This program considers all the common causes of rubbing and helps you works through these, including checking for lice. It provides an estimate of the chance that rubbing is due to lice or due to any of a range of other possible causes. Note that lice may be present even if some other factor is the main cause of rubbing. The program can be used on its own or as part of the short wool or long wool programs.

Brief Instructions for Rubbing DSS

Click on each of the tabs in turn, starting with ‘Lice’ and answer the questions on that page. If you have not looked for lice, or you have actually found lice then ignore the tab ‘Lice not seen’.

At any time you can click the ‘Calculate’ button and the program will estimate the probability that rubbing is due to any of a range of possible causes. The probability that lice are the cause of rubbing is shown at the top, but other potential causes are included.

Keep in mind that rubbing may be due to more than one cause. For example, sheep may be rubbing due to grass seeds, but also have lice. This is why the probabilities may add up to more than 100% and you cannot eliminate lice just by finding some other cause.