THE DISEASES OF CATTLE 301 



the co-operation of the states and stockmen interested, 

 as it should, the disease would not exist today any- 

 where in the West, excepting in isolated cases. 



The same methods of righting mange are used as 

 with scabby sheep and the losses from dipping are very 

 light no more than the losses in dipping sheep. 



Dipping a herd of cattle is no light task, and the 

 outlay for a dipping plant is much greater than for 

 sheep. However, the ridding of the cattle of lice, ticks 

 and other parasites that worry them makes the opera- 

 tion one from which the stockman gets good returns, 

 and many find it a wise plan to dip their herds at least 

 once every two years for this purpose alone. 



A successful spraying machine is now used with ex- 

 cellent results. The animals are driven through a long 

 steel cylinder large enough to let them walk through 

 readily. Inside this cylinder thousands of needle-like 

 nozzles spray a hot liquid dip, the basis of which is 

 Texas crude oil. This is forced out at tremendous pres- 

 sure and the animal is thoroughly covered with the solu- 

 tion by the time it reaches the exit. 



The cost of dipping cattle by any method is about 

 15 cents per head for each operation, but this may be 

 reduced by handling a large number of cattle at one 

 plant. As with sheep, where the animals are gentle and 

 can be handled, they may be doctored for mange by 

 swabbing them over with the solution, giving the rubbed 

 and bare places a vigorous scrubbing with a stiff brush 

 dipped in the "medicine." 



In the spring, when they are shedding, cattle are 

 likely to look as if mangy, but they are simply losing 

 their winter coats and rub to get rid of the hair. If one 

 is fearful of the presence of mange mites, take hold of 



