130 FITTING SHEEP 



Dipping. 



A few dollars spent in a dipping apparatus, a few more 

 spent in the purchasing of some reliable standard dip is one of 

 the most profitable investments a shepherd can make. No 

 flock can possibly thrive when covered with vermin. While 

 well-fed flocks are not usually found to be badly infested with 

 ticks, lice, etc., as are the half-starved, poorly-ted ones, it 

 is sound policy to dip all flocks at least once a year, twice 

 being preferable. Sheep that are intended to be dipped 

 should be fasted a few hours previous to the work being 

 done, as it not only makes it easier to handle them but lessens 

 the danger of causing them internal injury. The best time 

 to dip is just after shearing, and again in October. Every 

 sheep should remain in the dipping trough at least one 

 minute; when actually timed the operator will think one min- 

 ute a long time and will feel like curtailing it; but, he should 

 remember that "what is worth doing is worth doing well," 

 and that the last half of the minute is doing the greatest 

 good. 



On every sheep farm the dipping pens, vat, and yard should 

 be a permanent plant. There should be a pen for holding 

 the sheep previous to dipping, one for holding them after 

 having passed through the dipping vat, and draining pen, 

 as they should not be allowed to wander over the pasture lots 

 directly after being dipped, especially when the dip used is of 

 a poisonous nature. 



A dipping plant need not be a costly affair. Any one 

 handy with carpentering tools can make one that will answer 

 all the intents and purposes of the farmer or flockmaster 

 owning a flock of, say, not over 500 head of sheep. As 



