SOME PESTS OF OHIO SHEEP 71 



GOAT LICE* 



Symptoms. — These lice are said to be found more commonly 

 upon goats than the red-headed louse is found upon sheep. They 

 produce a pruritis causing the infested animal to scratch and rub 

 itself which action aids in producing a scabby skin and loss of 

 fleece. A heavily-infested animal lacks energy and finally becomes 

 poor and thin. 



Description of Louse. — Two species of biting lice are found up- 

 on goats, both of which are commonly referred to as goat lice. The 

 common goat louse (see name) appears to be the more abundant. 

 This species was collected at Wooster, Ohio, from an 

 Angora goat on June 14, 1914. This louse commonly 

 resides among the coarse hairs along the back and 

 sides. It is slightly longer than one-twenty-fifth of 

 an inch, with brownish head and thorax, pale yellow 

 abdomen with dark lateral bands and median spot on 

 each segment. The head is more of a quadrangular 

 shape than is that of the red-headed sheep louse. 

 The Angora goat louse no doubt appears in Ohio but 



no specimens have been collected, or received by the 

 Goat Louse, .■* 



Trichodectes Ohio Station. 



climax Control. — The lice may be combated by dipping 



or by the use of an insecticide powder (see control of sheep lice), or 

 by use of an ointment applied to the infested parts. Dipping is the 

 most effective means of combating these lice. 



COMMON SCAB MITE 



Psoroptes communis var. ovis 



Symptoms. — This parasite is one of the most widely adver- 

 tised of sheep parasites by reason of the vigorous efforts of the 

 Federal and State Governments to eradicate it. 



The mites are readily transmitted from one sheep to another. 

 This may be done by contact with an infested sheep, by racks 

 against which it has rubbed or from tags of wool, pastures or other 

 places where a host animal may have been. The mites seem to 

 multiply and spread more rapidly in the colder months of the year. 



The tiny mites, once introduced into the wool, prick the skin 

 and apparently introduce some irritating substances, for an itching 

 sensation soon manifests itself. The sheep bite at the infested 

 region, scratch it with their hind feet or against some stationary 

 object. The skin becomes inflamed or reddened and small pimples 



*Trichodectes climax (common goat louse). *Trichodectes limbatus (Angora goat 

 louse). *These lice do not seem to be found on sheep but are noticed here because the goat 

 is not an uncommon animal in Ohio. 



