SHEEP TICK

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 91, 11 January 1919, Page 10

SHEEP TICK

EFFICACY OF DIPPING. '~ The chief veterinary officer of the Victorian Department of Agriculture (Mr. Robertson) states that the opinion among many sheep-owners that the sheep tick will live for some time away. from sheep is mistaken. By experiments conducted by Dr. Sweet and Messrs. Seddon. and Hill, of the University Veterinary School, -it has been found that the tick does not live long off the sheep. Generally they were.-found dead within four days. Only 17 out of 151 were alive after seven days, and these were in a cool, dark room, while only two lived for ten days, and the last of them died within 11' days. "The practical lesson to be derived from this," Mr. Robertson added, ,"is that, when an owner dips all his sheep, and lambs in an efficient dipping mixture, it is not ii difficult matter to' clean ,l\is; flock. The system so often followed— which is a contravention of the provisions of the Sheep Dipping Act. and for which a penalty is provided—of dipping the sheep and omitting somo of. the lamb's, cannot be too strongly condemned, for the ticks on. the lambs will net as fresh centres of distribution and reinfect tho flock. As the presenco of ticks on sheep depreciates the value of the w>ol and 'carchss to the extent of i>bout 2s. fid. a head, it is unqupctionnble that dippingis a, paying proposition." .