The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-06-21
Pests Of the Lambs.


When the sheep are sheared the an
noyance which they have been suffering
for months back from ticks may be
realized. Few owners of flocks take
the trouble to examine their sheep to
know in what condition of misery they
may be, or to discover the reason why
they pine slowly away until they
perish in the fence corners where they
have secluded themselves. No other
domestic animals suffer so much from
parasitic pests as sheep, and of these
pests ticks are the most annoying.
We have heard OF a lamb which had
been sheared in the fall having more
than 5000 of these blood-sucking pests
upon it, and it only weighed twenty
six pounds. This number is sufficient
almost to cover the whole surface of
the wretched animal, and its sut1erings
through the winter can scarcely be
realized, thus made prey by the
careless neglect of its owner to these
tormentors. No wonder that sheep
should be subject to SO many ailments
when this, the most conspicuous one of
the many pests, is permitted to prey
upon it in this injurious manner.
This season is a very fit aid proper
one for considering this subject, be-
cause the young lambs are now about
to become subject to q variety of pests,
and if they are to be savel from them
immediate steps must be taken to this
end. AS regards the ticks, remedy is
quite easy, because when the sheep are
shorn these creatures gather upon the
lambs for their needed shelter in the
wool. Then, if the lambs are properly
treated, the ticks may be completely
DESTROYED. This treatment consists in
dipping the lambs in q preparation of
tobacco and sulphur made as follows:
Four ounces of course tobacco or of the
stems are stepped in one gallon Of boil
| ing water; one ounce of flowers of sui
phur to this quantity of tobacco is
added, and the liquid covered up until
the heat is reduced to 120 deg. A suf-
ficent quantity is made to dip the lamb
entirely, all but the head, and the lamb
is kept in the liquid about ten seconds,
the wool being rubbed with the hand so
as to bring the liquid in complete con-
tact with the skin. This kills the ticks
instantly, and as the lamb is turned
loose the dead insects will be seen drop
ping from the fleece. The liquor should
be kept up to the above temperature to
maintain its efficacy. For small num-
Der the liquor may be poured into the
wool along the back, and guided
through it on the sides and
TANKS, but dipping is the most ef1ec-
tive method of applying the remedy.
Another destructive enemy of young
lambs is the throat thread worm, a
small white WORM known us the thread
strongle, (Str0nggJUS fIarja,) and y
related creature to the cape worm of
young chickens. This worm inhabits
the bronchial tubes and the air pas
sages of the lungs and produces the
disease known as ''paper skin" or
''pining," and professionally known as
angmia, or bloodlessness. The animal
becomes emaciated and its skin white
and transparent; the blood has not its
healthful red color, being deficient in
the red corpuscles for want of the nee
essary oxidation in the lungs, and the
lambs gradually pine away until they
are found dead. This pest inhabits the
older sheep, but is not so frequently
fatal to them, although it interferes con-
siderably with their thrift. As the
worms mature and die in the intestines
of the old sheep they, with u large
number of eggs, are discharged in the
eXcrement. When this is dropped
upon the grass and the dung is moist
encd and dissolved the eggs are re-
leased and are Matched into minute
worms, which become attached to the
grass and are thus taken into the stom
achs of the sheep and lambs that are
| pastured on fields where sheep have
run the year before, or which have been
top dressed with manure from the
sheep-pens. To avoid the trouble it is
only necessary that the lambs should be
kept from such fields and provided with
clean pasture. As relief from the
| disease when it has invaded the flock.
small doses of turpentine are given
daily for several days in succession,
and at least one hour before the lambs
are fed. The dose tor a three or four
months old lamb is one teaspoonful.
given in as much molasses to soften its
Initiative effect. But, Us with all other
disorders of sheep and lambs, preven-
ton is the most effective cure.-M Y
Times.