16 



FARMERS BULLETIN 713. 



sheep have heavy fleeces, one dipping will sometimes effect a cure. 

 The reason for this is that sufficient dip remains in the wool to kill 

 the new crop of mites. One dipping, however, can not be depended 

 upon to cure the disease, and it will fail to do so in the large majority 

 of cases. It will certainl}^ fail unless conditions are just right; 

 consequently all scabby sheep should be given two dippings with an 

 interval of 10 to 14 days between dippings. The entire flock should 

 be dipped regardless of the number showing infection. To pick out 

 the ones showing scab and dip no others will result in failure, as 

 the disease will continue to develop in the undipped portion of the 

 flock. 



If the dipping is to be successful it is necessary to give close at- 

 tention to the details and to see that the work is carefully and 



I'li;. 11. — Dippin.i; sIuh 



thoroughly performed. Sheep should not be dipped immediately 

 after shearing; a period of at least 10 daj^s should elapse between 

 shearing and dipping, in order that the shear cuts may heal. It is 

 dangerous to dip sheep in some of the dipping preparations, espe- 

 cially lime-and-sulphur, if there are any fresh wounds on the animals; 

 consequently dogs that bite the sheep should not be allowed in the 

 dipping corrals. The chutes, pens, and dipping vat should be 

 closely examined for nails, broken boards, or any object that may 

 puncture or wound the skin of the sheep. Animals having fresh 

 wounds when dipped in lime-and-sulphur usually develop a condi- 

 tion commonly known as "blood poisoning," and the mortality from 

 this cause is high. It does not occur unless there are fresh wounds 

 on the skin. After the wounds have granulated or healing is well 



