The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Tracy mayoh on August 03, 2017, 08:01:51 pm
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What's the norm price for vet to give a shot of antibiotic to a sheep
New to sheep keeping so don't know what to expect
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If the vet has not seen the flock previously there is likely to be an examination fee of £25-30. A call out during normal working hours is about £30. Antibiotics injections are between £5-25. Hope that helps. What's the problem with your sheep?
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Take sheep to vets ... No call out fee
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Think it's an infected injection site from footvax shot I've one with open wound and one with lump
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Tracy, Regardless of whether the vet actually gives an injection or not, make sure you get them to show you how to give injections yourself. There are two types; sub-cutaneous, which goes in just under the skin, and intra-muscular, which goes deep into the muscle. Make sure they show you both the correct sites and method for each type of injection, since this will save you many a call-out fee in future :thumbsup: .
Our vet charges much the same as Possum's BTW.
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Yes will do it wasn't me who gave the injection in the first place but will defo have a few lessons in it
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Our vets don't charge a call out fee, just pay for time on farm (£X per hour) minimum charge of 20 mins. Out of hour charge £25. That's a dedicated farm vet though and most do charge call outs plus time spent on farm. Depending on antibiotic used could be £2 upwards to £20.
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Antibiotics not as dear as I thought then I'm quite surprised
Cheers
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Are vets good at catching sheep only had mine two week so there still abut frisky
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You should have them contained ready to treat when the vet arrived and hold them still for the vet, not expect the vet to catch them in the field !
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There on 0.75 of an acre but have no means of cornering them or containing them ?
What on earth am I going to do ?
I can get two of them to stand still as bucket training but two are nervous still
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Have you got any hurdles to pen them up? Or a neighbour that might be able to lend you some. Sorry but every time we have the vet to sheep or cows they are always always contained ready for treatment.
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You will need to get them penned before the vet arrives. They'll be harder to catch once there's a stranger present, not to mention the lack of respect it shows to the vet if you haven't caught the patients. I'd expect a much bigger bill if the vet has to spend time chasing sheep around a .75ac field before he/she can inspect them!
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We've always taken our to the vets and it then only costs about £10 max for antibiotics
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You need to make a holding area maybe in the corner of the field. You can use hurdles or fence a corner in some other way. You can use a hurdle as a gate so that you can lock sheep in.
Put a feed trough in there. Call your sheep and pour some food in the trough. When they are all in, close the gate.
You'll find threads on here which describe methods of catching up your sheep. It's not always as easy as it sounds so you need to catch on a regular basis so that they get used to it. Some breeds are more difficult than others.
You'll need to be able to do this so that you can treat ill sheep but also for routine treatment eg. Fly preventative.
Our Soay often get lumps after Heptavac injections. I'm not sure if due to our poor technique or a reaction. We've all tried giving the injection and doesn't seem to matter they get lumps.
The lump usually bursts and heals by itself. We do sometimes give the wound a spray with the blue stuff but not always. We just keep a careful eye on the sheep for infection or fly strike. Always healed fine so far.
You might find these lumps heal fine by themselves.
Have you got a friendly farmer nearby who could give you a bit of help with your flock of a local smallholders group.
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Yes. For most things people locally take their sheep to the vet rather than call out. They only call out for cattle.
Have you got transport though? Maybe not if you only have a few sheep.
When we started out our neighbour used to let us borrow his trailer.
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In the Hills has given sound advice here ..... you need to get a 'holding area' for sheep.... most people buy hurdles and use a corner of a field.
It sounds as if you could really do with some confidence building and instruction about sheep keeping, if there is no close smallholder or farmer who can give you some hints/tips and instruction then maybe you could get on a course locally .... or do a weekend break at a smallholding where you can help with sheep. You would be very welcome here but I expect you could find somewhere more local.
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There on 0.75 of an acre but have no means of cornering them or containing them ?
What on earth am I going to do ?
I can get two of them to stand still as bucket training but two are nervous still
How did you catch them to take the photos?
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Think it's an infected injection site from footvax shot I've one with open wound and one with lump
The oily adjuvant contained in Footvax gave us a similar problem with lumps, mainly with the young sheep which rubbed the injection site raw. We had to catch them every few days and spray with antibiotic spray until the wounds healed. You'll still need to catch them, though. Have you read Tim Tyne's book on Sheep Keeping for Smallholders? Are you planning to keep them on .75 acre for a long period?
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Yes I'm it's the only land I have at present I've only got 4
I'm planning to supplement their feed as and when required
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Made a holding area this morning ready for vets arrival so now a small secure corner is available for them
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Yes. For most things people locally take their sheep to the vet rather than call out. They only call out for cattle.
Whereas our vet really doesn't want sheep brought in. I offered to take a tup in to them to have him vascectomised, but they really would rather do it in the field.
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Yes. For most things people locally take their sheep to the vet rather than call out. They only call out for cattle.
Whereas our vet really doesn't want sheep brought in. I offered to take a tup in to them to have him vascectomised, but they really would rather do it in the field.
Ours don't either, they always come to us even if for a lamb. I wouldn't want to stress a ewe having problems lambing by bundling her into a trailer and taking her to the vets so glad our vets always come to us.
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[member=172245]Tracy mayoh[/member] - have a look at Myerscough College courses. They run a Practical Sheep Handling day from time to time, as well as lambing evening if you progress that way. The practical day covered catching, turning, checking feet, injecting, drenching and dagging as well as looking at some of the stuff around using handling systems.
http://www.myerscough.ac.uk/courses/agriculture/type/short-courses/ (http://www.myerscough.ac.uk/courses/agriculture/type/short-courses/)
http://www.myerscough.ac.uk/courses/countryside/practical-sheep-handling-and-management/ (http://www.myerscough.ac.uk/courses/countryside/practical-sheep-handling-and-management/)
It's within easy distance of you - we used to live just up the road from where you are - and the tutor is great and adapts content to need. It was a small group when I did it - just 5 or 6 of us. You'll probably need to ring the college and ask them when they are putting it on next as I think it depends on demand. Which, if it helps, I'd be interested in doing it again as we get closer to getting our own sheep in a few months (assuming move all goes well).
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Ours don't either, they always come to us even if for a lamb. I wouldn't want to stress a ewe having problems lambing by bundling her into a trailer and taking her to the vets so glad our vets always come to us.
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.... ours is commercial farm vet and sheep are taken there by all farmers ... including lambing ewes ... they have dedicated room .... however if you are lucky like us the 'trauma' of landy ride sorted the problem and lamb was born in landy in car park .... no vet fee required :)
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Ours is solely farm vet too, just different ways of running a business. They don't have a surgery as such though as they are purely large animal farm vets, so are totally mobile and very quick at getting to us if a problem occurs. No surgery, just offices keeps the cost down which can then be passed onto farmers. They are very competitive on price and the care second to none.
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Interesting that some 'farm' vets actually come out for sheep.
Same here as for you Backinwellies, even if they're lambing they're taken to the vet.
Pull trailer up next to designated room and treated there.
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We have a really helpful local vets practice, they are very happy to give advice over the phone ( no cost) they come out if ness ( although expensive, call out fee + set amount per 10 mins). They also have a smallholders group with a couple of meetings each year and lambing courses. They also do FEC's ( if you time it right they ring with results the same day )