The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1842-11-22
The Farmer.
FOOT ROT IN SHEEP.
WEYBRIDGE, VT. June 81, IS.

y ar Won my mode OF managing ana curing foot rot
4 aeCp, as requested
r,,ors opinions have arisen about the foot rot in
o,ntres as we'll as here Some English authors
Al, treatises on sheep husbandry ascribe the dis
,nuet pastures, to the superabundant growth of
Lor&c Sc believe none of these causes are
#lsnt TO create foot rot. 1t is disease that can
N,J only by incubation of the infection, which
rbe Introduced different ways l have known
n h Of sheep Craze for years in different pastures,
\ INV side; one flock would be troubled with rot,
I, aber be always clear of it; and have known
n Ks to be cured Of the disease and permitted to
&ne IN the same low pastures for years afterwards,
\ not again become infected. / never heard of
disease and presume it was not known on our
nen nor the scab on sheep, until it was introdu-
lhere by the Saxony sheep FLOW wet pastures
B0ceale the foot rot, as it has been asserted by
nt and all other writers, why was not the dis
be among US thirty years ago? All different spe-
H. deep are exposed and liablc.to foot rot if they
3nshtho same pasture when any one of the flock
4 fssna, or when any Of the infected sheep have
8een ntncnths previous. 1t may be mysterious
tines with some how they came by the disease. 1t
ty be communicated by driving them along the
|.hwny where flock of foot roited sheep passed
|uths BEFORE or by washing them in the same pen
se diseased sheep have been washed. In cold
Father now and then sheep will carry the disease
rnonlhY, and exhibit but little lameness, if any
lose sheep who have long hoofs and others with
W close hoofs, are more difficult to cure land most
De be inocuated, because they are more liable
draw the grass between the hoofs on which the
auiOn has been deposited. Tight footed sheep are
We subject 10 friction, and therefore cannot heal as
i$Iy; lambs and yearlings are more easy to be
pd because the hoofs are smaller and more
~ g.,
Aharp pointed knife is the best instrument that
sehNsed, and blue vitrio is the best and softest
hHcne@at can be applied of the many kinds which
|hve tired; different mixtures and medicines, such
'V5w bark, oil of viotriol alum, butter of Amino
tatPetre, corrosive subimate, sc. &C. Almost
r'sringent of medicine Of drying nature is good
has quick lime or dry dust of the road coal dust,
The infection therefore spreads most in moist
d sand in wet seasons, because there is no dry dust
any thing of drying nature to operate between
hOOls however it scarcely ever is eradicated
ma flock without some labor and external means
applied I have known it to leave small Aocks in
Try season in dry pastures, and also in winter, be-
use all the infection freezes, it kills the vitality,
England and Ireland they are less subject to frost
ilher soil is naturally more moist than with US
Heiore the foot rot may be expected to be more
evaent,
Before proceed farther I will inform your read
that have cured Thousands Of sheep so that they
aid cured, unless in some instances they were
ain exposed by infected sheep getting among them
have now several hundred sheep on my farm that
aemIected with the rot two years ago, that were
len soon cured by the application of solution of
'e Striol and zig between the hoofs with a swab,
s all the infected part had been carefully and
lrOnghly pared
The winter season or when we have frosts, is the
est and surest time to cure the infected hocks, be-
NSe all the infection that leaves the hoof is frozen
mo as surely destroyed as would be the infection
~snaA or kline pox. When Of long standing it can
nO be entirely eradicated from flock, especially in
"~" wet weather, unless they are permitted to
aDse another past ure where there isno exposure
"e' The treatment When they are to be examined,
"nOt only saving in time but labor to construct
"Oogh ont of two boards, set up aring about four
0 inches from the ground, something like butch
'suough, in which the sheep are placed upon their
'SS' where they require no other fastening to keep
"n quiet while the examination is going on. The
VI" OF every infected hoof must be paired off SO far
"e disease has got under and all the feet swabbed
"''ner sound or unsound; and if the application be
winter, the medicine should be warm. If thorough
zone by a skful hand, the rot will be remoy
~ 0io the foot healed in less than week. The
S'aSed animals should all be separated from the
'''N 1t be warm weather and examined again IN
y oays' have known them to become lame IN
,''S alter they were noculated. I never knew
'ep OIL strong constitution to die with this disease
'epung that in warm weather the infection getting
- viz body of sheep when lying down, creates
VIC On the body which becomes infested with mag
~" and eventually killing the sheep if let alone.
'' prevented its raging in warm weather by oblig
y "en to pass through trough of vitriol waite
M Dnd then, according to the state of the disease
ND Weather.
." Tor sheep ranging in a swamp breeding foot ro'