The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: princesslayer on October 18, 2014, 11:14:43 pm

Title: No fly strike - why?
Post by: princesslayer on October 18, 2014, 11:14:43 pm

Ok, so don't lynch me, but I've had four Jacobs since May, no preventative, and not a hint of fly strike all summer. Why is this? Beginners luck? Is it because they're on pasture that hasn't had sheep before?

They're shearlings, sheared in early June. My neighbour had one die of strike (allegedly, I didn't see it).

How can I replicate these conditions next year, or is it just luck!  :fc:

Thanks

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: Brucklay on October 18, 2014, 11:21:53 pm

We live in Aberdeenshire and at the top on a wee hill and generally it's always windy and for 6 years no flystrick but this year the weather has been calmer and we had 3 cases in clean lambs at the same time so It could be lots of reasons from wind, weather, luck, amount of cover/hedging for flies to hover - from what I've learnt this year never rule it out - oh and keep checking  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: farmvet on October 18, 2014, 11:28:58 pm

You may just be lucky but some sheep breeds & family lines are definitely more affected than other. Presumably just like us with midges...

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: Gunnermark on October 19, 2014, 09:25:54 am

I used to keep Jacob and Suffolk sheep and for 3 years on the trot I had fly strike in the Suffolks and never in the Jacobs. I put it down the the fleece, not sure if that is it but I never needed to treat them whereas the Suffolks even had click and still got struck. Could also be your location.

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: Bionic on October 19, 2014, 09:30:46 am

Don't start counting your chickens just yet. We had a case on the last day of October last year. When I went to by the Crovect the agri merchants told me they had sold 3 lots of the stuff that week.

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 19, 2014, 10:16:10 am

Given the choice flies tend to choose only the very best quality wool!  Even so, a couple of our Badger Face were struck in the very calm, humid weather in July this year, despite having been recently shorn.  The rule with sheep is NEVER take anything for granted.

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: princesslayer on October 19, 2014, 09:04:10 pm

Thanks, I'll be keeping a close eye on them until we've had a few hard frosts that's for sure. Which might be Christmas at this rate!

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: devonlady on October 20, 2014, 08:10:41 am

I had maggots in my Jacob's feet this year. Not nice!

Title: Re: No fly strike - why?
Post by: SteveHants on October 20, 2014, 10:06:59 pm

Susceptibility to flystrike is highly heritable - some sheep just won't get it.