Gathering the sheep

Toady I gathered the sheep and ran them through a foot bath. As any shepherd will tell you, keeping sheep sound is a constant battle. The usual problem is scald, a bacterial infection that builds up in the cleft between their hooves, particularly in warm, damp conditions like we've had recently. Left untreated this can lead to foot-rot, a much more serious problem which affects the structure of their hooves. The foot bath contains a disinfectant that controls the worst of any infection before it does too much damage.