FOOT-ROT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3076, 2 April 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

FOOT-ROT.

Most owners of sheep in New Zealand have lonsf reco!?nised that foot-rot is a oontagious disease. Thus, if a man has a flock of sound cheep on luxurious moist pasture in summer time and a neis*hhour driving by puts a lame sheep badly effected with foot-rot into that paddock,

it is safe to expect that within a fortnight there will be a dozen or more of the sheep with bad feet. This led to the belief that there were two forms of footrot, the contagious and the non-conta-gious; a long debated and much-vexed question among shepherds. In Australia also this matter has attracted attention. The late John Ryrie Graham author of a little but practically useful work on the rnorino sheep in Australia, mentions therein his opinion that foot-rot in Australia differs greatly from foot-rot in Britain. Investigations are constantly disclosing new features in diseases long known and familiar to men who have to deal with them, and it would appear that old English farmers and shepherds have something new to learn about foot-rot. The Queenslander states that T. B, Goodatl, V,S., of Ghristchurch, Hants, has, by numerous observations, corroborated the disoovery of Zurn and Sohleg that foot-rot in sheep is attended by a parasite—Symboitos spathiferous (ovis). Although hitherto overlooked in England, Mr Goodallliasno difficulty in detecting these acariac in numbers with an ordinary lens in all cases of foot-rot examined by him, and lie states that there are certain soils, particularly old park lands, which appear to retain the acarus some stage, while chalk and clay lands appear to be free from them, or nearly so. If theao discoveries are to be accepted as correct (and there seems no reason to dcubt thera) they should sat at rest the question of the contagiousness of foot-rot, and that question being decided the discovery of preventative measures should only be a question of time.

Ordinarily on soils, mich as this, footrot begins by a slight scald between the claws, in the cleft of the hoof. Matter forms and undermines the heel and finally also the sole of the hoof, and a cure cannot be effected until the affected parts have been exposed and all raggedy or detached pieces of horn carefully trimmed off. But there is a form of foot.rot. perhaps the worst, in which almost the only outward symptom of the disease is lamenesH and great heat of the affeoted hoof. The latter is very hard, and in the course of a week or so matter forms under the hoof and finds its way out either by a loosening of the whole hoof or by forming channels or sinuses, which latter are very dlffioult to cure. A whole flock driven a long distance on hard roads and turned into rank pasture will sometimes be thus fevered in the feel and will give much trouble. In this district when clover is rank the feet are apt to

be troublesome, but of lute years thar, has not been a frequent cause of complaint. Tho easiest way to avoid trouble with foot-rot is to look through the sheep's feet regularly, and to pare and dress any which may require it. If many are touohed run them through a trough 12ft. or 15ft. long with a solution of about 2oz. of arsenics and 2oz. of caustic soda or caustic potash to the gallon of water. Any very bad cases should bo put into a hospital paddock and dressed with butter of antimony _or carbolic acid a second or third tirao separately until a oure is »ff«oted. If this is done systematically foot-rot will cause but little trouble to sheepfiirmerson this coast.