94 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Feb., 1916. 



THE PROFIT THAT ARISES FROM DIPPING SHEEP. 



The intention of this article is to draw the attention of owners of 

 large and small flocks to the profit to be derived from dipping sheep, 

 irrespective as to their being tick and lice infested, and to the most 

 practical and easiest way of going about it. Some owners object on 

 account of expense, and many more because they don't like work, and 

 others, again, have no liking for sheep beyond the £ s. d, part, and some 

 take to sheep raising with insufficient knowledge of the art of profitable 

 sheep farming. 



It would be a good demonstration to exhibit at some of our pastoral 

 shows, say, 50 sheep of the one age, breed, and sex, reared under 

 exactly similar conditions — 25 dipped and 25 undipped. A lesser 

 number would do, provided that each lot got the same treatment from 

 start to finish. Let them be weighed before dipping, and also the 

 controls, and at the exhibition let both lots be weighed, say, not less 

 than eight months or so after treatment. From experience I can 

 safely say it would be an eye-opener to the uninitiated, and I will 

 detail as near as I can an experiment of my own : — Fifty two-tooth 

 sheep (cross-breds) were selected out of one flock, all born at the one 

 lambing. These when shorn cut nearly equal weights of wool. Six 

 weeks after shearing they were all weighed, and 25 were dipped and 

 25 were not dipped. Tbey were all clean sheep, and were then 

 turned out together, and received exactly the same treatment as regards 

 food (natural pasture only) and other attentions right up to the next 

 shearing, when they were shorn and again weighed. The result was 

 the dipped sheep cut 1^ lbs. more wool and had gained 5 lbs. more 

 meat than the undipped ones. These were all wethers, and the season 

 was an average one. Another year, one of semi-drought, another experi- 

 ment was tried, with the same result, as far as increases in wool and 

 mutton are concerned, but not to the same extent. The increase in 

 the second experiment was f lb. of wool and 3 lbs. of mutton. The 

 wool was tender in both lots, but was more bulky in' the dipped. ISTow, 

 to show that it pays to dip, we will take an owner of 1,500 sheep, as 

 that is getting near what iinost flocks will number in the very near 

 future. First we will take the cost of putting down a dip, say, £40, 

 though that is outside what it would cost, as in most districts, if the 

 sheepyards are properly built, the swims and draining pens can be 

 made to fit in. Now to total up:— Dip, £40; yards, £20; dipping 1,500 

 sheep, at id. per head, £6 5s.; three men's wages, at Is. per hour 

 (three hours), 9s.; makes &%% 14s., including everything. JSTow, on 

 the credit side we find increased weight of wool at \\ lbs. per sheep, 

 at 8d. per lb., £75; increased growth of meat, 5 lbs., at 6d. per lb., 

 present price, on 1,500 sheep, £187 10s.; total, £262 10s. Deducting 

 cost of dipping and appliances, £66 14s., leaves £195 16s., or about 

 2s. 7'id. per head profit. After the first year the profit is greater, as 

 we only have to allow about 10 per cent, for depreciation, &c.; but 

 there is still another tangible gain, and that is in the selling value, 

 easily Is. per head, because dipped :sheep are more presentable to the 

 buyer. The increase in mutton only takes place during the sheep's 



