THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



The Losses Caused by 



, Cattle Ticks 



HOW TO AVOID THEM 



CATTt-l TICK 



THE LOSSES CAUSED BY CATTUB TICKS. Many orttle ownen 



wl.c h;ivf always been accustomed to see both Ticks and Tieky Cattle am 

 their i.inns .ire uafcirtunately not inclined to attach much importance to 

 Cattle Ticks, and, as a rule, through lack of appreciation of their damaging 

 effects, placidly considur them as of little consequence. That Ticks may 

 cause losses in many different ways has probably not suggested itself to 

 these stockmen, who are really most vitally artected, and it therefore seenu 

 necessary to emphasize the fact that, in addition to their relation to 

 diseases such as Texas Fever (or Redwater), Ticks may also be the caute 

 of serious loss in many directions. 



While the power of transmitting Redwater (and other diseases inothar 

 e»untries) is undoubtedly the most dangerous property possessed hy Cattle 

 Ticks, and is the principal cause for adopting stringent measures in secur- 

 ing their complete eradication, nevertheless there still remain other good 

 reasons for the accomplishment of this achievement, as will be gathered 

 from a reading of the following notes. 



LOSS OF CONDITION IN CATTLE. AjBTt from questioni ol 

 disease, the presence of Ticks on Cattle re<luces their condition. 



Durinji the period of an experin\ent made specially to test this point, 

 beavily infested cattle lost an average of 9 lbs. in weight, whilst the tick- 

 free cattle gained an average of 44 lbs., both lots of cattle being fed alike. 



There is another case of a tick-infested steer which weighed 730 lbs., 

 and which, after being freed fri>m ticks by dipping, weighed 1015 lbs. two 

 months later, the feed remaining the same as before dipping. 



DECREASED MILK YIELD. Great losses occur by Ticks on Milch 

 cows, reducing the milk yield, and in some cases so injuring the teats as to 

 render them useless. 



A series of experiments on this point was carried out by the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, and it was shown that : — 



(I) Cows lightly infested with Ticks produced 18} per cent, less milk 



than Tick-free cows ; 

 (3) Cows beavily infested with Ticks produced 42.4 per cent, less milk 



than Tick-free cows. 



REDUCED WORKING POWER. Cattle whose vitality is re<luced 

 ky Tick infestation cannot give the same returns in work as healthy 

 cattle. This is another source of loss in countries where cattle are used 

 for haulage, ploughing, and other working purposes. 



DAMAGE TO HIDES. The market value of hides is greatly reduced 

 by the perforations caused by the Cattle Tick. Tick-bitten hides are 

 worth lid. per pound less than uninjvired hides. Even on a bide weighing 

 50 pounds there would thus be a dead loss of over six shillings. 



HIGHER MORTALITY RATE. If the vitality of cattle is kept at a 

 low point by Tick infestation, they will he much more liable to disease, 

 and much less able to offer resistance tt, any disease they may acquire. In 

 the Tick-infested area of the United States the ^eath-rate amongst cattle 

 Is nearly three times greater than in the Tick-free area. 



STUNTING OF GROWTH. This is another material loss caused by 

 Ticks With Tick iriicstation at babyhood, there is very little chance to 

 bring cattle to early maturity. The stunting which they receive requires 

 then. Ui be kept as much as two years longer before Ihcy arc fit for the 

 butcher. Thai means two years of extra feed and care, and loss of 

 interest on capital tied uj> unnecessarily long. 



INCREASED LIABILITY TO DISEASE. Ticks suck blood, and 

 thus, by reducing the general vitality of cattle, render them generally much 

 more liable to diseases of all kihds. 



But there are some diseases the attack of which is directly facilitated 

 by Tick Bites, such as Ulcerative Lymphangitis and Sporotrichosis of 

 horses. The spread of Demodectic Mange is also greatly assisted, and the 

 same applies to many skin diseases, such as Ringworm, caused by 

 fungus growths. Tick also inoculate the microbes of suppuration, causing 

 obstinate abscesses. 



The discharge of such sores, and in some cases the mere oozing of 

 blood serum through incisions made by the mouth parts of the Tick, keeps 

 the hair moist and matted together ; the laying and hatching of Hy eggs in 

 such area give rise to infestation with destructive maggots, causing ulcers 

 and other complications that require medical treatment. 



LOSS OF BLOOD. It has been calculated that cattle heavily infested 

 with Ticks may lose as much as 500 lbs. of blood in the course of a year. 



This drain on the system of an animal means that extra feed is required, 

 and involves a greater expenditure of energy on the part of the animal in 

 obtaining, digesting and assimilating this additional amount of fo ' All 

 this extra food and extra energy means loss of nione}'. 



OTHER BENEFITS OF CATTLE DIPPING OR SPRAYImG. The 

 dipping or spraying of cattle is ordinarily carried out with the sole object 

 of destroying Ticks, but many other benefits are incidentally derived from 

 the operation. Dipping pre\'ents and cures Ringworm, Mange, Warts. 

 It kills the Hot. Warble, Horn and other Flies, and the .M.aggots and 

 Larvae deposited by same. It prevents Hairballs in C;Uves by alhaying 

 Skin irritation. It kills the Fly which is the transmitting agent of the 

 Worm causing Ophthalmia. The attacks of Lice and all other skin para- 

 sites arc prevented. Dipping destroys the organism of Contagious Abor- 

 tion. In fact, the man who dips or sprays his cattle and horses rejfularly 

 has the satisfaction of knowing that he is "killing many birds wiili one 

 stone." 



HOW TO AVOID LOSSES FROM TICKS. Obviously, losses caused 

 by Ticks can be prevented by destroying the Ticks : and a ready means 

 of doing this is to treat the cattle with an eftective Tick-destroying pre- 

 paration, such as— to quote the best known— Cooper's Cattle Dip. 



Tliis preparation is llie outcome of a costly series tA experiments at 

 Gonubie Park Experimental Farm in South .Africa, extending over some 

 years; hriclly it may be described as the s.ilution of the problem of 

 utilising the Tick-killing properties of arsenic, without incurring risk of 

 injury to the animals by "scalding" or otherv,-ise. 



Irrefutable evidence of the superior merits of Cooper's Cattle Dip is 

 affordtd by the Governineuts of the following countries: — 



United States of America. Brazil. Northern Rhodesia. Madagascar. 

 Southern Rhodesia. Union of South Africa. British East Africa. Sudan. 

 Swaziland. German East Africa. Northern Territory of Australia. 

 Basutoland. Portuguese Ea^t Africa. Egypt. Portuguese West Africa, 

 Queensland. British ^est Indies. Argentine Republic. Nyosalaod. 

 New South Wales. 



Therefore, Cooper's Cattle Dip may be said to command the official 

 approval of the Governments of practically all the important cattle raising 

 countries of the world, which in itself is ample testimony to its value. 



COOPER'S CATTLE TICK DIP 

 Hat received the official approval of the following Countriet: 



Union of South Africa, Northern Rhodesia, Brazil, Basutoland, 



Nyasaland, Swaziland, Southern Rhodesia, Madagascar, 



ftrltlsb East Africa, Uerman East Africa, Portuguese East Africa, 



Hrtafiese Weal Africa, Egypt, Arientine Republic, Queensland, 



Halted States of America, Nciv South Walea, 



y^'- Indict, Northern Territory nl \u!^ralia, Sudan. 



WEST INDIAN AGENTS; 



ST. KITT5: 5. L. Hor.ilord & Co. ANTIOrA: llennett, Dry«on & C«. 



JAMAICA: n. Mcnder.oon & Co., Kingston. 



UKENADA: Thomson, Hankey & Co. 



BARBADOS: Barbndo.s Co-operatl>e Cotton Co,, LM. 



BAMA.MAS: W. N. Twjnam, Na-iuu. 



TRINIDAU: T. Ucddes Grant. Port of .Spain. 



RKITISH OUIANA: Sandbach, Parker & Co. 



ST. VINCENT: Core* & Co., Kingstown. NHVi.S: S. D. Malon*. 



nAM5l1 WEST INDIES: A. 5chnileKelaw, St. Crolz. 



M0NT5ERRAT: W. Uewellyn Wall. DOMINICA: Hon. H. A.PraaDtMi 



.ST. LUCIA: Barnard Sons A Co., Castrlea. 



Manufacturers : WILLIAM COOPER & NEPHEWS, Berkhamsted, England. 



B14ANCHES: Toronto, CbKajo, Sydney, MelkonrDe, AockkuJ, BMaot AirM, MmIc Vi4«i, Pa^ Arntt, East Umdaa, (MtaML 



