98 Sheep Management, Breeds and Judging. 



DIPPING A NECESSITY. 



At least once a year the flock should be dipped 

 in order to rid it from ticks and also from lice, if 

 the latter should be present. The best time to dip 

 is shortly after shearing. A nice, warm, sunshiny 

 day should be selected for this work, and it should 

 preferably be done in the morning so as to give 

 the sheep a chance to dry out again before night. 

 Any one of the many recommended coal tar dips 

 may be used. Dipping the flock is strongly ad- 

 vised not only for the purpose of killing ticks and 

 lice but also in order to promote the health of the 

 skin and to further the growth of the wool. For 

 this reason many sheep breeders dip each year, 

 in spite of the fact that they know their flocks are 

 free from vermin. Many even dip twice a year, 

 in spring and in fall, because they realize the bene- 

 fit derived therefrom. 



In case a flockmaster does not find time to dip 

 his whole flock because of the rush of other farm 

 work, he ought at least dip the lambs in the 

 spring. As a rule not many flocks are entirely 

 free from ticks. If the old sheep have been sheared 

 clean and no patches of wool are left on them 

 ticks will move off from them and find new homes 

 and shelter on the lambs, which have more wool 

 on them at this time than the old sheep that have 

 been sheared. Eight to ten days after shearing 



