Why are sheep dipped

Last summer he unveiled a bespoke automatic dipping tank fitted to a wagon to double daily throughput from sheep an hour to sheep an hour. Mr Fell reassures farmers that there is no shame in having scab — a very contagious condition spread by psoroptic mites — and stresses that veterinarians and dipping contractors alike are professional and confidential.

For comprehensive guidance on training, industry certificates, hazards, equipment, good practice and setting up a safe dipping system, access the Health and Safety Executive website PDF. This site requires a JavaScript enabled browser. Safe and efficient plunge-dipping is a key part of a thorough flock health plan for Northumberland commercial lamb producer Selby North-Lewis. See also: Video: Business flourishes with bespoke sheep-dipping crate.

Now all breeding sheep are dipped annually in an automatic mobile dipping truck, and last year, all lambs were dipped too — 6,head in total. The dipping crate is operated by three contract dippers all wearing personal protective equipment PPE. Sheep move through pens, up a race and through the dipping trailer. Dipping typically takes place two weeks before tupping kicks off, when ewes are given their pre-tupping check at the start of October.

He collects mobs of sheep on a quad bike and takes them away once the sheep have dried. NFSD then disposes of the used sheep dip safely, storing it in plastic tanks before the council remove it. This means breeding sheep can all be processed by Mr North-Lewis and the contractors in a single day, despite the farm only employing a part-time labourer.

These facilities have networks that they need to keep secure and free from malware infections. To prevent new "sheep" — new data, new files, new devices — from infecting the network, it is best to scan files and devices for infections ahead of time, before they are connected to the network, much like how sheep are treated for infections before they are introduced to a new flock.

If infections are detected on a new device, the infection should be removed if possible, and if not possible, then the device should be quarantined. USB drives especially should receive this treatment.

Threats may be hidden on portable media on purpose, or, as is all too common , without the user's knowledge. To prevent potentially infected USB drives from contaminating the rest of the network, they should be plugged into an external terminal and scanned first.

These days sheep dip compounds often contain organophosphorus OP or synthetic pyrethroids SP compounds which can leach through the soil and pollute groundwater 7. Whilst not as toxic as arsenic, the modern compounds are far from safe to human health. Organophosphate exposure can cause coma, vomiting and diarrhoea. Over a longer term they can cause issues with fertility, cancer, as well as brain and nerve problems 8. Pyrethroids are considered safer for farmers but they can also interfere with nerve and brain function.

It has been indicated from animal studies that long term exposure may cause cancer.