94 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



mixed with the grain. Give once a day for two or three weeks, dis- 

 continue for a week, and then give again if necessary. 



This mixture could be fed to the breeding ewes during the winter, 

 if there is reason to believe that they are affected with the parasite, 

 thus helping to rid them of the worms, and in this way prevent the 

 infection of the lambs later on. If used during the latter part of the 

 period of pregnancy reduce the dose. 



NODULAR DISEASE. 



Another troublesome parasitic disease is the nodular disease. This 

 is characterized by the presence in the intestinal wall of small nodules 

 varying in size from a small to a large pea; these contain a greenish, 

 cheesy material ; they are found more numerous in the wall of the large 

 intestine, but also in the small intestine to a limited extent. We find 

 a few of these in nearly all sheep and if present only in limited numbers 

 they appear to do no particular harm but when sufficiently numerous 

 to cause inflammation of the intestinal wall they cause serious distur- 

 bances. Sometimes portions of the wall will be almost a solid mass of 

 the nodules. 



The cause of these nodules is the immature form of a small worm. 

 The adult worm, which is from three-fourths to one inch in length, 

 is found within the intestine; these adults cause no serious trouble 

 themselves, but, of course, are the parents of the form which causes 

 the nodules. The disease is contracted by the lamb taking with its feed 

 or water the eggs or young worms, which soon reach the intestine. If 

 in the egg form they hatch and the young parasite burrows into the 

 intestinal wall, takes up its abode there for a time; the irritation thus 

 produced causes the nodule. After a time the young worm leaves the 

 nodule and returns into the intestine and there completes its develop- 

 ment into a mature worm. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of this disease resemble those of the pre- 

 ceding disease, in fact it is impossible to differentiate except by post- 

 mortem. As a general thing the diseased animals live longer than when 

 affected with stomach worms. This disease often affects older sheep. 



Treatment. — As the injury is caused by the parasite while in the 

 nodule, medical treatment is of practically no value. A tonic has a 

 little value in enabling the animal to better resist the effects of the 

 parasite. The treatment is of a preventive nature. If the flock is 

 freed from the adult worm of course the lambs will not become infested. 

 The treatments recommended in the previous disease will have their 

 value as preventives and especially the iron and copper mixture. Other 

 lines of prevention will be discussed later and apply to all these parasitic 

 diseases. 



TAPE WORM. 



Tapeworms are another species of parasites which frequently cause 

 losses among sheep. They are long flat worms made up of a large 

 number of segments, and vary in length from one to twelve or more 

 feet. They are found in the small intestine. The life history of these 

 is unknown and hence the exact manner in which the sheep become in- 

 fested is uncertain. Lambs sutter most. 



