18 farmers' bulletin 713. 



detect any undipped sheep that may have gotten in with the dipped 

 ones. 



Prior to bringing the sheep to the vat for dipping they shoiiki be 

 watered and fed so as not to be thirsty or hungry at the time of 

 dipping, although they will probably stand the effects of dipping 

 better if not too full of feed and water at the time dipped. 

 If they are watered and fed 3 to 6 hours before dipping, they 

 Avill probably be in the best condition for the operation. When 

 the Aveather is cold or stormy, dipping operations should be com- 

 menced early in the morning and finished for the day in time to 

 give the last sheep dipped opportunity to dry off before night. 

 During winter weather dipping for the day should be finished by 

 noon so that the flock may have time to dry off and fill up with feed 

 before night, as a sheep with a full stomach will withstand much 

 cold and hardship. By observing these precautions sheep may be 

 dipped with reasonable safety during cold weather. 



Bucks should be dipped separately from ewes and lambs. They 

 should not be driven fast and then put into the vat before resting and 

 cooling off. As they succumb very easily in the vat it is necessary to 

 give them careful attention. Hard scab on rams is difficult to cure 

 and they should be held in the swim for 3 to 5 minutes. The hard 

 scabs should be broken up by manipulation so that the dip may pene- 

 trate to every part. At the large vats the buck herds are usually 

 dipped first, while the vat is full, so as to afford them more swimming 

 room. 



For dipping purposes soft water is better than hard ; apparently 

 some of the ready-prepared dips do not mix properly and are not 

 effective with hard water. If hard or "alkali" water must be used 

 it is improved and its effects on scab increased if it is softened or 

 " cut " by adding l3'e or sal soda, but no more should be added than 

 is required to cut the water. An excess of potash will tend to injure 

 the wool and cause an irritation of the eyes. 



DIRECTIONS FOR DIPPING. 



The amount of dip in the bath should l)e sufficient to submerge 

 the sheep completely. The depth of the dipping fluid in the vat 

 should be from 40 to 48 inches, depending on the size of the sheep. 

 The amount of fluid necessary to fill the vat to the required depth 

 should be ascertained before it is prepared. Freshly shorn sheep 

 and short-wooled lambs will carry out on an average from 1 to 2 

 quarts of dip, depending on the size of the sheep and the length and 

 grade of wool, while full-fleeced, fine-wool sheep will carry out and 

 retain in the fleece as much as 2 gallons. At late fall dipping the 

 average medium-wool sheep will retain in the fleece about 1 gallon 

 of dip. In estimating the amount of dip required, these facts should 



