SHEEP SCAB. 
31 
I will omit the weighings of December 5, because of the un- 
accountable falling-olf in lot 3, probably due to an error in 
weighing. 
On December 8 the dijjped lots had made an average gain of 
live and one-third pounds to an average gain of six pounds in 
the check lot. 
On December 22 we find an average gain of seven and two- 
thirds pounds in the dipped lot against a gain of nine pounds by 
the checks, indicating a set-back of one and one-third pounds in 
consequence of the dipping. 
It is a question concerning which there might be a difference 
of opinion as to whether the real set-back is better indicated 
within a very few days after the dipping, or after two or three 
weeks. It is my opinion that it is best indicated in a very few 
days. However we may think in regard to this, the weights 
given above show two-thirds of a pound as the least set-back 
and three and one-half pounds as the largest set-back. If the 
least loss indicated were the real loss, it would indicate a tax of 
about three cents per head for dipping at the temperatures above 
indicated. If the sheep are worth four cents, live weight, the 
heaviest loss, three and one-half pounds per sheep, would mean a 
loss of fourteen cents for each sheep dipped. 
The amount of loss will, of course, depend largely upon the 
degree of cold, the distance the sheep are driven, and the manner 
in which they are handled, but I am fully convinced from the 
above experiments that when the temperature is approximately 
what it was in the above experiments, the loss of weight from 
dipping will cost the owner of the sheep fully five cents per head, 
and this must be added to the expense of dipping to get at the 
total cost. It is therefore very impe,rtant that the most effectual 
dips be used, even though they may cost more, and the dipping 
should be done at such time and in such manner as to do the 
least possible injury to the sheep. This applies more particularly, 
of course, to sheep or lambs that are being fed for the market. 
DO DIFFERENT DIPS HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS? 
Patent dips are often recommended as having some tonic 
or other beneficial effect upon the sheep, aside from killing scab, 
which will more than pay for its use, while such dips as lime and 
sulphur are sure to have some bad effect. A study of the above 
table does not indicate anything of that kind. It will be noticed 
that the bunch dipped with lime and sulphur made the largest 
gain of any. To be sure, this bunch was fed upon ensilage, 
while the others had dry food, but the rapid gain argues strongly 
against any specially bad effect of this dip. 
