The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-01-24
TEE ROT IN SHEEP.

a III TINS country. we nau no luel O1 Writlnl
an article on this subject when we first com
menced this series, but do it in compliance
with numerous requests. We think the ro
IN many instances is caused by too luxuriant
feei. For great many years controver
sy has been maintained among scientific mer
whether certain insects found in the liyer
an called the liver huke, are the cause OF
IN cut ofthe disease Without joining
suj with any party, we simply state that
they are always found in the liver, and the
liver Is always diseased when the sheep are
affected with the rot. These parasites are
found In diseased liycrs of almost all the her
bW0ra, and sometimes in that Of man.
Diseased liver is commonly the result of
high feeding, with too little exercise and not
SSufiicIcnt pure air Poultry are frequently
fatted, and disease CT the liver induced, in
order that 1t may be enlarged to crafty the
ylhated taste OF the epicure. To avoid af
iecllng the liver we caution sheep owners
| against too llttla exercise, too warm quar-
ters and too high feed, and beg of them to
remember that liver diseases are hereditary,
both in men and animals.
Sheep fed upon dry up'and pastures, or
or well drained lowlands are seldom affect
cd by the rot. 1t prevails upon lowlanls,
when the seasons have been wet and the soil
retentlve of moisture, with a temperature
iavorably to decomposition of vegetable
matter.
Mr.. Bakewell, the originator of the Lei
cestcr breed, used to food his lands, or hire
lands that had been f1Ooled, and also lands
notorious Tor producing rot for the purpose
ofrapldly tattening his sheep, or as some
have 1t, for inducing rot. Mr.. Hammond
says:
It appears every year in Egypt, after
the falling otthe Nile, and it follows and
keeps with the StlbSiding of the waters.-
Desoiatlon and death accompany it whercv-
er 1t passes, and 1t annually dt tstioys at least
one-hrndred and sixty thousand sheep As
soon as the waters Of the Nile subside the
PASTURES which were submerged ae speedily
covered by tender ruShy grass. The sheen
are exceedingly fond of it, and they are per
nnltcd to feed on it all day long In the
course of a very little time they begin to get
tat, when It possible they are sold. Their
fleSh Is then exceedingly delicate, but soon
after this disease begins to appear and the
mortality commences. The disease is more
frequent and fatal when the sheep are fist
turned on the newly-recoycrcd pastures than
when the ground becomes drled and the
rusIly grass harder But if the sheen PAS
tue IN tn midst of mud Or the borders of
marshes and canals, rot attends every step.
Inc rot does not occur in elevated countries
where the sheep feed on dry aromatic her
hage; The Bedoung sell all the sheep
when they can before they quit the Nile,
Tor then they are in high and prime condi.
ton, alter which they lose not a moment in
rIcaSSsenlbling their nocks, and diving them
back to the desert.
lhG MY stages OF this fatal disease give
no indications Of the maIady that Turks in
the system. The first symptom, instead of
lndlcatlng disease, has more the appearance
Of health, for 1t is the ranid accumulation Of
tat, which Increases till the general health i,
fairly undermined; when the animal be- |
comes t>ticss and unwilling to move. leaves
It's companions, shakes its head drprcsscs
It's ears and sinks rapidly in flesh: it's eve
becomes dull and CLASSY, the wool loses its
brightness and comes easily from the skin, |
the breath becomes tctid, the bowels yarin,
bic, at one time loose, at another coStive;
the sin becomes yellow and sometimes snot.
ted with black; the cyeids are swollen: the
llrS, gums and Palate have pae tiI.t
em@'l latlon at this time b. comes lapid-f ver
Is induced, and d.ath quick follows:
! he method by which the disca. in its |
early stages is sasccytaned is, first. bv handI- |
ing the sheep on the small of the back. II |
the flesh is loose and happy, and when
rubbed against the ribs it gives a cracking
sound, il the small veins at he corners ofthc
eyes are filled with yellow serum, instead |
OF blood, then the animal may be declared
unSCund.
A post-mortrm examination reveals
shocking state of disease, and to which no
other name could be so appropriately applied |
as That OF rot. Every cavity is filled with
yellow serous fluid. the flesh is pale, and
appears as though it had been soaked in a
ter the kidneys are pale and facid, the
lungs hlled with tubercleS, the heart erlarc-
ed and softenrd, bowels sometimes distend- |
ed with water, som times grown together. |
at other times filed with tubercles; the liver
complete mass Of disease one part harden
ed, another soft and liberated, the passages
through which the bile flow flied with fukes, |
There is no doubt but this is the origin |
OF the disease. We do not thus minutely |
describe this disease because we think it a |
cause OF want Of success in this country. but |
knowing what dreadful scourge it has been |
IN Engand-some farmers having lost hun
dreds Of sheep in few weeks. Yet not
wlthstandlng snch fatal disease, and many |
others of a milder form, sheep huSbandry is
continually on the increase in that country. |
We do think it necessary to direct attention |
to that system OF stall feeding which we
have before noticed, and assure all that the |
result, If carried to any great extent, will be |
disease, OF the liver; the second stage will be |
rot. An ifany have had their focks af |
ttectcd ~ It, on account Of their sheep feed
ing on soft, spongy lands, they may be as
surcd that the great preventive is thorough |
draining. Others have no occasion to fear
1t If they keep their sheep on dry upland |
pastures. 1t is said that tainted Aocks have
recovered when sent to pasture on salt
marshes. This must have been in the early |
stage OF the disea e, when the liver only |
was affected. Changing them when the |
first symptoms Of the disease make their
appearance, to dry upland pastures, will
generally be attended with the most favora-
bic results. While a free use of salt in the
early stages has been found highly beneficial
this is a remedy simple and cheap. Sir
John Sinclair states that at Mr.. Mosselman's s
farm at Cheno, hey ond the Wavre he found
that salt was used for sheep, and by allow
ing them to lick. it the rot was completely
cured. But this must have been in the
early stage. Mr.. King, of Bath, England,
says he purchased seven or eight sheep, all
giving indisputalle proof Of rot in its ad-
vanced stage. He intended them for dis.
section, but as ne did not require all ofthem.
and during the winter sea.on only he could
dissect, he kept some till summer. They
were supplied with nutritious food, Tree
rom moisture, and protected from storms
fand change OF wc;ther The result was
that without medicine, two OF these lotten
sheep recovered, ana when he killed them,
after he found that the liver had undergone
some change, still the animals would have
lived ON for years. But it would have been
ynru lnsntn To have lrrn q ON srnh c1 al