THE FARMING WORLD

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21041, 17 February 1940, Page 15 (Supplement)

THE FARMING WORLD

Control of the Disease i Since footrot has been shown to j be a specific contagious disease of j sheep, the common methods used j with other such diseases may be used in its control and eradication. 5 By suitable treatment the disease can ] be eradicated from the property and 1 provided the necessai'y precautions are taken to prevent reinfection from outside, the property will remain ' free from the disease. As previously mentioned, it has been shown , that the causal agent cannot survive apart from the sheep for more than ■ three weeks. Therefore, if pas- j tures are kept without sheep for a 1 period longer than this, they can reasonably be expected to be free of ! the infective agent. The first step in the control of this disease then is , to subject the whole of the flock to a thorough examination for any signs of footrot. The feet of all sheep must be carefully examined for any signs of malformation or lameness. In this respect it is essential to remember that the infection may be deeply seated, and that in order to expose the affected J tissues to the action of the solution , used in treatment, all overgrown and diseased horn must be carefully pared away. Although it is essential to strip off all under-run horn, injury to healthy tissue should be avoided since it provides a means of entry for infection. The apparently healthy sheep should then be put | through a foot-bath containing a suitable disinfectant solution and then turned out into pasture which has been free of sheep for the requisite period. After the feet of the affected animals have been carefully cleaned and pared down, they also are put through the foot-bath. Following treatment these sheep are put into a special isolation or “hospital” paddock and treated at frequent intervals until complete recovery takes place. The more stubborn cases usually require the application of special hand dressings. J

; Occasionally, a few cases do not even | respond to this treatment. Such animals are best eliminated from the j dock. After the sheep in the | “hospital” paddock have been free of all signs of the disease for about a month, they should be returned to the main flock after passing once again through the foot-bath. By such methods the disease can be eliminated from the flock. In order to reduce the chances of reinfection, i all bought-in sheep should be regarded as suspects, treated as outlined previously and put into the main flock only after spending an isolation j period in the “hospital” paddock. : Sheep taken to neighbouring properI ties for shearing or crutching should j be treated in a similar fashion. ! Recommended Treatment | The most satisfactory method of : treating the feet is by permitting the sheep to stand in a foot-bath containing a suitable disinfectant solution. It is unnecessary to describe such foot-baths in detail since most farmers are familiar with their construction. In order to obtain the maximum efficiency from this method of treatment, however, it is well to bear in mind the following practical points.—(l) the feet of the sheep should be as clean as possible before entering the foot-bath. Some baths provide for this by having a section about eight feet long containing water and small pebbles. Out of this sheep come on to grating to allow the excess water to drain away before entering the disinfectant solution. (2) The sheep must be left standing in the bath for three or four minutes to permit complete penetration of the disinfectant. (3) After coming out of the bath they should be detained on the grating of the shearing shed or in the concrete pens of the dip so that the disinfectant has time to take effect, before being turned out, preferably to a dry pasture. (4) There is no necessity to put more solution in the bath than is sufficient completely to cover the feet of the sheep.

Disinfectant Soil Although numerous preparations have been used as disinfectants in the treatment of footrot from the point of view of efficiency, cost and safety, it is doubtful if there is any more satisfactory than copper sulphate (bluestone) or formalin. The

strength of the solutions varies with u ic uuject of the treatment. Copper sulphate used as a safeguard should be mixed at the rate of four ounces to the gallon. For this purpose also, one part of formalin is used to eight parts of water. For the

treatment of severe scald and mild cases of footrot, these concentrations should be doubled. Severe cases of footrot are best treated by hand dressing, which may be in the form of solutions or ointments. After careful preparation of the foot, one of the following preparations may be applied daily or once every two days.— (1) One part of formalin to two parts of water. (2) One pound of bluestone to one gallon of water. (3) 2-3 ounces of bluestone to one quart of vinegar. (4) 8 ounces bluestone, 4 ounces of lysol or fluid dip to one gallon of water. (5) One part powdered bluestone to two parts Stockholm tar. (6) Tincture of iodine. Ir arsenical preparations are used, every precaution should be taken to guard against the possibiilty of ingestion of the poison.