The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Vinnie on April 02, 2017, 03:33:48 am
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Hi everyone just wondering has anyone had a sheep that is black-faced but then the next couple of days they develop a white patch of hair on their nose? We had a ewe a few years ago that this happened too and she was fine so I didn't think too much of it. Now though we have a Ram that is alittle over a year now and he had a completely black face except for a white speck on top of his head. Now though just in the past couple of days he has a white patch of hair on the bridge right above his nose. He is behaving the same and eating like usual seem perfectly healthy, so any thoughts or ideas would be great thanks
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No real experience of this, save that our Balwens get more grey/white hair on their faces over time, natural aging.... but not 'overnight'. I wonder if like us they can respond to a trauma with a patch of white? Sounds a little unlikely though...
Will be interesting to read if others have experienced this....
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Some of our Soay have had lighter/whiter patches appear o their faces. Very gradual though, over the last couple of years.
They're about 7 years old.
Could it be aging?
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I have black sheep that have developed white patches on their noses, I always get it on one or two sheep just a bit, but since I moved holdings about half my sheep now have it (been there a year, but it didn't take that long for it to develop). I believe it to be caused by a deficiency in copper (as that is the primary mineral linked to pigmentation). Next time I need the vet for anything I will get him to take bloods to check. White wool developing in ageing sheep is different and usually starts elsewhere.
Note that we are talking about "hair" on noses/tops of head, not wool. My guess is that the hair is replaced/regenerated more often than wool so any pigmentation problem will show itself sooner in the hair. In the case of some of my sheep the hair was rubbed off due to midge irritation last summer and has re-grown white.
Black sheep are often used in white flocks as a marker to indicate copper deficiency.
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That is very interesting about the copper deficiency never would have thought that. We have given them a mineral block and he nibbled a bit on it but wasn' t to interested in it. He is fine and healthy but we will keep an eye out for any new patches. Thanks for the ideas