492 



DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



The standard strength of bath should be adhered to so far as 

 possible because its effectiveness against ticks will effect eradica- 

 tion in the least time and with fewest dippings. But if time is 

 not pressing it is sometimes best to begin with a lower strength, say 

 0.14 or 0.15 per cent, and gradually work up to full strength as 

 the cattle become accustomed to the treatment. This is certainly 

 a wise method for the individual cattle owner w^ho is outside the 

 area of cooperative work and who lacks aid and advice from ex- 

 perts. Weather conditions also need to be considered. Hot or moist 

 weather is more trying to the cattle than cool or dry weather. The 

 longer the time needed for the cattle to dry off after dipping, which 

 of course primarily depends on the proportion of moisture in the 

 air, the more liable they are to show blistering or other injury 

 through the continued absorption of arsenic by the skin. The com- 

 bination of heat and moisture is particularly bad, and under such 

 conditions it may be desirable, unless other conditions prohibit, to 

 use the bath somewhat weaker than standard strength. The fol- 

 lowing table shows the quantities of arsenic and stock solutions con- 

 tained in 100 gallons of bath of different strengths, so that the 

 quantities necessary to charge a vat of any size at any strength can 

 be found by simple multiplication. 



Composition of dipping haths. 



As dipping goes on the bath naturally needs replenishing, and its 

 strength probably needs correction from time to time. Full direc- 

 tions on these points may be found in Farmers' Bulletin 1057. 



Prepared dips. — Proprietary arsenical cattle dips appear now to 

 have passed the experimental stage and to have become established 

 as reliable and useful products. At any rate this can be said of the 

 brands which have received permission for use in official dipping 

 in place of the homemade dip. Tlie formulas and standard sam- 

 ples of all such brands are in possession of the Bureau of Animal 

 Industry and the manufacturers are required to guarantee that their 



