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Author Topic: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep  (Read 12150 times)

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« on: September 26, 2010, 07:46:47 pm »
It could be footrot although I've checked hoof's and seen to be fine - but a bit of backgroud

1. Ram and ram lamb in small paddock
2. Ewes and lambs in larger paddock
3. Hay cut in 2 area's
4. Everyone moved to clean paddocks
5. Yesterday noticed a ewe and ewe lamb limping
6. Today ram in a different paddock limping and 3 ewes limping, they've been on good grass now for 2 weeks - checked feet today, looked great compared to the major trimming did to the goats in the morning, seems strange suddenly come on in so many - what am I missing - vet is of course an option but would also like to learn what I've done wrong - not a muddy area although we have had some heavy rain - I'll do anything to get this sorted - thanks in advance - they're Jacobs if that makes any difference and a Suffolk lamb - and all the smaller Jacob x, blackface and zwartable x lambs are fine!!
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

morri2

  • Joined Jun 2008
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2010, 08:08:21 pm »
Could be scald.  Look for bright red sore patch.  They tend to get this on wet lush grass.  Sometimes its not particularly visible, so treat with antibiotic spray and keep watch.  If it is scald it should disappear within a day or so.  Cheers!

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #2 on: September 26, 2010, 08:42:55 pm »
Thank you - I did see that mentioned in 'my book' will read up and get them all penned tomorrow for a thorough check - not alway easy they seem to have a sixth sence - when I jusy pop up with some 'crunchies' or pop up with 'crunchies' for an alterior motive but will try my best - got 2 border collies wish one of them was slighly sheep trained!!
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2010, 08:48:26 pm »
ok - read the book, can understand that - does anyone have the name of a spray they would recommend  - would like to ge the correct stuff - thanks again
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

morri2

  • Joined Jun 2008
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2010, 09:13:06 pm »
You can get foot rot spray from your farm supplier, usually under a fiver, which usually works.  But the best stuff to use is Terramycin spray from your vet, which will cost around £10/£11, but far more effective.  Good luck!

dubie

  • Joined Apr 2010
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2010, 10:42:46 pm »
my sheep started to limp so we put them in the barn for a few days until it had stopped and everyday we were cleaning his feet and treating it with special disinfectant from are local farm shop

Hope this helps bye

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #6 on: September 26, 2010, 10:47:25 pm »
Thank's Morri2 - will go for that if that's the one to get - re barn - if only - the winter hays in there - with any luck next year will have barn space but not at the moment - just goes to show you can never have too much space (just hoping a planner will read this!!!!)
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2010, 08:01:40 pm »
We have a shortage of space too here so I hope both are planners are reading :)

Its probably scald due to them going on longer grass, the grass get in between their hoofs and 'rubs' them till they get sore.  Just treat it with a little purple foot spray from your local agri shop, spray it once and let it settle for a few seconds then give it a second squirt - unless they are real bad, best to leave them out as they will be over it in no time.  Just keep a look out for them and treat when needed.

Ta

Baz


Ruralgirl

  • Joined Sep 2010
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2010, 08:23:44 pm »
Hi,

I agree with everyone's comments as above, the terramycin spray from the vet is best but the purple spray from Harbro (or similar shop) is Ok too.  Our sheep had a similar outbreak during the wet autumn we had last year, most were OK after getting sprayed a couple of times but 2 of them needed an antibiotic injection when it dragged on more than a week.
We also gave all the sheep a footbath to harden their feet & that worked really well. Again you can buy the footbath crystals from an agri supplier to mix with water. It also helps is you can stand them on concrete or somewhere dry for a couple of hours afterwards.

I agree it is usually the lush damp grass that irritates their feet but if you check between their cleats you will see a little bit that looks like a large pore & sometimes it needs to be squeezed to remove any build up of wax/pus that hardens & causes irritation, once removed a squirt of antibiotic spray keeps infection at bay.

Oh the joys of keeping sheep!


Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2010, 09:17:29 pm »
Growing lambs seem to be more affected by scald than the adults. Have had two here as well - Terramycin spray does the trick.

shrekfeet

  • Joined Sep 2008
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #10 on: September 27, 2010, 09:31:32 pm »
whenever the odd sheep has a bad foot I'll wash it, bathe it in warm water and Tea Tree and then spray between the toes with iodine. Works every time

Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2010, 04:31:26 pm »
Thank you for all the advice - well after a lot of fighting I got everyone's feet tidied up and sprayed and put 3 of the 4 ewe back on onto the shorter grass (was just wasn't playing - at least she was the one without problems) and things seem to have improved - no real signs of kneeling today but I'm going up in a while to do a propar check - when do you think its safe to put the ewe back on the longer grass? they've not go much where they are!
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

humphreymctush

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • orkney
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2010, 05:19:00 pm »
Although scald can be agrevated by long grass, it is caused by a bacterial infection. By footbathing with zinc sulphate and treating any new sheep with zinc sulphate before you turn them out it is quite easy to eradicate scald from your land.

Hardfeather

  • Guest
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #13 on: September 29, 2010, 08:29:04 pm »
Scad is usually associated with moisture, sometimes after frosts. The bacterial infection would more likely be secondary to the 'injury'.

humphreymctush

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • orkney
Re: Suddenly outbreak of limping (lame) in 4 sheep
« Reply #14 on: September 30, 2010, 04:35:19 pm »
Scald is an infection of fusobacterium necrophorum. Long grass and damp create the conditions where sheep get infected.

 

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