The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: crobertson on September 11, 2016, 03:01:31 pm
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As mentioned in a previous post one of my 6 ewes seemed uncomfortable so once rounded up we found she had the starts of fly strike on the back of her neck (it was very damp and sweaty). I clipped all of the area, treated with crovect, luckily there was only two maggots present but I brought her and a buddy in yesterday to keep an eye of her and allow the crovect to dry properly.
This morning I was watching her in the pen, I noticed a patch on her side which was covered up by her fleece and when parted there is a rather large completely bald patch (see images). It doesn't seem itchy, not red, not sore but just completely bald skin. Her neck looks much cleaner and the one break in skin looks much better and mostly healed ! However the base of her fleece in general seems quite sweaty - what could this be? As I'm happy with the treated flystrike I've let her out, it has been raining nearly everyday so I'm keen to get her out and dry out a bit in the sun.
Thanks in advance
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Wool slip?
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Has she been stressed? Chased, moved to new pasture, etc.? Do you have magpies that perch on the sheep - the ones around here seem to enjoy pulling wool off for the hell of it at any time of year, although they line their nests in Spring.
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The only possible stress I can think of is the flystrike what we caught early (yesterday). They did move pasture during the week but that was a matter on opening a gate in to the next field. Other than that nothing obvious and the other 5 are a picture of health.
Think i'll get the vet out this week to double check, shes definitely not herself.
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Looks to me like very slight fly strike where there were very few maggots that have pupated and gone, and the skin has healed. I've seen similar patches in my sheep, and there's usually some dead bits of skin caught up in the shed fleece also.
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Agree it looks like old strike that has healed nicely