The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Slimjim on March 25, 2016, 07:44:42 am

Title: Ewe chewing her lambs' tails
Post by: Slimjim on March 25, 2016, 07:44:42 am
One of my Jacob shearlings has chewed of the end of both her lambs' tails. It happened initially as part of the licking dry process immediately after birth. I sprayed with iodine, hoping the taste would deter her, as well as preventing infection, but it didn't. I ringed then both just above the soggy end to stop the bleeding and prevent any infection tracking up the stump. This morning the tails look like they have been chewed some more.
What should I be doing please? I don't think this is unusual, so some of you may have experienced it yourselves. Many thanks.
Title: Re: Ewe chewing her lambs' tails
Post by: Sbom on March 25, 2016, 07:47:27 am
Get some Stockholm tar and smother the tails....
Title: Re: Ewe chewing her lambs' tails
Post by: Fishyhaddock on March 25, 2016, 08:24:03 am
We had this a couple of years ago. The ewe thought she was mothering the lambs taking away the iodine taste. Tar is a good idea ...
Title: Re: Ewe chewing her lambs' tails
Post by: Melmarsh on March 25, 2016, 09:57:30 am
Hi I had a llanwenog do this to her to lambs ,only one year, no idea why, I left it to dry and kept an eye rather than draw attention to it. Never seen it since, so only one episode and one ewe in 28yrs of keeping various numbers of sheep.????????????????
Title: Re: Ewe chewing her lambs' tails
Post by: Slimjim on March 25, 2016, 12:13:36 pm
I have had it just once before with another Jacob shearling who was then ok for all subsequent lambings.
But thank you for the tar idea. Sounds good. Will do.