[andywalt]

Just a question Id like to throw in the ring please, can anyone advise......ie   treat for fly in may.....when you shear in june do you need to retreat or does the click/crovect obsorb well into the skin and not just the fleece? so you stay on target for re applying at the appropriate time?

[morri2]

Hi!  We always retreat.  If the sheep is in full fleece most of the treatment is actually left in the fleece, although immediately after shearing the risk of flystrike is much reduced as there is no decent length of fleece for the flies to lay their eggs in.  That said, you can never to too safe when the weather is warm. 

[andywalt]

thanks Caroline, do you shear early and then treat for the first time? how do you go about it?

[morri2]

We have never sheared as early as May, the earliest ever was this year, second week of June.  We had already treated in mid-May, so after a week or so, we gave them another squirt. This year has been thankfully without any incidents of flystrike, we've been lucky.  But I've made sure I kept on top of it - my lambs were treated monthly without fail.   

[andywalt]

wow monthly, you use crovect? not click with 15 or 16 weeks cover? I can understand tho, just catching two v early with flystrike shows how bad it can be...not nice at all.

[morri2]

Yes, its Crovect.  Nowhere near as expensive as Clic.  I also find that small doses, reasonably regularly is more effective that a good drenching which is expected to last a lot longer.  Its too easy to be caught out.  Have to be careful how much you use though.  Too much is bad for the sheep.

[andywalt]

thanksssssss

[andywalt]

when would you look at giving your first crovect treatment approx? its good to see how your system works

[morri2]

Up here in north Wales it would probably be later than you would need to treat where you are in Kent, which is much drier and warmer.  I would say normally around mid May is usual for us, but if its a dry, warm spring and it looks like the flies are already out in force, then earlier. 

[woollyval]

Please please please have a thought for your shearer and for those of us unlucky enough to have to handle the fleeces of sheep overdosed with fly prevention products!
These chemicals are nasty and MUST be used according to the directions and withdrawl times.....which are not mentioned for wool processing but are likely to get into water courses and onto the bare skin of shearers
Vigilance before shearing is one way and very early application of a product ( so 16 weeks for Clik) before shearing later is another, application a couple of weeks before shearing is unacceptable.

[Fleecewife]

Woollyshepherd beat me to it 

We apply Crovect only to the lambs in May, then to all other sheep only after they are shorn. At that time of year it is mainly the lambs which are vulnerable to early flies anyway.  As we hand shear, there is plenty of fleece for the product to stick to immediately after shearing.  We start shearing in late May and gradually work our way through the flock as they become ready, usually taking about 6 weeks to do them all.  We are very vigilant for signs of strike, and any dirty bums would be dagged/crutched to prevent it.  If an adult sheep were to need Crovect before shearing, then that fleece would be destroyed.  As a hand spinner (I will be spending weeks working close-up to each fleece), and because I send fleeces off for processing, I am very particular about this.  I also try not to apply Crovect (this would be the same for other treatments) to animals which are going to be shown, for the sake of the judge.
We have found that Crovect, which claims to be effective for 6 weeks, is true to that - but don't leave it an extra day.  I feel that any strike which appears before that time is probably because the product was not applied accurately. It's the only chemical we use, but we do feel it is worth it to prevent flystrike which is such a horrible thing.  But as with all chemicals you have to be sooo careful.

[suziequeue]

So what would be an acceptable withdrawal time for Crovect on a fleece before shearing? or is it better to delay applying Crovect before shearing?

[morri2]

Unfortunately as we have to rely on contract shearers, not only that, but the contract shearers of our neighbour so we cannot always get them early enough to avoid having to treat for flystrike.  It has been the July some years before we've managed to have our sheep sheared, which is not ideal if its a hot June.  So this is not just a case of 'early flies' I'm afraid. Therefore we simply have to treat them in the meantime otherwise we'd have serious problems.  That said, we are sensible enough not to apply anything to the ewes/rams for the period prior to shearing.  How long depends on how much notice we get.  We are hoping to solve this frustrating problem as I'm sending OH off on a shearing course next year so we'll be able to shear when is necessary and not when someone else is available.  I don't like using the stuff myself, I hate chemicals, I would not subject anyone else to it if it could be avoided. 

[Fleecewife]

Three months is the time suggested by the British Coloured Sheep Breeders Association.

Morri2 - that's a difficult situation. You will be much happier once OH can do the shearing when it's needed.

[Sylvia]

Do you think that (with a small flock) applying citronella or camphor oil daily to vulnerable areas would keep the flies away?