Every one who has been in the cattle trade will recollect the losses he
has sustained in spring, in the transit of cattle, by the animals
throwing their hoofs; and we can all remember how often we have seen
our beasts, especially in dry warm weather in spring, lying on the
roads, and how we had to cart them home or to the nearest slaughtering
shop. If there be a separation of the hoof at the top from the skin,
and if a white frothy substance oozes out at this break, it is a sure
sign that irreparable injury has been done. The beast will pine on for
six months, and at last throw the old hoof when a new one has grown up.
This is a more teasing case to the owner than when the hoof is thrown
at once. The animal should be slaughtered immediately, if at all in
condition, as it will not only lose condition every day till the hoof
comes off, but be a bad thriver ever after. Five or six miles of bad
driving at this season is enough to do the whole business. If cattle
should cast their hoofs, or even one hoof, suddenly, if at all in
condition, they should also be slaughtered without delay, as they will
pine for six months and be a daily grievance to the owner. If it be a
young or valuable breeding animal, however, it should be bled, and get
two or three doses of cooling medicine to remove the inflammation; then
soiled in a loose-box, and his feet well bound up with tow and tar. If
animals are not slaughtered, I would recommend soiling in all cases, if
possible. But "prevention is better than cure;" and all this can be
avoided if we will only take proper precautions. I shall state the
method I adopt in my practice, and I have paid dearly for my
experience. I generally buy a good many beasts in spring in Morayshire,
and sometimes winter a lot or two there. Until within a few years we
had no railway conveyance, and the cattle all came by road. Before the
time appointed for lifting the cattle, I sent across three or four
able-bodied men who were acquainted with the dressing of the feet.
Beginning their operations at the most northern point of the county,
and going from one farm to another where the cattle were wintered, they
dressed every hoof of every bullock that required it. By dressing, and
by the proper training of the cattle before starting, I have brought
home thousands of them safe and sound. Proper attention was no doubt
paid to the droving, the men who had charge of them being trained to
the occupation. Short stages and plenty of food are indispensable to
their safe arrival. It is of great importance, in order to cattle
thriving upon grass, to have their feet properly dressed; and many of
our careful farmers have their cattle's feet dressed every year before
they are put out to grass, even although they are not sent from the
farm. The general method adopted in dressing is to take up the leg with
a rope run from the couple; this, however, must be a severe strain on
the beasts. The method I adopted when I was in the lean-cattle trade
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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