Author Topic: Wool problem (Read 2199 times)

shepherd by mistake · « **on:** April 04, 2021, 06:50:34 pm »

I grazed my 12 store lambs in the woodland all winter. No contact with any other sheep.. Now two of them have a 6 X 2 inch patch on top of their backs where the wool is suffering as in the attached photos. The top half of the fleece has gone and the bottom part - while frazzeld looking as in the photos - seems otrherwise almost normal. No sign of lice or dcab on the skin, and while there is dust and dirt in the fleece all the other sheep have the same small bits of debris in the wool.
I would love any suggestion as to what this may be and how to treat it. And will it spread along the fleece or to the other sheep?
Help much appreciated.
John

Fleecewife · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2021, 06:56:50 pm »

[member=200798]shepherd by mistake[/member] The photos have not come through. It is possible that the sheep have been scratching against a tree and have worn away the wool. Is the 'frazzled 'wool the new year's growth coming through?
An alternative is that when you bought the lambs they were already carrying mites or similar.

Try again with the photos.

shepherd by mistake · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2021, 07:01:16 pm »

Thanks. I have attached them now - I hope

twizzel · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2021, 07:20:44 pm »

Could be a bit of wool rot/rain scald... or lice /mites/ scab- which you need to take a skin scrape and look under microscope to see (vet job)

shep53 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2021, 07:38:43 pm »

Looks a healthy fleece to me , when sheep get debris and soil in their fleece they rub again'st anything available , the fuzzy bit is new wool growth

shepherd by mistake · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2021, 08:48:06 pm »

I hope you are right shep53. In the woodland they do pick up debris.
twizzel's suggestions would involve a vet etc

Thanks to you both.

twizzel · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2021, 09:49:41 pm »

Quote from: shepherd by mistake on April 04, 2021, 08:48:06 pm

I hope you are right shep53. In the woodland they do pick up debris.
twizzel's suggestions would involve a vet etc

Thanks to you both.

Yes but if they’ve got parasites it needs sorting

I had a ewe lamb this year get wool rot- her wool on her back turned green and fell out. It was during a very mild, wet few weeks. Are your lambs itching on the trees? If so would suggest getting vet to do a skin scrape.

shepherd by mistake · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2021, 11:13:55 pm »

I've looked up wool rot, and the reference to matting gives cause for concern. I'll keep it under constant watchfulness.
Thanks again to for your assistance.

shepherd by mistake · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2021, 01:15:34 pm »

Thanks for all the answers.

I had a very experienced sheep farmer look at the sheep and he says nothing to worry about - in fact he bought them!

Next year I will use a pour -on earlier in the season

Nelson International · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2021, 10:59:37 am »

The first winter we had sheep, I noticed some form of wool slip or break in some of the new flock. I was a bit alarmed, and pulled handfulls out. But ultimately I think there wasn't any underlying parasite or infection - it was just the wool's reaction to the rain or something. I think the real problem was mostly me pulling at it all

.

Personally, I think getting a seasoned hand to take a look was a good step and I wouldn't reach for some medical treatment until I was more confident there was an actual problem to treat.