The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Twotwo on October 27, 2016, 10:52:21 pm

Title: Ewe on her back again
Post by: Twotwo on October 27, 2016, 10:52:21 pm
I have a Dorset Down ewe who is often found on her back,(my neighbors have got expert in flipping her over). I have seem her sit on her bottom, rub about a bit then gently roll backwards on to her back ....... hilarious to watch but one day she will not be found in time.
She is not overweight and even did it just after she was sheared.
I keep her bum clean, she has somewhere to rub, has no scab, lice or anything, any ideas re stopping her doing it !
Title: Re: Ewe on her back again
Post by: sheeponthebrain on October 28, 2016, 11:19:07 am
Have you tried dosing her with Dectomax and crovect to eliminate any itch that she may have?
Title: Re: Ewe on her back again
Post by: shep53 on October 28, 2016, 12:18:56 pm
Sell her before she kills her self  :(
Title: Re: Ewe on her back again
Post by: Marches Farmer on October 28, 2016, 02:58:36 pm
So the question is, why is she so itchy?  Infection, worms, scab, lice....?  I agree with shep53, she's bloat or crows pecking out her eyes waiting to happen and it could be much worse if she's pregnant and could lose the lambs too.
Title: Re: Ewe on her back again
Post by: Twotwo on October 28, 2016, 06:09:40 pm
Thanks,
I will try Crovect etc also maybe some fly repellent as we are having midge problems at the moment but the ram goes in tomorrow so I don't want to put him off. They are checked twice a day so hopefully ??

But I don't think she's that itchy it's just something she's learnt to do, bless ! It's happened maybe 6 times this year.

She's the scattest of my few (but a very good mum) and I don't wish to keep any of her offspring for breeding, so maybe I should really just cull her.
Title: Re: Ewe on her back again
Post by: GrannyAching on October 28, 2016, 07:12:28 pm
I don't think I'd want to crovect her just before tupping. I had a look on the data sheet but there's nothing specific, I'm sure you know, it's a system poison and my understanding is that it is likely to interrupt the cycle - making it start again.

I think like [member=27063]Marches Farmer[/member] says maybe you need to decide what the problem is first if you can.
Title: Re: Ewe on her back again
Post by: shep53 on October 29, 2016, 07:15:49 pm
Cypermethrin is a Neurotoxin , which kills insects by ingestion ,very toxic to fish and cats, it is not absorbed through the skin so in sheep it moves via the lanolin in the wool .   Every study iv'e read says it has no effects on reproduction