PLANS FOR SHEEP-DIPPING BATHS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1189, 14 December 1894, Page 5

PLANS FOR SHEEP-DIPPING BATHS.

Messrs William Cooper and Nephews, of Pitt street, Sydney, the famous manufacturers of sheep dip, have forwarded us a neatly-printed: pamphlet, entitled "Practical Remarks on Sheep-dipping Baths.” From the pamphlet we have reproduced the plans, which appear below. We have frequently been asked to give plans for dipping baths and yards, and those below will no doubt be of interest and value to many of our country readers. - KEY. TO PLAN No. 1. A A Crush pens.' ' ‘ ;fi Long swing gate, admitting the : sheep to the race from each pen alternately. C The race or continuation of enclosure, about 10ft long (or less) and 16in wide to admit the sheep in single file only, and thus prevent them turning. D The slide of smooth or board fixed in a sloping position, so that the sheep whilst trying to pass to J 57 slide into the bath. This, if of wood, may be made adjustable (ah to angle) to suit

depth of water, but concrete is perhaps best. E Decoy pen, into which one or two sheep are placed to induce the others to come forward. F F Wall raised to 2ft, curved inwards . at top for an inch or two, to catch the splash.

G 111 The 'Concrete Bath, 70ft long over all,- G being the well sft deep * and 10ft long, 4ft being the greatest top width, gradually narrowing to 22in (the top width of the whole swim). If drainage can be obtained from the bottom of this, fit it with a plugged pipe to save time when emptying. The swim H should be sft deep, 22in wide till 2ft 6in from bottom, then gradually narrowing to Bin at bottom, up to bottom of landing stage, them for the remaining 20ft, which the landing stage I occuv pies, rising evenly to a few inches above the level of draining yards, making grooves at side and steps in landing stage. Walls, not less than 6in through, more if ground is not firm. Height, a few inches above ground level, to keep dirt and rubbish out of the bath, and rising with the landing stage as shown in longitudinal section. K Swing-gate admitting sheep from landing stage to right and left draining pens. *

L L L L The draining pens, each 16ft by 20ft, rising at dividing fence 1 in 20, and falling evenly to side. gutters Q Q. If two pens only are preferred they must be larger. M N Gates Bft long, sliding under cap rail on iron tongue permitting both openings or either to be open or closed; Bft gates are cumbersome, two 4fb gates better. P Battened stage from pens to ground level of drying yards quite free from feed. Q Q The gutters (wide and shallow) carrying the drainage from pens to wells R R (separately described) and thence back into the swim. R R The wells as per detail. (See below.) 8 S The mixing tank's, made from a 400-gallon tank cut in two, each raised off the ground, and a pipe with tap fitted underneath, level i inside with the bottom , from which the mixed -dip kept well stirred is conducted into the swim, either by pipes under

ground or by canvas hose. These tanks are not absolutely necessary for Cooper’s Dip if the bath is gauged—except to store water. T The water supply, made available for both mixing tanks. U The crutch with light iron head

blunt at ends, of which three or four should be at hand. V The mixer; this, if made to fit the bottom of the swim and plunged up and down will be found thoroughly efficient. The Drainage Weeds—3ft square. R R on Ground Plan (see detail drawing). These are most useful appendages to a dip, for their employment greatly reduces the filthy sediment which is one of the most objectionable features of sheep - dipping and often greatly stains the wool. a a The gutters from round the Dens from which at b let the bottom fall to 2ft deep at d; f is a strainer of strong perforated iron (£in or fin holes) dividing the well from top to bottom at c e, where in the centre it will be Ift deep, rising gradually to ground level at c and e to facilitate cleaning out the dung, &c., which must be kept'from getting back into the swim ; g, the pipe, should run from d at the bottom, i.e., 2ft below ground level to

the landing stage below the lowest dipping level. The drainage wells may be fitted with a movable wooden cover. N.B. —Gauge the bath every 50 or 100 gallons. Fit a 2in pipe with screw ca.p openings in side and end of gutter a and b, so as to turn the wash from the stage whilst dipping into the draining well, and changing it when finished dipping, to permit rainwater from stage to escape and not run into the bath. KEY TO PLAN No. 2. With the above bath, which will hold three sheep at a time, 1500 can be dipped by three men in a day. It can be built of wood, but is better in brick and cement. It secures the advantages of swimming for flecks that are too small to justify v the expense of building the long bath. A Mustering enclosure, into which the sheep to be dipped are collected. B The bath into which the sheep are passed singly. Place the sheep’s rump on the edge of the bath and

drop them gently into it. A man stands at (7 with a crutch to keep the sheep under control, and seethat they remain the proper time in the liquid and leave in the order they entered. Their heads may be plunged under with perfect safety if not held down. The

floor of the exit D should be laid so as to provide foothold for the sheep. E F The draining pens. When E is filled the sheep are passed on to F, where they continue draining until E is re-filled, when they are - turned out. It is, however, better to have the dividing fence along the line of the gutter, with a gate on pivot admitting the sheep from the bath straight into either of the pens, filling them alternately, and passing the sheep from each direct into the drying yard. Each pen should be large enough to hold not less than 50 sheep. The floors' should be of brick and cement or corrugated iron, and should be made slightly sloping from the top towards a shallow gutter in the centre, to conduct the drippings back to the bath. A tarpaulin will answer equally well. P Shows the crutch for controlling and plunging the sheep. T The mixer for stirring the bath.

Danish butter has declined by 4s 6d per cwt. in the English market.