The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Jukes Mum on August 17, 2015, 01:52:37 pm

Title: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Jukes Mum on August 17, 2015, 01:52:37 pm
Do any of you with Ryelands (or other wooly bellied breeds), crovect the sheep's tummies? I just had a real scare finding a flystrike on one of the lambs tummies. Fortunately it was only a small patch and has barely broken the skin, but they were only crovect'd 2 weeks ago. I didn't spray their undersides.
Should they have their undersides sprayed?
The other option could be to keep their bellies clipped (my shearer would be happy with this!) and this leads me to another question. Is there such a thing as an affordable battery powered clipper which could be used for this?
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Fleecewife on August 17, 2015, 05:01:09 pm
We do spray their bellies, especially the woollier types.  All we have left of those now are Shetlands.  Before we spray the backs, we tip the sheep, spray under the crutch (a common place for strike) and around the pizzle/sheath/penis/winkle, whatever you call it.  We don't use the wide sprayer at all, as our primitives are fairly narrow so the spray readily runs off, and being accurate on the underside is easier with the kind of sprayer we use.  It's worth tipping them any way just to keep an eye on udders and male bits.
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Backinwellies on August 17, 2015, 05:05:12 pm
Crovect only works where it touches.  That's why I use CliK.
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Kimbo on August 17, 2015, 05:51:44 pm
We have Ryelands. I haven't sprayed under their bellies so far but Im jolly well going to now!
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Bionic on August 17, 2015, 06:54:24 pm
I have Ryelands too. I've never sprayed their bellies but then I always use Clik. So far it has done the trick
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: xnbacon on August 17, 2015, 07:16:09 pm
We have a set of Lister 12v shears from Scats.  Can't imagine they were particularly expensive and they run off the car battery.  Have used them for the last 5 years or so with adequate results.  They are quite heavy compared to normal shears though.  Personally I prefer a decent pair of hand shears, but takes me faaaar too long so OH gets to do shearing.  But that's ok cos the shears are a POWER tool and he's a MAN.
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Jukes Mum on August 17, 2015, 09:19:16 pm
Quote
We have a set of Lister 12v shears from Scats.
I'll have a look at these- thank you.

So I've definitely slipped up here. I will get the others in tomorrow and spray their bellies and next time I'll clik rather than crovect. My tup had a tiny strike on his tail the day he was due to be sprayed last time, so when they say 6 weeks, they really mean 6 weeks!
Title: Re: Wooly bellies!
Post by: Deere on August 18, 2015, 09:09:05 am
I wouldn't say you have slipped up at all.

I have Ryelands and don't do their underside when I use Crovect.

Your best course of action is to use a product such as Click that protects the whole animal not just where it touches and save your Crovect for when you get a strike (hopefully you wont!).
Keep an eye on the expiry date on the Crovect and use it up in good time.

I have a Lister 12v that runs off a car battery that was given to me, I rarely use it due to its weight and length (hard to use compared to a shearing hand piece) and since ive discovered how good Jakoti hand shears are!