I905-] 



Sheep Scab. 



667 



18. Where it is intended that the sheep to be moved shall be 

 taken direct to a market or sale not specially authorised in the 

 manner above described, or to an exhibition outside the scheduled 

 district, there appears to the Board to be no alternative but to 

 require effectual dipping in the presence of an Inspector of the 

 Local Authority as a condition precedent to the issue of the 

 necessary licence in the case both of fat and of store sheep. 

 To meet exceptional cases, however, an alternative of veterinary 

 inspection at the expense of the owner is provided. 



19. Where such place of destination is a slaughter-house no 

 licence is necessary, but the sheep to be moved must be marked 

 in the prescribed manner, and on arrival detained until they 

 are slaughtered. 



20. Sheep moved under the provisions of this Order are not 

 subject to the Regulations of any Local Authority under the 

 Sheep Scab Order above referred to. 



21. Whilst the Board fully concur in the views expressed in 

 the Report of the Departmental Committee as to the advantages 

 of dipping in connection with the business of sheep-keeping, and 

 would desire to see the practice extended to the point where it 

 became universal, they have not been able to adopt the recom- 

 mendations of the Committee so far as these relate to the 

 universal compulsory dipping of the whole of the sheep in Great 

 Britain under an Order to be made by the Board and to be 

 enforced by the various Local Authorities. 



22. As a remedy for Sheep Scab, general dipping can be 

 regarded as efficient only where steps can be taken to secure 

 the separation of the undipped sheep from those which have 

 already been dipped. Restrictions on movement are therefore 

 necessary, extending over the whole of the dipping period, and 

 in proportion as the area over which the operation is attempted 

 is extended, so must the dipping period, owing to climatic and 

 other considerations, be prolonged. The interval allowed for 

 the dipping of the whole of the sheep throughout the length and 

 breadth of Great Britain, over 25,000,000 in number, would of 

 necessity be very considerable, and, even if efficient supervision 

 could be provided to carry out this undertaking, the consequent 

 interruption of trade would hardly, in the view of the Board, 

 justify the adoption of such a remedy. More detailed con- 



