The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: kelly58 on July 07, 2015, 06:09:10 pm

Title: lambs ears
Post by: kelly58 on July 07, 2015, 06:09:10 pm

Have a lamb whos ears are dry and hard at the points, anybody know what it could be pls ????Fine otherwise  :sheep:
Nothing to do with Sun  :sunshine: we have had none !  :gloomy:

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Tim W on July 08, 2015, 07:45:42 am

Pics?

Cobalt deficiency?

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: SallyintNorth on July 08, 2015, 11:28:15 am

Wet ground / bog ashphodel?

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Foobar on July 08, 2015, 11:46:37 am

Midges?

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: kelly58 on July 08, 2015, 11:53:59 am

The ground is very wet given the weather we are having.  :thinking:

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: kelly58 on July 08, 2015, 01:52:43 pm

Sally, checked field for that plant, thankfully none there. We have had midgies on and off when the wind drops.
Many thanks all

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Clarebelle on July 08, 2015, 01:58:38 pm

Sorry to sidetrack this thread but regarding the cobalt deficiency, is scabby ears a sign of cobalt deficiency?

I know the land here is deficient in cobalt so I have bolus's to give our lambs but I was told I shouldn't need to give it yet ( they are approx 8 weeks old), however, they all have really dry, scabby ears. I thought it might be mites/lice so treated with panomec but have seen no change. Now the mention of cobalt has me wondering

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: kanisha on July 08, 2015, 02:40:09 pm

thunder flies? or something like them. my rams get bitten by something when its humid that makes their skin go crusty for mine it seems to be on a patch between the horns. Haveyou tried using a bit of fly repellant on them?

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Hellybee on July 08, 2015, 05:44:10 pm

Cobalt and b12 work hand in glove, can be indicative of deficiency, the scabby ears connected to the liver, liver produces B12, the B12 helps with the uptake of cobalt, or is it the other way round ? Hmmm

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Louise Gaunt on July 09, 2015, 08:44:11 am

Cobalt is one of the elements that make up the molecule of vitamin B12. In nature B12 is made by the action of certain bacteria, so they will need cobalt available to make the molecules. In areas of cobalt deficiency in nature, it seems logical,that there will be low B12 levels in organisms eating those bacteria.

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: kelly58 on July 09, 2015, 09:50:22 am

Sorry didnt make myself clear, her ears are not scabby. The ends are  dry and rough feeling, having felt them again could be midgie bites , small lumps under the skin ? None of the other sheep in that field have it ?

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Foobar on July 09, 2015, 09:56:29 am

dry and rough could still be cobalt def.  got a photo?

Title: Re: lambs ears
Post by: Hellybee on July 09, 2015, 10:02:22 am

Thank you Louise for that, awesome post.   :eyelashes:   :D