Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-23
TAPE-WORM In SHEEP.
A PARASITE MAY WORK GREAT
DESTRUCTION TO FLOCKS.
1t Is Found in Very Great Numbers
and Over an Extended Area
of Country.

Over eighty-five per cent. of the sheep
examined iii Colorado last summer, accor-
ding to report made by DIR. Cooper Cur
tice to the Biological Society at recent
meeting, were affected by a tape-worm
which is apparently indigenous to the
Western country. Similar parasites had
been described in 1856 by DIR. K NJ Die
sing from specimens obtained from Bra
lillian deer but since that time the spe-
cies was apparently unnoticed This spe-
cies is interesting, first, on account of lis
peculiar anatomy and the life history OF
the individual parasite; second, because OF
| the history Of its species, which indicates
it to be the first acquisition of a native
parasite by the sheep on this continent,
and its subsequent distribution by the
sheep in the United States; and, third,
from an economic standpoint, the discus
sion including consideration of the dis
ease produced i'll sheep-the actual loss in
death-rate, in wool and mutton, due to the
parasite-and of the problem of cure and
prevention Of the disease
After describing the parasite, DR.. Curtice
said that these t9nia occur in the duodenum
and gall-ducts of Western lambs and
| sheep. They sometimes fill each. so
| tightly do they pack the gall-duct at times
that they cannot be withdrawn without
breaking them. The smallest tenia, about
half a centrimeter long, are always found
in the duodenum. They may be found
from May to January; no observations
were made in the winter months. From
the duodenum they pass into the gall-duct,
and occasionally into the pancreatic duct.
The tenia are usually found in assorted
sizes, from the young to the adult, but all
may be nearly eqnal in size From OBJ
servations made upon a great number of
lambs II seems that these parasites cannot
mature in less than six or possibly ten
months; so that the tenia in lambs would
not be capable of injecting other lambs
| until the former became yearlings. No
stages intermediate between the embrovo
| escaping from the parent segment and the
t@nia live millimeters long were found
As this species has not been described in
Europe, and has not been noticed in
eastern United States, it seems to have
been acquired by the sheep since their
importation into this country. Spanish
sheep were first imported about 1920.
From the early importation of sheep into
Mexico and Lower California arose those
immense herds of mission sheep, and
eventually the millions of sheep now found
in the West. These sheep are rapidly be-
ing interbred with better grades of Eastern
sheep; but the Mexican sheep furnished
the material with which the sheep-men of
the Plains began. The history of the ac-
QUESTION and distribution OF this parasite
is believed, then, to be coiucident with the
history OF these sheep since their arrival
in this country. This parasite, originally
affecting deer on this continent, is believed
by DR.. Curtice to have become ingrafted
into the sheep, animals with similar life
habits, and, through the favorable condi-
tons Of ranching, to have spread rapidly
with the increase of the hocks. Its dis
tribution is now from Oregon and Wyom-
ing southwark, and Nebraska and Kansas
westward
The disease they cause in sheep makes
its appearance gradually, and increases as
the parasites grow. 1t is characterized by
a hide-bound, tucked-up condition Of the
lambs, which is indicative of lean, ill-con-
ditioned animals. Sheep may be appar-
emily strong and healthy and still harbor
number of these parasites The poorer
lambs generally die from exposure to in
clement weather, or from smothering by
piling on top Of each other in storms in
their endeavor to keep warm. The actual
loss by death among the lambs is probably
the least portion of it; that occasioned by
the diminished amount of fat, muscle and
wool, which, though small for each animal.
is constantly present from year to year,
forms the larger, and aggregates a total
loss to the sheep husbandry of the Plains
which is probably greater than that due to
the scab-insect
As yet no effective medicinal remedy for
the destruction of these parasites has been
discovered. Something may be done in
the way of prevention, but until the COM
plete life history of the taenia is known an
entirely satisfactory plan of prevention
cannot be proposed. At present, watering
from troughs instead of from prairie pools
pasturing the lambs on prairie not recently
pastured on by older sheep, and, after
weaving, removing them to fresh pastures
are recommended. The practice Of winter
feeding on grain and hay undertaken by
ranchmen is especially advisable in Keeping
up the health of infected sheep