10 July, 1916.] 



Sheep Dips. 



423 



SHEEP DIPS. 



By A . W. Curlewis, Inspector of Stock. 



The following particulars and plans of a few sheep dips which have 

 given satisfaction to those using them may be of interest to sheep- 

 owners and others intending to construct dips this year: — 



No. 1. — For small flocks only. — This is a portable iron dip used 

 at Longerenong College, among other places, and described in a former 

 issue of the Journal by Mr. G. A. Sinclair, Principal of the College, as 

 under : — 



" The plan adopted at this institution is for small flocks only, and 

 about 800 sheep per day can be put through comfortably and thoroughly. 

 We are indebted to a well-known Tasmanian sheep breeder, Mr. F. 

 Burbury, of Ashgrove, for the general idea of the yards, and the details 

 worked out here may be useful to many at this jvmcture. Experience 

 has shown that there are objections to the usual style of dipping yards 

 with a long race often leading upwards and thus entailing much 



No. 1. — Dipping bath for small flocks. 



handling and bruising of sheep, ending in a sudden drop into the dip, 

 and a long climb out at the other end. These are well known to most 

 farmers; and the aim in this plan was to avoid these drawbacks as much 

 as possible. 



" The galvanized iron dip used cost £1 15s. in Melbourne, and was 

 built there by a local manufacturer. The whole of the work is on one 

 general level. The floor of the draining pens has a fall of 1 inch from 

 the centre to each side, where a drain catches the liquid dripping from 

 the sheep and runs it into two wells (w.w), each drain having a fall of 

 2 inclies from back to front. The liquid is pumped from the wells back 

 into the dip with a Californian pump made by a local plumber. The 

 bottom of tlie pump is closed and perforated to keep out any dirt. "When 

 ordering the bath it would be advisable to stipulate for a curved pipe to 

 be put in at the end near the top at s which should lead to a shallow 

 opening at G, covered with a grating. If the drains are led to this, 

 the liquid draining off (he slieep will run back to the bath by gravitation. 

 The pi|>e should be 3 inches in diameter. 



