NEW SHEEP DRENCH

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19373, 10 July 1937, Page 13

NEW SHEEP DRENCH

BLACK SCOUR WORMS A now and effective treatment for parasitical worms, and in particular the black scour worm in young sheep, is advocated in a report from the Australian Council for Scientilic and InIndustrial Research. It is a drench consisting of a mixture of bluestone (copper sulphate) and nicotine sulphate. Except where grown sheep brought on to infected land from dry areas where they have never developed powers of resistance against the parasite, infection from black scour worm is typically a disease of hoggets and weaners.

For this reason and because of the severity of the mixture, it is not advisable to use the drench indiscriminately. Rough usage of syringes or drenching guns or an incorrect volume of liquid when drenching may result in the scalding of the lining of mouths or stomachs or even in poisoning.

Dosage is regulated according to the size, not the age, of sheep, and the report contains a caution that the drenching must be done slowly and patiently.

Quantifies recommended are: — Lambs, .'l-4 months, 1 pint; 4-6 months, 1-H pint; sheep, 6-12 months, H pint to 1 quart; 12-18 months, 1-H quart: grown sheep, H-2 quarts.