THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



The Losses Caused by 



Cattle Ticks 



HOW TO AVOID THEM 



CATTLl TiOK 



THE LOSSES CAUSED BY CATTLE TICKS. Many cattle ownen 



who have ahv.iys been accustomed to see both Ticks and Ticky Cattle on 

 their farms are unfortimately not inclined to attach much importance to 

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

 effects, placidly consider them as of little consequence. Tfiat Ticks may 

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

 these stockmen, who are really most vitally affected, and it therefore seems 

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

 diseases such as Texas Fever (or Rcdwater), Ticks may .->lso be the cause 

 of serious loss in many directions. 



While the power of transmitting Redw.-»ter {and other diseases in nthw 

 countries) is undoubtedly the most tlaugerous property possessed hy Cattle 

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

 ing their complete eradiation, uevertliele.ss there still remain other good 

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

 from a reading of llie following; notes. 



LOSS OF CONDITION IN CATTLE. Apart from questions of 



disease, the presence of Ticks nn Cattle reduces their condition. 



Durinj; the period of an expoiinient made specially to test this point, 

 heavilv 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 from ticks Ijy dipping, weighetl 1015 lbs. two 

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



DECREASED MILT\ YIELD. (;re:(t losses occin- 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 ivas shown that : — 



(1) Cows lightly infested witli Ticks produced 18J per cent. less milk 



than Tick-free cows ; 



(2) Cows heavily infested with Ticks produced 42.4 per cent, less milk 



than Tick-free cows 



REDUCED WORKING POWER. Cattle whose vitality is reduced 

 by 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 perlorations caused by the OUtlc Tick. Tick-bitten hides are 

 worth iJd. per pound less than'uninjured hides. Even on a hide weighing 

 SO 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 infest.atioii. they will be much more li.ahle to disease, 

 and nuTch less able to offer resistance to anv disease they may acquire. In 

 the Tick-infested area of the United Stateji the death-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 inlestati.jn at babyhood, there is very little chance to 

 bring cattle to e.uiv maturity. The stunting which they receive requires 

 them to be kept as much as two years longer before they are lit for the 

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

 interest on cajiital lied up unnecessarily Itmg. 



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 kinds. 



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

 by Tick Bites, such as Ulcerative Lymphangitis and Sporotrichosis of 

 horses. The spread of Demodectic Mange is ,'ilso 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 laj'ing 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 food. ■ All 

 this extra food and extra energy means loss of money. 



OTHER BENEFITS OF CATTLE DIPPING OR SPRAYING. The 



dipping or spraying ot cattle is ordinarily carried out w'ith the sole object 

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

 the operation. Dipping prevents and cures Uingworm, flange, Warts. 

 It kills the Bot. Warble. Horn and other Flies, and the Maggots and 

 Larvae deposited by same. It prevents Hairhalls in Calves by all.aying 

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

 Worm causing Opiilhalmia. The attacks of I.ice and all other skin para- 

 sites are prevented. Dipping destroys the organism of Cont.agious Abor- 

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

 has the satisfaction of knowing that he is ■■killing many birds with one 

 stone." • 



HOW TO AVOID LOSSES FROM TICKS. Ob\ iously, losses caused 

 by Ticks can he prevented by destro>ing the Ticks : and a ready means 

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

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



This preparation is the outcome of a costly series of experiments .a 

 Gonubic Park Experimental Farm in South Africa, extending over some 

 years ; briefly it mav be described as tiie solution of the problem of 

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

 injury to the animals by "scalding" or otherxvise. 



IiTefutable exidence of the superior merits of Cooper's Cattle Dip is 

 afforded by the Governments of the following countries: — 

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

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

 Swaziland. German East Africa. Northern Territory of Australia. 

 Basutoland. Portuguese East Africa. Egypt. Portuguese West Africa. 

 Queensland. British West Indies Argentine Republic. Nyasalard. 

 New South Wales. 

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

 approval of the (iovcrnnients of pi.icticaily all the important cattle raising 

 countries of the w.nld, which in it-cli is ample testimony to its value. 



COOPER'S CATTLE TICK DIP 

 HaM received the official approval of the follow, ng Coantriet: 

 Union of South Africa. Northern R!iods?ii. lirazil, Basuloland, 



Nyasaland, Swaziland. Southern l{ii.iil.--ii. Madagascar, 



British East Africa, Cennan P.a^l Africi, Portuguese last Africa, 



Pcrtujuese West Africa, ERVpt, Argen'.ine Republic, yu.'cnsland. 



United States of America, New South Wale.-. 



W. Indiet, Norlhern Tcrrll«r> of Aif^lrt^li?. SuJ.in. 



^^anu'facturers 



^ tANCHES : TorlVo, 



WILLIAM COOPER & 



Chicago. Sycney, Muili(.,;i-ii;-, Au,:Mi;cd, 



WEST INDIAN AGENTS: 



ST. KITTS: 5. I.. Horsford & Co. ANTIGUA: Bennett. Brsson ft C«. 



JAMAICA: U. Henderson cS: Co.. Kinsslon. 



OI^KNADA: Thom.son. Hankey &. Co. 



BARBADO'S: Itarbados Co-operative Cotton Co., Ltd. 



hAllA.WA.**: W. %. Twynam. Nassau. 



TRIMDAl): T. Oeddes Orant. Port of 5paln. 



BRITISH (iUIAINA: Sandbach, Parker & Co. 



ST. VINCtNT: Corea & Co.. Kingstown. NEVIS: S. D. Maione. 



DANISH \N H.ST INDIRS: A. Schmlesrelow. St. Croix. 



MONTSEHRAT: \\ . I.lewellyn \\ all. DOMINICA: Hon. H. A. l-ramptoa. 



ST. I.ICIA: Barnard Son* & Co., Ca.stries. 



NEPHEWS, Berkhamsted, England. 



Bucnoi Airu, Monte Video, Puati Arcaat, E«t Undo*, Odcu*. 



