[SafeHaven]

I had my first case of orf in my small flock this year. No idea where it came from. Lambs got it and passed scabs to mum’s udder. Caught it early, penned them away from the other sheep, used sudocreme on the scabs and vet prescribed five days of Pen & Strep for mum to prevent mastitis. No other sheep got it.

How do I know when it’s safe to let them back out with the rest of the flock?

[twizzel]

Once the scabs have dried up and fallen off. Though now you’ve got it, you’ll likely have to manage it every year.

[Womble]

OK, so we're in a similar situation. I don't know where it came from (closed flock), but we had it a bit last year, and again this year.

How do you go about managing it?

[tommytink]

We put out Himalayan salt blocks, chunks of it in old lick buckets. Helps dry it out around lambs’ mouths. I had it on a handful of lambs last year and the same this year. Anything I see on the teats gets sudocremed. Touch wood haven’t had any secondary infections.

[Womble]

Is sudocreme definitely ok for sheep?  (I know it's ridiculously toxic to cats, for instance!)

[twizzel]

Udder mint is great and smells nice too.

[tommytink]

Is sudocreme definitely ok for sheep?  (I know it's ridiculously toxic to cats, for instance!)

All I can say is I’ve never had an issue and have used it on the lambs mouths and round teats with no ill effects. I know others that use it too. Probably naive but I’ve always gone with if it’s okay for human babies it’s okay for the sheep. Good job I’ve not got a cat I guess 

[Womble]

Udder mint is great and smells nice too.

Do you smear it udderneath?

I do have some cow udder cream, which is wonderful stuff. It sorts out my winter hands a treat!!

[twizzel]

Udder mint is great and smells nice too.

Do you smear it udderneath?

I do have some cow udder cream, which is wonderful stuff. It sorts out my winter hands a treat!!

Yes, it’s wonderful at cooling the udder so helps with inflammation too.