1354 CYCLOrEDlA of LIVK stock and COMl'LETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



ticks to climb upward is a very important adaptation to increase their 

 chances of reaching a host. If the vegetation upon which they rest is 

 disturbed, they become very active and extend their long front legs up- 

 ward in a divergent position, waving them violently in an attempt to seize 

 hold of a host. 



The seed tick during its life on the pasture takes no food and conse- 

 quently- does not increase in size, and unless it reaches a host to take up 

 the parasitic portion of its development, it dies of starvation. The en- 

 durance of seed ticks is very great, however, as they have been found to 

 live nearly eight months during the colder part of the year. 

 III. How to Free Cattle of Ticks. 



Among the most important measures to be adopted in eradicating these 

 parasites from cattle in the infested districts may be mentioned: (1) Pick- 

 ing or brushing them off; (2) smearing or spraying the animals with a 

 disinfecting solution, and (3) dipping the "ticky" animals in a vat con- 

 taining a solution capable of killing the ticks without injury to the cattle. 



The systematic application of one or more of these methods, together 

 with appropriate measures for eradicating or destroying the cattle ticks 

 upon pastures, has been successfully adopted in certain sections, and has 

 thus diminished the area of the infested district. 



IV. Picking or Brushing Ticks off Cattle. 



Where the herd is small a very effective but laborious method is to pick 

 off these parasites by hand or to scrape them off with a dull knife or a 

 currycomb. This should be done at least three times a week in order to 

 find all the adults before they mature and fall off, as by this system the 

 smaller ticks which at first escaped detection will be found before they are 

 fully developed. After removing the ticks they should be destroyed, pref- 

 erably by burning. Care should be taken to go over all parts of the animal 

 frequently by the ticks, especially under the belly, around the tail and 

 udder, and inside the legs. After the ticks are picked or bnished off, the 

 cattle should not be neglected, but should be carefully examined later for 

 the presence of ticks which have been picked up in the meantime. If 

 this work is thoroughly performed and no ticks arc allowed to fall off and 

 lay eggs from June 1 to the end of November, the cattle will be free of 

 ticks, and the pastures will have had an opportunity of becoming cleaned. 



V. Smearing or Spraying Cattle w^ith a Disinfecting Solution. 



Grea.sing the legs and sides of cattle with cotton-seed oil, fish oil, or Beau- 

 mont crude petroleum will assist in preventing the ticks from crawling 

 up on the body. In small herds, smearing the cattle with a mixture of 1 

 gallon of kerosene, 1 gallon of cotton-seed oil, and 1 pound of sulphur, 

 or with a mixture composed of equal parts of cotton-seed oil and crude 

 petroleum, or with Beaumont crude oil alone, has proved efficacious when 



