LECTURE LVII. 



DIPPING SHEEP. 



Sheep are dipped to free them from ticks and from scab. 

 Ticks occur in practically all flocks. They may be very 

 plentiful, in which case they do much damage; or they may 

 be present to only a slight extent. In either case they are 

 a detriment to the thrift of the sheep and should be gotten 

 rid of. 



Scab is caused by a very minute parasite which burrows 

 into the skin, causes a scabby condition, and brings about 

 a loss of much of the wool, great emaciation, and restlessness. 

 Sheep so affected will do no good in the breeding flock or 

 the feed lot. The disease is spread by contact, either with 

 sheep that are affected, or with posts, fences, feed boxes, etc., 

 where scabby sheep have rubbed. Scab is exceedingly diffi- 

 cult of radication, owing to the fact that the scab parasite, 

 known to scientific men as Psoroptes communis, keeps under 

 the protection of the dry scales or scabs, and these must be 

 loosened or softened before the dipping solution can affect 

 the parasite. 



Sheep ticks are easily seen by any one who will take the 

 trouble to examine affected sheep. The parasite that causes 

 scab is not so easily seen, but it reveals its presence by 

 small, scabby places here and there on the body, and by 

 bare places where the wool has been torn out by rubbing. 

 If some of the scales be removed and promptly transferred 

 to a piece of black paper, the parasite may be seen as a 

 very minute, light colored mite, crawling about. Scab is 

 extremely virulent, spreading rapidly in a flock of sheep 

 and precluding all possibility of profit in keeping an affected 

 flock useless unless prompt steps are taken to dispose of 

 the disease. 



Treatment. 



The only satisfactory method of dealing with ticks or scab 

 is by dipping. This should be done at least once a year as a 



