The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Mallows Flock on August 24, 2012, 10:01:09 pm
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After my posting about footbathing etc earlier this week, whilst awaiting for my footbath to arrive, I trimmed any dodgy feet, used a foot spray and then put about 12 kilo's of lime (hydrated NOT hydrolic) under my sheep shelter and within 24 hours none of my poor girls were limping...it's fabulous stuff. Even with the rain and after being trampled about it still looks clean and a good coating left when under the shelter. I understand it's not a replacement for a footbath but I highly recommend its use (wear a dustmask!!!!!!!) as a temporary quick and cheap solution for anyone needing to intervene prior to footbathing.
Have many others got any opinions...same or different...on the use of lime.
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I've just bought a sack of lime for the same reason, although I don't have anywhere under shelter to put it....but then I had a thought, what if my cat walks in it? Erm,, I don't really want to poison my champion rodent killer -any one know if it'll hurt my little Kitty if she licks it off her paws? :(
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No idea.... but you could s[pread it on a big tarp...... feed the sheep on it so they walk in it immediately (it cakes in pretty well) then fold the tarp up with a few blocks on it. That would save kitty's poor belly from a heavily alkaline substance stripping it!
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No, the lime won't poison any of your animals. It used to be added to feeds as a cheap filler.( And I used to work for the Min of Ag and test the feeds prior to prosecution.)
It works on the sheeps' feet by altering the pH (acidity) and drying them out, so making them a less ideal medium for the bacteria to grow on.
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Ooo, well I never. I will use it then, but I think I'll put it in places where my Kitty doesn't tend to go, cos even if it's used in food stuffs, if the bag says "can cause severe skin irritation, chemical burns, blindness, or lung damage" to humans then it's not something that I want my cat to lick off it's paws :(.
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parasites arent keen on it either.
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Great stuff.
I was planning on buying some hydrated lime in order to make my own Bordeaux mixture but was put off by having to buy it in 25kg bags from the buider........ but if there's another use for it then it's more justifiable.
Thanks :thumbsup:
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It worked a treat on my sheeps' feet - I put it round water trough and in gateways. brilliant stuff. I hear it gets rid of nasties in wet muddy poacked areas too. Suzie... I only paid £4 for mine from builders merch (£8 in local agri centre)... this was used up under 1 pre bend shelter and 2 gateways so a big bag isn't wasteful. i put it in fairly thick... now when I see their feet their cleats are dry and covered in white poweder instead of being wet, starting to smell a bit and cakes with mud and dried cut thistley bits. A huge success all round for me! :thumbsup:
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Oops... still logged in as my son! It's Mallows Flock ;D
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just want to check - is it hydrated lime or hydraulic lime being used here - I only ask as I have hydraulic lime for the lime pointing but not hydrated lime (which I understand is a different thing used to make limewash and lime putty I think)? My hydraulic lime is NHL5 (strongest version as we are pointing granite).
Also care not to get any of it anywhere near your eyes....
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Hydrated Lachlan... defo NOT hydraulic to be used!
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Does it work in the case of shelly hoof or just for scald/footrot?
Just seems a big problem this year, also for my goats. Nobody limping, but not looking nice...
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Hydrated Lachlan... defo NOT hydraulic to be used!
thankyou! wont save any for the sheep then (and noone else will get any of it in error!) Mind you it is jolly good for pointing the walls :-))