The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Luckyescape on September 13, 2016, 08:54:40 pm
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Checked in my sheep this evening to find one with a bloody ear :'(. Looks like she has maybe caught her ear tag on something? I have blue sprayed it in and out but not sure if i should get vet out for her?
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I personally think what you've done is fine. It has been sprayed which is all the vet would advice but I would monitor closely, if the sheep starts acting differently, grazing less and sperating from the group I would get a vet and antibiotics.
Well done for spotting early !
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Yes, not sure vet would do more at such an early stage. We've had a nightmare this year with ear tags... no bad infections, but lots of miserable looking ears, or lost tags.... Note to self: re-read the TAS threads on best ear tags for small sheep!
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You can stick the torn bits of ear back together with superglue, if you do it before it's scabbed over. Superglue was designed for human flesh wounds in the theatre of war. It means you might have somewhere to put a new tag when it eventually heals. Ear tags are hateful things.
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Keep an eye on it incase of flystrike in this muggy weather.
I think I'd put a spray of crovect or similar on her head to be safe
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If you notice flies buzzing around it, or swelling ears or shaking of the head, take further action. With the humid weather I'd probably respray with a/b spray if it rained hard, at least until it's scabbed over properly.
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Recently one of my Castlemilk Moorit shearlings ripped an eid ear tag out. As soon as I noticed what she had done (probably within 12 hours) I sprayed it with terramycin and it has healed nicely.
I have ordered and received a replacement eid tag. This is now in store and not inserted. If I get inspected I will instruct the inspector to insert the tag for themselves because I'm jiggered if I know how to insert it into the remains of a shredded ear. Incidentally, my vet describes ear tags as 'barbaric'.
Regards, Dave
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I agree with your vet. I have a Badger Face that's just lost her fourth tag and I refuse to tag her any more because she has so little ear left (her own fault, mind you - she will keep sticking her head through the fence to eat the hedge).
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Well I hope I have caught it in time :/ I peeled of the thick bloody scab yesterday which was causing a perfect pocket over the ear tag for a flystrick and blue sprayed again and today she has stopped looking uncomfortable and grazing happily. Keeping fingers cross as we have yet another HOT HOT day! Thank you all for your advise as I am new to the sheep game and learning as I go x