The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Womble on May 26, 2015, 10:08:03 am
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I noticed this sore on one of our ewes this morning. Is this the beginnings of Orf do you think, or something else?
None of the others are showing any signs that I can see, so I've given her a squirt with the ubiquitous purple spray to prevent secondary infection, and put her in a separate paddock with her lamb.
Apart from not sharing feed buckets, and wearing gloves to prevent me from getting it, is there anything else I should be doing?
Thanks! :thumbsup:
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Probably :)
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I would say so, looks like they may have knocked the scab off?
We had a couple of goats with it but I heard it described as the animal version of chicken pox, the rest will probably get it in varying degrees... ::)
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Unless really bad sores in lamb's mouths prevent them from feeding from teat, it is just something they go through. You may find some of them get it, others don't. I have never really worried about it. Never segregated ewes/goats with it either. Once they had they are (probably) immune.
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"Me" is the resident Orf expert isn't he? I remember those gruesome photos of his hands! ;)
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Try putting rock salt out it is meant to help dry up the sores and prevent others from getting it. We have 4 blocks in with our lambs scattered around the field in places they congregate (2 gate ways, feed trough and water), 3 Himalayan rock salt lumps and 1 rockies pure white block.
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Darn! :-[
Weird how only one ewe is affected so far though. Perhaps her immune system is low at the moment with putting all her energy into feeding her lamb.
I wonder if the rest are about to come down with it too then? :-\
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It could be orf, but if it's just one ewe and just one lesion, my money's on she's speared herself on a nail or something. From the pic, there looks to be quite a deep central part to the wound - and orf is usually pretty much superficial. (In the 'on the surface' sense.)
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Actually Sally, I think you may be right :fc:.
The wound is healing up nicely, no others have appeared and none of the others are showing anything.
Let's hope so anyway :)
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"Me" is the resident Orf expert isn't he? I remember those gruesome photos of his hands! ;)
I nearly put: "Not as gruesome as your face" but decided against it (too strong Me, too strong). I do indeed have first hand experience... :bow:
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:-\ I said the photos were gruesome, not your hands! You clearly had a pianist's hands :innocent:
I hope you've given them back to that poor pianist now ;)
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:thumbsup:
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It could be orf, but if it's just one ewe and just one lesion, my money's on she's speared herself on a nail or something. From the pic, there looks to be quite a deep central part to the wound - and orf is usually pretty much superficial. (In the 'on the surface' sense.)
I agree, I'd find it more likely that the lambs would get orf before their mothers.