[mariegold]

Thanks both. I'm really hoping it will clear up. I've had the goats for years and never had any serious feet issues. I feel so stupid, I let them on to pasture the sheep had recently left. Such a stupid error. Is it right it can live in the soil for30 days? Id like to avoid reinfection. We've had very heavy frosts which might kill it....

I will speak to the owner of the ram, but sadly she is very ill herself and I know she's giving up her sheep. I don't really want to burden her with more bad news!

[landroverroy]

I think you should tell the owner of the ram ASAP. It'll be far more of a burden if she subsequently has to deal with the problem in her flock as well because she didn't know.


Many years ago I lent a ram to someone and while he had him he bought in a couple of sheep from market. These sheep had scab and gave it to all the sheep they were put in with, including my ram. My ram was then returned just before mine were due to lamb.  Nothing was said so all my ewes developed scab and it showed up just as they were lambing, so I couldn't dip them. I had to inject them all with dectomax and just pray that it had killed the scab. It did get rid of it but my some of my ewes were in a pretty bad state as I initially thought it was just lice. When I asked the man who'd borrowed my ramabout it - he said he presumed my animal had brought the scab in so I would have known. Words failed me. But I won't ever lend an animal out again.

[Anke]

Re Goats - Please make sure you are not given Tilmicosin - which is Mycotil (spelling) - and fatal to goats, though ok for sheep. Just in case you find the Alamycin is not doing the trick and need to swap to different AB's.  Engemycin and Alamycin LA is good though, you may have to repeat the Alamycin more often for the goats than for sheep, different rates of metabolism.


Fingers crossed it works.




Have you brought any other sheep/goats onto your farm in the last year? If no, then the ram may well have introduced it... is he affected as well? If yes, definitely speak to the breeder.

Micotil is vet administration ONLY - so the OP should not have it in their med box! So hopefully the vet knows that it isn’t suitable for goats.

Not all vets know...., and tilmicosin is mentioned on some websites as treatment for CODD for sheep.

[shep53]

Yes, I'm going to ring the vet Monday morning. We've had foot issues in the past and always dealt with using engemycin spray, never had loss of fleece around the ankles, so feeling quite worried. We've had a ram on loan, so maybe he bought something with him..... Never again!

It maybe  that you had low levels of codd for a while , the first time i saw it in 2005 it took a year for me to realise it wasn't just footrot  ( they can have both in a flock ) . Many commercial flocks have managed to eradicate codd so with a small flock you stand a good chance if  you have the space to isolate and rest the ground  .  Have a talk with your vet about injections for all to kill any low level infection  and Lincospectin powder to spray or  footbath  rather than Engemycin spray , if the Alamycin LA doesn't seem to work there are plenty of stronger products . Hope you succesfully eradicate it 

[mariegold]

Thanks so much for all the helpful advice 
I'm pleased to say that they are looking a bit better, will give them a follow up Alamycin tomorrow and move them onto fresh ground.
The goats seem to have a made a very quick recovery. Love goats!