The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Anke on July 31, 2013, 06:50:03 pm

Title: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: Anke on July 31, 2013, 06:50:03 pm: One of my ewes has really bad footrot - which antibiotic is better Betamox LA or Pen&Strep? Those are the two I have in the cupboard, and she is in with a batch of ewes that go off tomorrow, so best time for to jab her tonight. Difficult to catch....
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: Hillview Farm on July 31, 2013, 08:43:29 pm: I'd use Betamox, Its what my vet advised and its Long acting!
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: onnyview on July 31, 2013, 08:47:40 pm: Oxytet works best for feet, so get a bottle for future use. When you say going off do you mean to market?
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: Anke on July 31, 2013, 09:40:42 pm: Quote from: onnyview on July 31, 2013, 08:47:40 pm
Oxytet works best for feet, so get a bottle for future use. When you say going off do you mean to market?

Not her, but I brought all of them into a pen, the others are going off to abattoir tomorrow. Have to wait for her until better.
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: Anke on July 31, 2013, 09:41:36 pm: Quote from: Hillview Farm on July 31, 2013, 08:43:29 pm
I'd use Betamox, Its what my vet advised and its Long acting!

Thanks. She will be done 1st thing in the morning. Odd time for footrot though...
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: onnyview on August 01, 2013, 06:16:59 am: :relief: . Hope she recovers quickly.

Allison
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: littlelugs on August 01, 2013, 10:27:05 am: I use footvax, I vaccinate all the problem sheep and I can honestly say despite have crap soggy ground I've not had a case of foot rot in the two years of using it. I know its not everyone's preference but it works for me.
regards
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: Foobar on August 01, 2013, 11:08:54 am: Quote from: Anke on July 31, 2013, 09:41:36 pm

Odd time for footrot though...
Anytime is good for footrot :).
Remember that it's the sheep that carry the footrot bacteria, rather than the pasture (it can only live without a host for 7-10 days). So treat and move, and cull repeat offenders.
The current "Stamp out Lameness" campaign is a good source of information for anyone who wants to learn more about combating feet problems.
Title: Re: Which antibiotic for footrot?
Post by: Marches Farmer on August 01, 2013, 02:44:45 pm: I trimmed and sprayed as necessary then Footvaxed in 2007. Moved them onto ground that hadn't been grazed for three weeks, then moved them onto clean grazing again. Not seen it (or had to vaccinate) since. No scald either. I run a virtually closed flock and quarantine incoming rams on my neighbour's smallholding for six weeks before they join the flock. The vaccination was expensive but I must have saved the cost in the purple foot spray I didn't need in the following year, let alone since. Only thing I'd do differently would be to jab in the Autumn. The adjuvant is very thick and the young ewes rubbed and rubbed the injection spot against fences until it was raw so we had to gather them and spray to keep the flies off every few days for a few weeks.