S? Ask the
VMD Jfc
Leon Riegel
If you have a question you
would like answered by the
team from Valley Animal
Hospital, send it to Ask the
VMD, Box 366, Lititz, Pa.
17543. Questions will be kept
anonymous on request.
Will Sun Clear Ringworm?
A reader asks:
What Causes Ringworm’
Why Does Sunlight Seem To
Clear It UP’
Dr. Riegel comments:
Ringworm, also called
dermatomycosis, is caused
by fungi called der
matophytes
Two of the common genus
of fungi causing Ringworm
are Trichophyton and
Microspomm each with
numerous species causing
problems in various
animals
The fungi infect the outer
layer of skin and hair follicle
forming a crust The
organism under the crust
dies for lack of air and only
those around the edge of the
lesion are active, hence the
term Ringworm.
The fungi grow well in a
warm, dark, humid en
vironment with a slightly
alkaline, or basic pH
(Children prior to puberty
are more susceptible to
picking up the disease due to
skin secretions creating an
alkaline situation)
Ringworm seems to be
more prevalent in young '
calves kept stabled in early
Spring Treatment of the
Edgar Sheafier
Tim Trayer
disease is directed at
slowing the growth cf the
organism and/or increasing
the growth of the skin The
lesions themselves are self
limiting, possibly due to
local immunity to the
organism.
Why does sunlight seem to
clear up the infection’
The reasons are
Animals in sunlight are
outside to a greater degree,
lessening the exposure to the
causative organisms con
centrated in an enclosed
environment
—The stall or area where
animals are kept has a
greater chance to dry out,
lessening the ideal en
vironment for the fungi to
grown
Ephrata farmers plan
recertification session
EPHRATA - The
Ephrata Adult Farmer
program will conduct a
pesticide field tour and
recertification program on
Tuesday morning, August 5,
from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
The two-fold educational
program will be held at the
Southeastern Penn State
Research Farm under the
direction of Agronomist
John Yocum.
Farmers who hold private
applicator restricted use
chemical permits must
—Sunlight on infected
areas causes faster growth
of the skin with a greater
chance for animals to shed
the infecting organism
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 5,1980—A43
update their certification
annually.
Certification is necessary
to use certain herbicides,
insecticides and other
pesticides which have been
classified “restricted use”
by the U.S. Environmental
Protection agency.
The Young Farmers plan
to meet in the parking lot at
the west end of the Ephrata
Junior High School at 8:45
a.m. They will travel as a
group to Landisville.
The program, according to
advisor Charles Ackley, will
include update training and
will qualify participants for
pesticide recertification.
Also on the adjenda is a
tour of research plots to
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discuss the effectiveness of
various materials and ap
plication rates.
Sites will include extensive
weed control in tobacco and
soybeans, some weed control
m corn, and some insect
control m corn, alfalfa, and
tobacco.
Farmers who want to have
their certification updated
should return the post card
they received m the mail
along with the white copy of
the recertification training
certificate.
Those who wish to join the
field trip and program
should noticy Ackley by
calling him at the high
school at 717/733-7961.