CATTLE TICK.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4531, 23 February 1923, Page 4

CATTLE TICK.

HOW TO ERADICATE!. ENCOURAGE STARLINGS. When addressing a meeting of farmers at Mori’insville, Mr S. Burton, M.R.C.V.S., at one time veterinarian for the Department of Agriculture, gave a short life history of the tick, and described how these pests gbt up the hair of the legs, to the tail and ears. He explained hp>v the engorged female drops to the ground and in the due hatching season, from November 1 to February 28, the young ticks climb the grass in readiness to attach themselves to any grazing or passing stock. The tick was FAIRLY NUMEROUS north of Auckland and between Te Puke .and Opotiki, but so far it was not so troublesome inland. There was nothing to worry about in the Waikato district; indeled during the last two years not a tick had been discovered on the hides inspected at the Horotiu works. The female ticx lays' about 4000 eggs, “ black little beggars” about the size of a pin htead. When the young obtain a place pn a beast, they bury themselves in the tender parts of the udder, under the tail and about the ears. Upon being detected the tick should be snipped off with a scissors, cutting it through the middle of the body ; it should not be pulled off, as that might result in blood poisoning. In the AFFECTED AREAS the cattle have to be dipped every ten days in an arsenical w,ash. This kills the tick but the cattle,' are benefited by the absorption of the arsenic. “ The absorption of arsenic into the system,” said Mr Burton, >“ is the best tonic you could have I” In this distirct, however, there was no need for a dip. At tlile same time everv precaution should be taken and settlers slhould encourage the starlings. To increase the number of these birds would be to do ,a hot toward the eradication of the tick.