S6 farmers' bulletin 198. 



fore, should be provided. The size will depend upon the size of the 

 plant and the number of sheep to be dipped. The relative size shown 

 in the plans illustrated in figures 14 and 15 may be followed, increasing 

 or decreasing the size of the pens to correspond to the length of the vat. 

 There should be two draining pens, each having an opening into the 

 holding corral. The}^ may be made of lumber or cement and should 

 have catch basins or screening and settling wells into which the dip 

 drains so as to prevent manure and foreign matter from being carried 

 into the vat. Drawings of screenings and settling wells will be found 

 in the plan of the cement dipping plant (fig. 15). In constructing 

 draining pens of cement it is advisable to build the outer walls in 

 the same manner as the foundation for a house, except that they are 

 to be 6 inches thick. The space inside these walls is then filled with 

 gravel to the required height and the floor laid on it. Cement floors 

 should have rough surfaces to prevent slipping. A coat of " pebble 

 dash " over the cement floors will afford a suitable surface for the 

 sheep to stand on, or the cement surface; while soft, may be roughened 

 by means of a stiff broom. The floors of draining pens should slope 

 so that the dip Avill drain away rapidly and not collect in pools from 

 which the animals may drink. 



The dipping vat may be constructed of either lumber or cement, 

 the cement vat being preferable. The length of the vat nuiy vary 

 from 30 to 100 feet, depending on the number of sheep to be dipped. 

 Public dipping vats, where from 50,000 to 100,000 sheep are dipped 

 each season, should be 100 feet long. The depth should be 5 feet, 

 width at bottom 8 inches and at top 2 feet. Sheep vats usually are 

 constructed so that the top is flush with the top of the ground, and 

 there should be no crosspieces to interfere with the free action of the 

 sheep or of the men working along the vat. As a matter of in- 

 dividual taste, however, the top of the vat may extend from 9 to 18 

 inches above the gi'ound. Those of the latter kind aft'ord a better 

 opportunity to handle the sheep and can be operated with less effort 

 than those whose top is flush with the ground. If it is desired that 

 the top of the vat should be flush with the ground, it shoidd first be 

 built at least 4 inches above the natural surface of the ground and 

 then dirt or gravel may be filled in, thus securing proper drainage 

 along the sides. 



Whenever it is possible to do so the gravity method of draining 

 the old dip out of the vat should be adopted, as otherwise it is neces- 

 sary to pump or dip it out each time the vat is cleaned. The end of 

 the vat having the drain should be slightly lower than the other end 

 so that all the liquid will drain off. 



