248 Animal Husbandry 
DIPPING SHEEP 
Dipping the sheep is an essential part of sheep growing. No 
farmer should attempt to raise sheep without planning to dip 
them, not only upon their arrival at the farm, but twice annually 
thereafter. The process is very simple as well as inexpensive. 
400. Importance of dipping. — There are two essential reasons 
why all sheep should be dipped: first, to free them of ticks; and 
second, to free them of scab germs. It is impossible for lambs 
infected with ticks or other parasites to thrive. A good dip cleanses 
the skin, increases the quantity, and improves the quality of the 
wool. Thus all sheep, whether foundation stock or lambs intended 
for fattening, should be dipped immediately upon their arrival 
on the farm. 
Sheep ticks can be entirely overcome by dipping. Sheep ticks 
inhabit no other farm animals, and once eradicated, there is no 
possible chance of their reappearing, unless brought to the flock 
on infested sheep, or carried in some manner, as in the clothing 
of shearers, from an infested flock. 
Sheep scab can likewise be prevented by dipping. This scab 
is caused by a minute parasite, too small to be seen by the naked 
eye, which irritates the skin, causing a watery exudate. This 
exudate forms a crust beneath which the scab mite burrows, 
greatly irritating the animal, causing loss of flesh, intense itching, 
loss of wool, and the death of the sheep. The mite is transferred 
from one sheep to another, and soon the entire flock is affected. 
Unless well disinfected, sheep are apt to become infected with 
the scab mite in the stock-yards, railroad stock-pens, or in stock- 
ears. As they multiply very rapidly, a few parasites gathered up 
in this way will soon run through an entire flock. When once the 
sheep become affected and scabs formed, the disease is hard to 
eradicate. If it is taken in time, prevention is very easy. 
401. The dipping vat. — The nature of the dipping vat or tank 
will be determined largely by the size of the flock. For a small 
