The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Cuddles on May 26, 2016, 11:05:29 pm
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Hi all,
I've just had the vet do a FEC on my 6 gimmers as they were getting a bit mucky around the you-know-where :) Fluke and worm counts were all low but cocci was quite high, their bums all seem to have dried up again and the vet was happy that there was no need to treat them with anything.
However, being a relative newbie, having more grass than sheep to eat it and obsessing over the health of my girls, are there other steps that can be taken to lower/minimise the risk of re-infection?
I've had a quick scan through the internet and TAS so my water troughs (and feed when out) will be moved about and cleaned more regularly, I'm also thinking about using temp fencing to split up my 3 fields so I can keep each area clear for at least 28 days. Does this sound sensible? are there any other tips/wee gems of wisdom out there?
I'll speak to the vet as well but why ask one man when you get advice off so many :)
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Splitting fields so they can be rested is always a good idea :thumbsup:
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I move the ewes' feed troughs daily anyway and every time I feed if the ground's muddy. We have fixed field troughs which I scrub out before sheep are moved into the field and as necessary afterwards. The only time a couple of our lambs had cocci was one winter when atrocious weather prevented them being turned out after a few days as usual. This year we had the same sort of weather but had learned our lesson, shifted them into another section of the lambing shed, then all pitched in to muck out and rebed their section of the shed in a morning (a task that normally takes three days).
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I think I read somewhere coccidiosis can survive 2 years?
Farmer been renting some of our fields, his sheep aren't the best, and i want to keep 5acre back for my goats and a couple of sheep, so been told putting cows on should clean it.
As this may tie in with OP thoughts please?
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Cocci is something they already have inside them , and more than one different cocci type , your dog /cat / horse/ chicken /you all have cocci inside , when your lambs are stressed by lack of feed/worms /weather the cocci can multiply and be passed out and weaker lambs can pick from poo and then have even more in their gut causing the dark smelly poo .
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isnt all poo dark and smelly ;D
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As I understnd it the idea is to let the lamb build up resistance to cocci over time. The problems arise when there's too big a challenge from cocci or cocci + other factors to permit that process to occur gradually.
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When I had an FEC done a few years ago only one goat showed a low coccidiosis count, others were clear. ?
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Thanks everyone, sounds like I was thinking along the right lines. Extra cleaning, shifting troughs and new fencing... thats my bank holiday sorted!
:excited: