Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-06
SHEEP scAB OR MITE.
Precautionary Methods Advised by
Commissioner Buckley.

SoHfHiSSfOUcF ouCNfGY-
Commissioner of Agriculture John r
Buckley has received reports from va
rious parts of the State concerning sheep
that are affected with sheep scab or mite.
The precautionary methods and treatment
advised by the South Dakota and Ken
lucky agricultural experiment stations
is being advised by Commissioner Buck
ley who is sending out to the farmers
the following extracts from these reports:
Dipping.
l. Dipping should preferably be per-
formed shortly after sheaiing dipping
all the sheep at one time
2. Select lime and sulphur. tobacco
and sulphur. or an approved coal-tar dip.
3. Keep the temperature of the vat at
from 1903 degrees to los degrees +.
4. Hold each sheep in the dip two min
utes by the Match; guessing at the time
is not reliable. Completely immense the
head once.
s. Ten days later dip the entire flock
6. After the second dipping place the
flock on portion of the farm from which
they have been excluded for at least four
weeks previously.
Additional Precautionary Measures.
CD Scabby sheep should never be
driven along a public road; % sheds and
barns in which scabby sheep have been
should be thoroughly cleaned and disin-
| tttIcuf uSt II COdi-idF zip OF CFuut cdr-
bolic acid a disinfectant. Leave these
pieces unused for four weeks or longer
before placing healthy sheep therein, CD
pastures should not be used for four
weeks before healthy sheep are adj
mitted. although drenching rains will aid
IN their dtsinfection; the posts, etc,
disinfeetant to show where ii has been
applied, go observation shows that the
greatest amount of loss from soap may
be directly attributed to the owners neg
lect on procrastnation: don't wait until
the sheep begin to die from scab before
dipping. dip early in the disease.
In dipping the sheep, tank or q box
should be provided In which the sheep
could be Stood with its head out of the
dip, 1t is good plan to have a rack
thes heep into it and lower it into the
dip. In this way the dipping can be done
without much difficulty, and the dip will
turb the sheep.
Cause of the scab.
Historically, sheep scab is one of the
Oldest known diseases of sheep. but its
cause was not discovered until about the
middle of the 18th century GS}5), when
found to be very small mite. The scien-
tile name given to this particular mite
- Pscroptes communis. The mite is
light gray in color, the female is one
fortieth and the female one-sixtecnth of
an inch in length, To be more definite.
a full grown male mite is about the size
/
mite resembles minute spider It has
four pairs of legs, the last pair being
long thread-like appendages which are
longer in the female than in the male.
The mite crawls about slowly, showing
that its power of iocomotion Is weak A
female will lay from 10 to 20 eggs during
her lifetime. These eggs are about one
eighth the size of the mite itself. and
the naked eye. The period of incubatio
is from 4 to 10 days depending mainly
upon temperature. Gerlaeh, noted au-
thority. estimates the descendants of a
single female TO be I000eo0 females and
100000 males at the end of 90 days He
estimates the average number of eggs
hatch females and five males. and al
lows - days for each generation
Lime and Sulphur Dip.
The efficacy of lime and sulphur as Il
scab eradicator is beyond dispute, as at
tested by the results obtained in the dip
pings conducted at different stock yards
under the direction of the bureau of an
mal industry, statistics showing that
about IS per cent of affected sheep dip
ped have recovered. the number of ami
mails dipped running well into the mill
lions. The chief objection raised to the
use Of lime and sulphur dips is the injury
occasioned to the WOOL If the dip Is
properly prepared so that all the lime
unites with the sulphur, and the dipping
Is performed shortly after the sheep are
shorn. this objection proves specious. In
preparing this dip weigh out eight pounds
Of unslacked lime and "A pounds of the
flowers of sulphur. Place the lime in A
mortar box and add enough water To
Stake the lime, forming sort of paste or
putty To this add the sifted sulphur and
STIR or mix Wen together. Put this mix
ture into a kettle or boiler and add 30
gallons of boiling water. This mixture
should be boiled for at least two hours
stirring frequently. and occasionally add
ing fresh water to maintain the original
quantity. This is then placed in a cask
or other receptacle and allowed 10 settle
for several hours. When fully settled
draw off the clear liquid into the vat
but do not allow any of the sediment
to pass over into the vat. Add sufficient
warm water. to bring the total quantity
up to 100 gallons