The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Anke on May 07, 2013, 09:32:09 pm
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I have a 3 week-old white Shetland lamb (wether) that is losing/rubbing its fleece off on his sides, all down his body. The skin underneath looks pink and is not shiny, so it seems to me he is roo-ing (if that makes sense?). Doesn't look raw, lamb behaves normally (can't catch the darn thing... ::) ). I am however worried that he may get sunburned, as he doesn't have any pigment (dark patches on his face/ear) at all...
Anyone seen something like this?
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3 weeks is generally a bit early for woolshedding sheep to think about shedding properly...I'd say it was lice or something. Can you take a skin sample to the vet?
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Have you noticed any other symptoms in your flock? We've had woolslip on occasion. Condition is down to a parasite that basically attacks the base of the fleece. Characterised by fleece coming away and you'll see a sticky brown residue to the base of it. If a ewe has it her lambs will likely get it too. Dectomax sorts it though I'm unsure if you can use it on one so young.
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I know of a hand reared lamb that had this it was put down to a problem with the type of milk. Is yours on the bottle or mum?
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No the wee one is on his dam (and a very protective one too), I have not seen anyone else shedding (except for some of last years lambs, but only round their necks, as I would expect).
I have never treated my sheep for lice (and never seen any on them), and this seems to be totally isolated...
Would like to catch the wee man, but no luck (they are in a 4 acre field just now)... just have to watch for the moment...
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Have you noticed any other symptoms in your flock? We've had woolslip on occasion. Condition is down to a parasite that basically attacks the base of the fleece. Characterised by fleece coming away and you'll see a sticky brown residue to the base of it. If a ewe has it her lambs will likely get it too. Dectomax sorts it though I'm unsure if you can use it on one so young.
You mean "lice" not "woolslip" I think. Afaik woolslip or woolbreak is not caused directly by parasites, it is more of a stress related symptom. Also dectomax doesn't kill lice, only scab. You need a pour-on for lice.
I would inspect for lice, or any lice residue. Also note the condition of the skin, and the remaining wool at the skin - i.e. has the wool fallen right out leaving bare skin, or fallen out leaving new growth, or been bitten off (I would say characterised by an "uneven cut"). Is the skin clean and unmarked, or has it sores etc.
If you want to take any samples for the vet to look at, use selotape to collect stuff. Take a few samples from all around the body.
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There's chewing/biting lice and then there's sucking lice.
Crovect does one, Dectomax used to profess to do the other but now doesn't - and I don't know why, whether the prep has changed, or what. Closamectin does everything, including fluke - it's a big hitter! - but I don't imagine it's recommended for 3 week old lambs.
Mayt be best to try to get a beastie and/or a skin scraping - or just take the lamb in - to the vet. If you can catch the patient, that is ;) :D
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Mayt be best to try to get a beastie and/or a skin scraping - or just take the lamb in - to the vet. If you can catch the patient, that is ;) :D
Mmmmmh... my fitness isn't what it used to be.... or are lambs getting faster these days?
I have got Cooper's Spot-on, which I use for lice on my goats, so a wee drop of that may be ok?
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We have an orphan lamb with a similar problem. He has always looked as if he's been disbudded, but now he has a third bald patch appeared on his head, plus the fleece along his spine is much (much) shorter than everywhere else. Originally I thought it was because he's quite dinky and has been known to climb through the fencing, and he was rubbing the fleece off. There isn't bare skin showing though, there is still fleece. However, when I fed him today I noticed it on his sides as well. We've looked really carefully and we can't see anything, just lack of fleece! On his head it's a bit scaly that's all we could see.
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Interesting! We've got one similar to this - I'll get Dan to post a pic from his phone.
Where the top layer of wool is gone, it looks like another layer of wool underneath. The lamb is fine, not itchy and she was done with Cooper's Spot On at turnout. All the others are fine.
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Interesting! We've got one similar to this - I'll get Dan to post a pic from his phone.
Where the top layer of wool is gone, it looks like another layer of wool underneath. The lamb is fine, not itchy and she was done with Cooper's Spot On at turnout. All the others are fine.
Just checked them earlier today and she has new fleece growing underneath, so it seems like yours... whatever it is... every year something new and unexplained turns up with sheep... ::)