Қазақы мал ауруларының жалпы атауы

Umbrella term for deadly disease, especially of livestock

Murrain '/m//ʌr//ɪ//n/ (also known as distemper) is an antiquated term for various infectious diseases affecting cattle and sheep. The word originates from Middle English moreine or moryne, as a derivative of Latin mori "to die". The word murrain, much like the word pestilence, did not refer to a specific disease but rather served as an umbrella term for what are now recognized as a number of different diseases with high morbidity and mortality, such as rinderpest, erysipelas, foot and mouth disease, anthrax, and streptococcus infections. Some of these livestock diseases could also affect humans. The term murrain also referred to an epidemic of such a disease. There were major sheep and cattle murrains in Europe during the 14th century, which, combined with the Little Ice Age, resulted in the Great Famine of 1315–1317, weakening the population of Europe before the onset of the Black Death in 1348.

In some parts of Scotland, force fire was believed to cure it. In some remote regions of Cumbria, England, and the Isle of Man, murrain is still used as a term for a curse, specifically one placed upon land or livestock. It is believed that the medieval term has, by a process of syncreticism become synonymous with witchcraft. This usage inspired the ATV television play, Murrain, written by Manxman Nigel Kneale, which was broadcast on 27 July 1975 as part of the channel's Against the Crowd drama strand.

In those years, acts of the Parliament of Great Britain were passed to "more effectually to prevent the spreading of distemper which now rages amongst the horned cattle in this kingdom".