Author Topic: New Mum losing wool around rear (Read 4711 times)

OhLaLa · « **on:** March 12, 2011, 11:56:19 am »

New mum (2 week old lamb) has started to lose a bit of wool around her rear end, down towards rear legs.

She is eating/drinking well. Since lambing she has been kept overnight in field shelter (with pen) with her lamb, and they are allowed into the field during the day.

Until yesterday she was in the field with the lamb, and the rest of flock on other side of fence. Now the (small) flock is in there, so they are all together.

Can anyone advise please.

jaykay · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2011, 05:08:22 pm »

If she seems well I shouldn't worry. It's from her legs is it, not her udder? (which often do lose wool as they get milking). Sometimes a break in the wool occurs at a stressful time (I suppose lambing could count!) and then later the wool sheds.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2011, 05:11:59 pm »

Are these Shetlands? They begin to lift their wool normally round about now, so I wouldn't worry.

ellisr · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2011, 05:30:16 pm »

Ryelands can loose a bit on there back legs as the lambs get a bit bigger after hours of watching I am sure it is the lambs rubbing as they feed. My girls grew there's back with there winter coats but as they have lambs again the bald patches have come back on the legs and belly infront of the udder I now am sure it is from the lambs rubbing

Cinderhills · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2011, 09:35:12 am »

One of our Ryeland ewes gets wool break every year around lambing. This year so far the loss is less than usual. The vet says it's due to stress of lambing which I guess affects some sheep and not others.

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #5 on:** March 13, 2011, 03:30:48 pm »

I had a Shetland ewe with a dropped udder who lost almost all her fleece when in lamb, but she both regrew all the fleece and raised her ewe lamb. And the ewe who was very sick recently (the one who had to be dosed with rumen content from another sheep and who lost her lamb) has a fleece which is all pretty loose. Yet she is much better now and grazing etc normally and putting on weight.

So I wouldnt worry too much about it, it will grow back!

Madcow · « **Reply #6 on:** March 13, 2011, 04:46:48 pm »

some of ours lose wool under their chin around lambing time, but it grows back in time and it dosent seem to trouble them, I love it because I can rub under their chins in the soft new wool and they love a chin rub

OhLaLa · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2011, 05:10:50 pm »

Thanks everyone. First time for everything and this is soooo my first time shepherding....

Luv ya all!

Tina Turkey · « **Reply #8 on:** March 13, 2011, 05:35:18 pm »

Hi, last year we had a terrible lambing time - almost every ewe had to have assisted births and all had antibiotics afterwards. The 3 that had the worst time all developed lots of bald patches afterwards - one in particular lost the whole lot. It was all down to the stressful time they had and possibly the medication. It all came back eventually.

As we speak, I am back and forth checking on the same ewe who yesterday gave birth to quads! First time ever. They are quite small and fighting for milk so no doubt I will need to top them up a bit.
Tina Turkey