LICE PROBLEM STILL ACUTE

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 10

LICE PROBLEM STILL ACUTE

! rpHREE thousand five hun1 dred ewes and lambs, out of a total yarding of 21,693, had to be dipped at the Addington market on Wednesday. I While this number was still well below the big tally of 16000 dipped one day last sum-

mer, Mr A. R. Diack, a livestock instructor with the Department of Agriculture, said jit was still high enough. At one stage during the adult sheep sale on Wednesday, an auctioneer paused to tell farmers that the dip was “just chocker.” The 3500 sheep, which were “ticketed” before sale, represented 70 pens and 26 lines. Mr Diack said later that hill-country properties were not only to blame. The sheep requiring to be dipped on Wednesday came from a welldispersed area, including fatlamb farms.

Mr Diack said he thought the presence of lice was a result mainly of faulty methods of dipping. Farmers were using methods recommended only for sheep with up to six weeks’ growth of wool.

These methods—dusters, tip sprayers, and showers —were being used where sheep were carrying three or four months’ growth of wool, or more, and the dip was not penetrating. Mr Diack said there were also other factors, such as reinfestation where boundary fences were not good, and where there had not been clean musters.

Dipping at the market is much more costly than on the farm. The charge this summer is Is 3d a head, lambs included, and it will be dearer later in the autumn.

FOR N.Z. Five Aberdeen Angus cattle—a bull and five females —have recently been purchased in Scotland for export to New Zealand, reports the London correspondent of “The Press.” They have passed the strict veterinary tests. The bull has been sold by the Liridertis Co., Ltd., to Mr R. G. Allan, of Southbridge. It is Lindertis Evidence, a 13-month-old son of Jewlect Eric of Wych Cross, whose grandsire is the outstanding 22,500 gn Election of Thorn the winner of the supreme championship at Perth in 1960. Two of the cows, which are all from the Westdrums herd of Boots Pure Drug Co., Ltd., are for Mr A. Grant, of Craigburn Farm Ltd., South Canterbury. They are 20-months-old Eroika of Westdrums by Eros of Wych Cross. and two-year-old Prosy of Westdrums, by Jules Eric of Wych Cross.