The eradication of Damalinia ovis by spraying insecticide onto the tip of the wool

The eradication of lice from Merino sheep with wool up to 65 mm long was achieved by spraying insecticide onto the tip of wool over the sides and back. The insecticides used were cyhalothrin and diazinon in small volumes and at high concentration. When infested sheep were sprayed with 100 ml of cyhalothrin 1,500 ppm or diazinon 36,000 ppm, no live lice were seen 23 days after treatment. When treated sheep were challenged with live lice 100 days after treatment an infestation did not establish. Cyhalothrin at a lower concentration of 1,000 ppm gave excellent control but at 500 ppm only fair control was obtained. Diazinon at 24,000 ppm gave probable eradication and at 12,000 ppm excellent control. If a practical method of applying the insecticide to the tip of wool can be developed, then this technique should provide an effective means of eradicating lice in sheep with long wool. This would greatly assist the sheep industry in controlling and eradicating sheep lice.