Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1915-06-09
PROBLEMS OF THE
SHEEP BUSINESS.


,x.,l G. sherwood: Instractos IN Animal In.
u ES.ss-y UuisefpttY o. Aa3nes - fhfmera'
wees Course, isis.J
~ss biz problem In the sheep u mot. a
...,roply supposed. how to guard the
49, from the rsvaxss u he shccp-ki
..y dog. bpt to guard II asainst smaller
80 infinitely mors Numerous enemies
..,tes. No other farm animal 10 90
fmic,ed with parasites - il tbs sheep.
s.,,.ye psr.sisism ID largely rssponsibls
sor he decline in sheep In Maine.
sheep parasites are Of two general kinda.
..,srusl and internal. " the two the ex-
canal. while annoying 70 both sheep and
.henherd, are far less serious For COM
s.,tin4 them re hare both preventive
~ curative measures which are definitely
.e.c,ive. The external Include scabiss,
NJ, and ticks. The general treatment for
them is the same
Ticks are most numerous In tbs State,
"a in the following outline OF treatment
.p.c,sl references 10 mads to them. The
,smedie. most commonly used arr solu-
,,ou. made in accordance with the manu-
..ctursrs' directions, Of The standard pro-
uris,ary dips, like Coopsr's dip powder, or
oue OF the coai-tar products, like ssnolaum
or uspt hoieum. rhsy ars applied BY Inn
msring the sheep in them, using perhaps
.tub, . home made vat OF . rsady-msde
s.lysnissd iron dripps ng-vat.
Dipping should b done on . warm
sunny day. Ths sheep should b. soaked .
iull minute and should b. completely
sou.sd once In that time. soft hot water
ID more effective than hard, cold water.
The operation should Be done NJ least once
: rear. preferably twtcs after sbearing In
the spring aud In the fall before putting
into wintsr quarters.
To do really thorough Job the regular
dipping should b followed ten days later
with another to get any nitS that mag
have Matched out In tho interim. II ticks
bscome srou blossoms ct . season whom Il
voaid be inAdvtsabis to dip. they can b.
bald in absyancs By sitting into the wool
pyrssnum powder. IN insscticids readily
obsainahie on the market.
Al thsssart IL may ~ veil be- said that
curative measures are mot only satis-
factory in producing results but are
dsnserous when combating internal
parasites. II 10 always dificult and risky
to administer drugs to sheep, and while
good authorities recommend yerifugcs
like gasoline and blue vitriol, tho weight
Of authority bears towards preventive
rather than curative treatment.
The various common internal parasites
Of sheep are those that AFFECT: az the
brain. causing 'sturn- sickness or .'gid";
az the nasal passages, causiog tue disease
known a. s.grubs-in-the- head; az the
lungs, causing "husk" or .'hoose"; al the
liver. causing ''fiuke-wortn disease; (5)
the stomach. causing general digestive
troubles; (s) the in,estines, causing tho
same difficulties.
Theembfyos OF one OF the intestinal worms
barrow iato the intestinal walls causing
''aodalar discass'', commonly known as
sknosiy gusn. This condition, II we may
judge from sutopsivs on dead sheep, Is al
Dost universally present to greater or
less extent. Stomach worms arc very
troublesome 10 lambs in the central and
eastern states, while grabs in the head
are rather frequent In Maine focks.
Space does not psrmit an extended dis
eussson Of these. Tho general effects on
the sheep arc thr same, va: General de-
bsiity, low condition, ~ evidenced by thin
hasn and paieness or blueness OF tho skin
sad ,,,sss,.s,z xx,n.x. t.~su.s a,.a s..uax.f ,x
thri'slness. feed seeming TO do the animal
no good.
Preventive measures arc ss follows:
First, never allow the flock to get down in
eoor condition through lack Of feed;
Second, keep mp the constitutional yigor
and Vitality OF the flock by breeding and
selection; third, aim to use small tempo
nary pastures In short rotation rArhe than
large permanent pastures for entire sea-
sons, especially IL ii desirnbls to provide
the lambs, separate from ths old sheep,
pastures Of cultivated crops; fourth, clean
up and thoroughly disinfect the winter
quarters while the sheep arc out on the
PASTURE, and keep these quarters clean and
well esdded during occupancy; nfth, the
use OF medicinal preventive measures IL 10
be recommended. Some OF these are
'asriag the nose and blowing furrow on
. ridge in the pasture to help the sheep
ward on the bot fy that deposits grubs
N their noses, and feeding worm repeilers
with salt to keep worms out OF this diges-
tive tract. Some OF tho rspeilers that are
cheap and good are; ~ tobacco - fed In
proportion Of four pounds Of leaves to one
pound OF salt; t2) copperss. fed in equal
parts with salt; and t3l turpsntine,
enough to satarAte the salt.
rhs greatest importance, however, must
o placed ON keeping robust, hardy sheep
IN clean quarters and on clean frcsh pas
ture.