The Site of a Dip is Most Important

Taranaki Daily News, 30 September 1940, Page 33 (Supplement)

The Site of a Dip is Most Important

The best site for a sheep dip demands careful consideration. It is seldom that the bath is quite unattached from yards or buildings, but more often comprises part of the drafting layout. Sometimes it is built directly alongside the shearing shed, which is used for filling it. This method has advantages in that it saves the expense of separate yards and crush pens, the sheep are cooler just before entering the dip, and after being on the grating floor their feet will be cleaner and will foul the wash very little. Occasionally the bath is even covered by a lean-to-roof from the side of the ehed, so that dipping can be finished and the sheep kept under cover even if unexpected rain comes on. It also affords protection during the heat of the day. The following points should be taken into account before a permanent bath is built:— A dependable water supply is essential. There should be good natural drainage. Thus, it is an advantage to have the dip

built on an elevation, not only for the above reason, but because sheep yard better uphill. Soil, providing a firm foundation, is required so that peaty places, which are notorious for shrinking and expanding, should be avoided. The site must naturally be large enough for the proposed type of bath. lor example, a pot bath requires less space than a swim through type. Lastly, the availability of shelter for dipped sheep should be considered. Where the dip is a separate unit it will, of course, be necessary for it to have its own set of yards, but these necd not be complicated, as a holding yard, a single or double crush pen to force the sheep up to the dip, and a couple of draining pens are all that are really essential. As long as the various units are in their proper sequence, the actual arrangement is of lesser importance. Some farmers claim that sheep enter a dip easier with the sun at their backs, and by others, that a curved or hog-back race leading to the dip gives best results. For any but the smallest of dips it is very desirable to have two crush pens feeding into a common race so that one can be refilled while the other is being emptied. Crush pens are usually made of post and rail construction with the rails on

the inside, and the ccntral dividing fence raiiod on both sides to present a smooth surface to the sheep. Close boarding is preferable, but not essential. In length, these pens vary a good deal and may be anything from 15 to 30 feet. The width is usually four to five feet, certamly, not wider than five feet, or one man will have difficulty in forcing the sheep forward. It is an advantage for a crush pen to have a batten floor raised off the ground, and either built to lift out in sections, or with plenty of room to rake out below. These gratings will get rid of much of the dirt from the sheep's feet before they enter the dip. A point to remember is that the battens should run lengthways along the crush pen. If they are placed across the pen sheep will be able to dig their toes in the openings and resist the forward movement. The race connecting the crush with any but the "walk in" or "slip-in" type of bath should be from three to four feet wide and close boarded for preference. If too narrow the sheep will take too long to pass through. and if too wide one man will experience difficulty in preventing some from dodging ^ back. Where the "walk-in" or "slip-in" type is used, the race should be the same width as the drafting race, that is, about 16 inches.