase where this disease is known to exist.

Anyone can perceive how heavily any farmer is handicapped who has foot-rot on hie farm and it behoves all such, not only for their own lake, but for that of the community, to have the disease "stamped out," and this, we contend, can only be done by the most unremitting attention. Iu this direction much will depend on the shepherd. Whenever he is negligent or perfuuetory in the performance of his duty, he should be, at once, discharged, it is useless to warn, or caution such as he, for it is evidently in his nature to bean "eye-ser-raut," who thinks more of himself than of his employer. The work of the true shepherd, instead of being an idle life as some consider, is one full of grave responsibilities, aud it will be to the advantage of the principal to secure the services of those who are both thoroughly honest and competent, and who take a " pride " and an interest in their work. In closing we would remark, that if each individual flock be well conditioned, it is manifest that the aggregation of all those in the country will be prosperous, aud smiles instead of lugubrious looks will be exchanged at every place of meeting. We feel that this paper hai extended beyond the limits originally intended; but shall, however, be pleased if the information herein conveyed be of service in the direction of suggesting sufferer* from this scourge some means b> .vhich it may be combated,