SHEEP DIPPING.

Southland Times, Issue 19458, 24 January 1925, Page 12

SHEEP DIPPING.

REPORT TO FARMERS’ UNION. The following report on sheep dipping and dips, prepared by members of the Fanners’ Union appointed as a commission, was placed before yesterday’s meeting of the Executive, and approved by those present: “We expected more hearty co-operation from the sheep formers in our efforts to trace the causes of so many flocks of sheep being tick or lice, infested, but notwithstanding the small number of replies, we believe that we have got enough information to throw sufficient light on the subject in order to suggest remedies. A few reports were of no value because they were incomplete and unsigned. The reports indicate about 50 per cent good results, 20 per cent fair, 17j per cent unsatisfactory, and 12A per cent inconclusive. “The following are among the causes of inconclusive results: Dips not being properly mixed; not being used up to required strength; dips not being frequently stirred; sheep being kept less than one minute in bath; dip diluted by heavy rain before having dried on the fleece; second dipping being performed too long after the first to prevent re-infection from fertile eggs left in the fleece; and re infection from purchased sheep or perhaps stragglers. The Stock Act (1908) makes no stipulations regarding the strength of the dip and the time the sheep should be immersed. Perhaps legislation with more stringent regulations would do no good, but that can be considered. The prevalence of ticks and lice is no doubt due principally to faults in connection with the use of dips, and possibly to some extent to the use of inferior dips; also erratic feeding of sheep. In some cases sheep are hurried through the bath, with the result that there is a great annual loss to many sheep owners. “We offer the following suggestions:— (1) Sheep should be dipped before the end of March. Dipping should not be performed during a period of wet weather. (2) Dips should be carefully mixed and used up to the prescribed strength, and the directions faithfully complied with. (3) If parasites are present the sheep should be dipped twice; the second dipping 18 to 21 days after the first for ticks, and 8 or 9 days between the first and second dippings for lice. (4) We strongly recommend simultaneous dipping, as sheep are apt to get through fences. (5) Purchased sheep should be looked upon with some suspicion, even if they have been dipped, and should be very carefully examined. (6) All sheep taken to sales and returning unsold should be kept apart until thoroughly examined.” Signed—G. P. Johnston, A. McKenzie, C. Gardner, E. Simon, J. Smith, D. Marshall. A CLYDESDALE FOB ARGENTINE. BRED IN NEW ZEALAND. The Clydesdale stallion Craigie Real McKay (20287), was recently shipped from England to the order of Senores Gregorio Villafane Hijos, of Buenos Ayres. This horse was bred by Messrs J. and H. McKay, Springbank, Tarbolton, New Zealand., and was purchased from Mr James Kilpatrick, junr., of Wigton, Cumberland. He is a brown bay, five years old, 17 hands, with great substance for a Clydesdale, and stands on the best feet and quality legs, and goes with great style and gaiety. He was awarded the Glasgow £BO premium at the Scottish stallion show in 1921. He has proved himself a very impressive sire of big, richcoloured animals, some of which have been first-prize winners at the leading shows in Cumberland and Westmoreland. His sire, Craigie Litigant, is one of the greatest horses of to-day. He won first prize at the Glasgow stallion show as a two-year-old, also as a three-year-old he won the Cawdor 50 guineas Challenge Cup and the Brydon 100 guineas Shield. He was also champion stallion at the Glasgow stallion show on two occasions as an aged horse, besides winning the championship at the Highland of Scotland, Dumfries, 1922. His stock have won leading honours at the principal shows of Great Britain. His dam, Daisy of Springbank, is a fine, dark-coloured mare, with weight and quality, a prize-winner in Ayrshire. She is a daughter of the great breeding horse Marcellus, a son of the renowned Hiawatha. These two horses were amongst the greatest prize winners and breeding horses of their day. FUNGUS DISEASES. PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT. Fungus diseases are caused by minute vegetation organisms attacking plants of a high order, and in some seasons the losses caused are very serious, and humid conditions are very advantageous for most of them. Where the drainage of land is bad, the conditions are usually very favourable for the rapid propagation of these minute plants. In spraying against fungus diseases, it should be borne in mind that treatment should always be preventative rather than curative, for once these organisms enter tneir host plant they are beyond the reach of effective treatment. The aim of the horticulturist should be to coat with a fungicidal spray the plant to be protected, so that the spore of the disease, on germination taking place, would come into contact with the fungicide that separates it from its host plant, and thus cause its death. If the tree has not been protected by coating it with a fungicide, the spore or germination sends out mycelial threads, which find their way beneath the skin of the host plant and commence to feed on its tissues. The skin and tissue of the affected parte are killed, and it is the inability of these dead parts to expand and keep pace with the growing parts of fnrit that causes the cracks in apples and pears when attacked by Black Spot fungus.