20 



FARMERS BULLETIN 713. 



movement of the dasher of an old-fashioned hand churn. The 

 phmger is pushed to the bottom of the vat and raised rapidly, 

 the process being repeated as the operator moves slowly along the 

 vat. The style shown in the cut is the one most commonly used. (See 

 fig. 15.) The dip should be changed as soon as it becomes filthy, 

 regardless of the number of sheep that may have been dipped in it. 

 In emptying the vat the entire contents should be removed, in- 

 cluding all sediment and foreign matter. After the liquid portion 

 has been dipped out or drained off the sediment and dirt at the 

 bottom should all l)e removed and the bottom cleaned by sweeping 

 ^ or scraping with a hoe or spade. After 



the lime-iuid-sulphur dip has been mixed to 

 the proper strength for dipping and used 

 in the vat, it should not be used again after 

 it is 10 days old. This is a safe rule to 

 follow with any of the sheep dips, as losses 

 often occur from dipping in old or stale 

 dips. 



The time that infected sheep are held in 

 the dip should in no case be less than 2 

 minutes; if the scab is not advanced, from 

 2 to 3 minutes in the vat is sufficient. But 

 in well-advanced cases of hard scab on fine- 

 wool sheep, especially bucks, better results 

 are obtained if they are held in the vat 

 from 3 to 5 minutes during the first dipping. 

 If the hard scabs and crusts are broken up 

 and soaked with dip before the sheep are 

 dipped, it is not necessary to hold them in the 

 vat longer than 2 minutes. In all cases in 

 which the scab is advanced it is recommended 

 that the hard scabs be broken and hand 

 dressed with a solution of the dipping fluid so as to soak the affected 

 parts well. In hand dressing such spots care should be taken not to 

 cause the wound to bleed, as the blood will tend to protect the mites 

 from tlie effect of the dip. After hand dressing such sheep allow at 

 least 1 hour for the scabs to become soaked before placing the sheep 

 in the vat. The time the sheep are in the vat should not be a matter 

 of guesswork. A watch or a 2-minute sand glass should be used to 

 make certain that the animals remain in the dip a sufficient length 

 of time. Where a large vat is used and the sheep are running fairly 

 well it is possible, after a little practice, to arrive at an average 

 Avorking rule as to how many sheep are to pass through the holding 

 gate each time it is raised. 



Fig. 15. — Stirring plunjror 

 for mixing liquids in tlie 

 vat. 



