Well constructed dip tanks

26.7.1 Well constructed dip tanks  Should be located so that draining does not contaminate drinking water.

 Should be located so that animals don't have to swim to or from the dip.

 Should be covered to prevent dilution by rainwater and to reduce evaporation (as much as 500 liters per week may be lost in hot, windy, or dry areas).

 Should be long and deep enough to allow complete immersion of the animal, and only wide enough to comfortably allow one animal through at a time. Typical well-constructed tanks hold between 9,000 to 14,000 liters.

 Should have access along its entire length so handlers can assist an animal in distress. Ropes and pronged sticks 3 meters in length should be readily available along the tank for this purpose.

 Should have a collecting pen with a hard surface (for cleanliness) leading to the entrance of the tank.

 Should have a foot-bath ramp about 8 meters long leading into the tank. Shallow lengthwise grooves should be made in the floor of the foot-bath to spread open the claws of the hoof. This ramp should be cleaned after each use.

 Should have a safe, non-slippery “jump-off” point to the tank from the collecting pen.

 Should have a ramp the width of one animal leading out of the dip. This ramp should drain the dip solution from the animal back into the tank and allow for any needed individual treatment.

Modification for Small Herds: For small herds, a modified method is available which uses less dip solution. A more shallow tank is constructed which contains approximately 2250 liters and submerges the animal only up to its flanks. The animal is yoked while standing in the bath and buckets of the dipping solution are scooped from the dip and poured over the animal's body to complete the treatment. This method has been used successfully in East Africa.