The younger generation have no remembrance of the epidemic of Texas
or southern fever which swept over the country about forty years ago,
killed thousands of cattle, and left hundreds of bankrupt farmers and
ranchmen in its wake. Government experts found that this deadly disease
is caused by ticks, which infest cattle in certain localities. They
also discovered that the fever can be prevented by dipping the animals
in chemical solutions.[2]
[2] For free bulletins on dipping write the Agricultural Department,
Bureau of Animal Industry, Washington, D. C.
Dipping cures not only Texas (known as “splenetic”) fever, but also
the lip and leg disease, mange, and scab or scabies of both sheep and
cattle. Certain solutions free horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs of lice,
mites, fleas, and flies. The only method of applying these chemicals,
surely and thoroughly to all parts of the animal, is by giving him a
plunge in a tank containing the healing liquid. Since the dip is the
most costly part of the process, and since it must be applied once or
twice every year, some permanent form of tank is needed—one that will
not rot or rust out, leak or heave in during winter. Concrete vats,
built ten years ago, without one cent’s worth of repair, are still as
good as new and are still giving entire satisfaction.
[Illustration]
There are four important points to be considered in the building of a
dipping tank:
First—An entering slide, steep enough to shoot the
animal in, without a direct drop. A direct drop, the
entire depth of the tank, is likely to injure the
animal.
Second—The tank must be narrow enough to prevent
the animal turning around when once in, long enough
to keep him in from one to two minutes, and deep
enough not only to make him swim, but also that he
may disappear entirely when he takes the plunge.
Third—The slope at the leaving end must be gentle
and the footing roughened or cleated so that the
animal may easily scramble to the dripping pens.
Fourth—As the liquid dip is the most expensive
part of dipping, there must be provided two dripping
pens draining back into the tank.
Select a well drained site convenient for a chute leading from a small,
well-fenced lot or corral. At the narrow end of the chute and in line
with it lay out the dipping tank with the entering slide next to the
chute.
[Illustration]
Often the chute is built on a curve, so that the animals cannot see
where they are going.
They are generally constructed with a hump in the floor. This prevents
the animal from jumping into the dip, and gives the necessary length to
the slide, without increasing the depth of the tank. Choose the proper
dimensions from the diagrams and table according to whether the tank is
to be used for horses, cattle, sheep, or hogs.
The lengths given will keep the animal in the tank one minute, usually
a sufficient time to cure mild forms of disease. Where a longer
treatment is desired, most ranchmen, instead of building tanks of
greater length, provide a drop gate working in a groove, as shown in
the photograph, by means of which the animal is kept in the tank as
long as necessary. Likewise, rather than build a separate tank for
sheep and hogs, stockmen insert a temporary division fence, running the
full length and depth of the cattle and horse tank. This fence should
be solid and so spaced as to prevent hogs and sheep from turning around
in the tank. In this way a single dipping tank may be used for horses,
cattle, sheep, and hogs.
Dig the deep part of the hole first, and then slope the earth for the
slide and climb. Lay the outlet drain pipe so that the top of the elbow
bend will be even with the surface of the finished concrete bottom.
Tamp back the dirt thoroughly about the drain tile before placing
concrete.
[Illustration]
The side walls only will require forms. If the banks stand firm, inside
forms alone will be needed. Make these of 1-inch boards on 2 by 4-inch
uprights. Steel reinforcing, preferably wire cloth or hog wire, is
placed in the forms so that it will be embedded in the center of the
concrete wall. Floor, sides, and ends should all be thus reinforced to
prevent settlement cracks due to any settlement of earth foundations.
Mix the concrete 1: 2: 4 and lay the floor and slopes directly on
the solid earth. No fill is necessary. The concrete for the sloping
ends should be mixed fairly dry so that it will tamp well and stay in
position without the use of forms. With the bottom and slopes built,
lower the side wall forms into the pit. Take care to jar no dirt upon
the concrete already placed. Space the forms properly and cross-brace
them firmly upon each other. Fill the wall space with concrete.
In placing this concrete, be sure that it strikes the wood form instead
of the earthen side, as concrete mixed with earth makes a weak, leaky
wall. Carry the walls 6 inches above the surrounding ground to prevent
flood water from running into the tank.
The entrance slope should be smooth to slide the animals into the tank
without skinning them up. Finish this surface with a wooden float and
steel trowel. Some ranchmen prefer to cover the entire slide with a
polished steel plate, the edges of which are sunk into the concrete
when the slide is built. To aid the animals in climbing out, embed in
the concrete the turned-up ends of iron cleats bent at right angles
similar to a capital “U.” Old wagon tires, cut in lengths not greater
than 20 inches and turned up 4 inches at each end, will do. Leave 1
inch clearance between the flat surface of the cleats and the concrete.
Space the cleats 18 inches for horses and cattle and 10 inches for
sheep and hogs.
At the leaving end of the tank, lay out the two dripping pens with
their division fence on a line with the center line of the tank, so
that a gate hung to this fence may close either pen, when it is full,
and allow the animals from the tank to pass to the empty pen. Use
concrete posts for the fences, as they will require no replacing.
Excavate for the drainage foundation, set the posts, and build a 6-inch
concrete floor according to the directions given under SIDEWALKS,
page 28, and FEEDING FLOORS, page 43. Slope the floors, ¼ inch to
each foot in length or width, so that the dip running off the animals
will be saved and returned to the tank. Corrugate or groove the floor
to the depth of ½ inch, every 8 inches, in one direction. During the
construction of the floor, mold around the outside a concrete curb,
commonly called a splashboard, 6 inches above the floor and 4 inches
wide. Where the dip from the floor empties into the tank, place a
removable wire screen or strainer to keep the droppings and wool tags
out of the vat. Cure the floors and slopes according to directions
under FEEDING FLOORS, page 43. The wall forms may be removed after one
week, but the tank should not be used until it is three weeks old.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
DIMENSIONS OF GROUND PIT FOR DIPPING TANKS
-------+------+-----+-----+------+-----+------+------+-----+
Kind | W | N | D | L | E | B | A | I |
-------+------+-----+-----+------+-----+------+------+-----+
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Horses |5′ 10″|3′ 4″|8′ 8″|55′ 0″|7′ 6″|31′ 0″|16′ 6″|8′ 8″|
Cattle |5′ 4″|3′ 4″|7′ 8″|51′ 0″|6′ 8″|31′ 0″|13′ 4″|7′ 8″|
Sheep |3′ 4″|2′ 4″|5′ 8″|46′ 0″|5′ 0″|31′ 0″|10′ 0″|5′ 8″|
Hogs |3′ 4″|2′ 4″|5′ 8″|36′ 0″|5′ 0″|21′ 0″|10′ 0″|5′ 8″|
-------+------+-----+-----+------+-----+------+------+-----+
-------+------+-----+---------+----------+----------
Kind | O | T | Cement | Sand | Rock
-------+------+-----+---------+----------+----------
| | | Barrels | Cu. yds. | Cu. yds.
Horses |18′ 7″|0′ 8″| 38 | 11 | 22
Cattle |15′ 4″|0′ 8″| 36 | 10½ | 21
Sheep |11′ 6″|0′ 8″| 22 | 6½ | 13
Hogs |11′ 6″|0′ 8″| 19 | 5½ | 11
-------+------+-----+---------+----------+----------
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
At first state and federal authorities had to force ranchmen to
dip, but so beneficial has it proved that compulsion is now seldom
necessary. Experienced cattle-men have found by actual tests that
dipping increases the market value of their steers $5 per head. The
cost of dipping on the farm is only 1½ to 3 cents per head—in the
stock yards the charge is 15 to 20 cents. One large ranchman, who lost
28 per cent. of his herd (several thousand) in one winter with the
mange, found his first trial of dipping so effective in curing this
disease that the following winter he did not lose a single steer.
The use of dips has become so general in the South and West that the
Government has raised the quarantine in most sections.
[Illustration]