Author Topic: Can anyone identify this and explain what it is please? (Read 5750 times)

andywalt · « **on:** August 30, 2011, 06:45:05 pm »

Hi all

please can you look at the photos my southdown tup has got a tuft growing out of his feet above the cleats !! it has a waxy bit to it, I dont know if I have done a silly thing but I pulled one out and photographed it on a fence post, non of my other sheep seem to have it ? I am so surprised when I pulled it out with a v large waxy type lump !!!

andywalt · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2011, 08:39:34 pm »

it wasnt in between its hoof, it was actually growing out of a hole right in the top of the cleat, if thats the right name, it took some pulling out too, ive never seen anything like it before ......................................

shep53 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2011, 08:58:32 pm »

The hole is on all sheep some are easy to see and some tiny it is a secretion gland ,because your ram is woolly right down to his toes and maybe he produces alot of secretions causing matting, quite often you get the same thing from the gland in the corner of the eye

kanisha · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2011, 09:35:16 pm »

I'm guessing but like with poodles who have very hairy ears if you had a very hairy ( woolly ) sheep you would see the hair growing out of this gland is it a sebaceous gland? I know its there on my sheep too I never really thought about its function some are scent glands and others grease or oil production

shep53 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2011, 09:47:07 pm »

I'M sure i read once that sheep leave a scent trail from their feet for others to follow

andywalt · « **Reply #5 on:** August 30, 2011, 10:17:22 pm »

so have i caused any damage by pulling it out? or maybe done any good?

Corrie Dhu · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2011, 11:46:07 am »

No you haven't done any damage and often sheep with bad feet have this gland blocked so I expect it would be better out than in!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2011, 05:26:50 pm »

Quote from: shep53 on August 30, 2011, 09:47:07 pm

I'M sure i read once that sheep leave a scent trail from their feet for others to follow

Ah-ha! So that's how my amazing sheep-tracking collie always gets back all the sheep he started with, no matter how many square miles of hill and tussock there are for them to hide in...