6 Georgia State College of Agriculture 



Use protective measure as advised for other species of flies. Pre- 

 vent hatching by treatment of stable manure with borax in the pro- 

 portion of one pound to sixteen cubic feet of manure. In lieu of 

 this, the daily removal of manure to cultivated fields where it may 

 be spread thinly and dried by the heat of the sun in advised. 



Bot Fly of Horse (Oestrus equi) (Gastrophilus equi). The ma- 

 ture form or adult closely resembles a honey bee. During hot 

 weather the .female fly deposits eggs on the hairs of the neck, breast 

 and legs of horses and mules. The eggs are cemented tightly and 

 are quite difficult to remove. The larva leaves the shell and crawls 

 upon the surface of the skin causing a tickling sensation. The in- 

 fested animal licks itself and the larvae are transferred to the 

 mouth and are then swallowed with food. Upon reaching the 

 stomach they attach themselves to the mucous membrane lining of 

 the stomach by means of booklets, with which the heads are armed. 

 The larvae remain in this location for about ten months and grad- 

 ually reach their maximum growth. Having attained full growth 

 they release the hold on the mucous membrane and pass through 

 the intestines and drop to the ground with the manure. An earthy 

 cocoon forms around them and they lie dormant for a time finally 

 emerging from the pupal stage as fully developed adult flies. 



It is seldom that bots cause any appreciable injury to horses or 

 mules. When they are present in the stomach in excessively large 

 numbers obstruction of the bowels may be caused at the time the 

 larvae release their hold and pass out. If horses and mules are 

 constantly supplied with salt the infestation of the stomach is kepi 

 at a minimum. When it is considered desirable to apply treatment 

 for the destruction of bots it is recommended that a dose of one- 

 half ounce of Carbon Bisulphide be given in gelatin capsule. 



INTERNAL PARASITES. 



Worms. 



Large Round Worm of Horses (Ascaris megalocephala) (Ascaris 

 equorum). This is the largest species of round worm and is fre- 

 quently found infesting the small intestines of horses and mules. 

 The body is the diameter of a lead pencil and mature specimens 

 attain a length of twelve to fourteen inches. The color is white 

 with a tinge of yellow. The head is large and provided with three 

 lips. These worms live upon the food digested by the host. 



The symptoms showing the presence of these worms are loss of 

 condition, intestinal catarrh and diarrhoea. When present in great 

 numbers they may cause obstruction of the bowels. 



Treatment. Preventive treatment consists in preventing ani- 

 mals from becoming infested. The eggs of the parasite pass out 

 with the manure and it is believed that the eggs hatch outside the 



