[Floss23]

So I bought a shearling ewe with the intention of showing her, paid a fair bit but she’s a cracking build and breed and I thought she’d be great for flushing too! 8 weeks later…she has a brown spot on her face. Examined this girl well before buying and she definitely had a black face and no spots! Now I’m sure she’s been dyed So I guess my question is, what could have dyed her that lasted this long and I couldn’t tell? Want to protect myself in the future if there’s something I can check for or something that would remove whatever has been used so I’m not caught out again!😩

[silkwoodzwartbles]

What breed is she? Have you spoken to the person you bought her from?

[SallyintNorth]

Obvious answer is boot blacking.

What breed? 

And you are quite certain she's not short of copper or cobalt?  Some mineral deficiencies can affect colouring, of which those two are the prime suspects.

[harmony]

How big a spot? I don't know any dye that colours my grey for 8 weeks    I don't think you are likely to prove anything. Boot polish would mark your hands if you ran them over the blacked patch I would of thought. A few wrongly coloured hairs are easily removed with tweezers.

[roddycm]

Unfortunately, lots of people touch up their sheep for the shows. Even the biggest names in any given breed. Worth checking what has been suggested re cobalt and copper... A blood test would tell you what she may be deficient in.

What breed is she? Can you post a before and/or after pic?

Might be worth talking to who you got her from too, or the breed society secretary.

[SallyintNorth]

How big a spot? I don't know any dye that colours my grey for 8 weeks    I don't think you are likely to prove anything. Boot polish would mark your hands if you ran them over the blacked patch I would of thought. A few wrongly coloured hairs are easily removed with tweezers.

Hmmm...  I bet you can get black marker sprays, and some brands of them will last 8 weeks.  (And some even longer.  We used to use Carrs Billington for scanning marks because it lasted so well, those marks were often still on the fleeces when they came off in summer!  Ritchie for treatment marks, wash / wear off within 36 hours.)  And that wouldn't come off on your hands on inspection...