[Blackbird]

I'm new to sheep and my first five arrived yesterday, all settling in, eating well and seem content. They were Clik'd, wormed and vaccinated before they came to me. One of them, a 3 month old Dartmoor is scouring and has a very mucky bottom and legs. No sign of flies and he's not acting as if flystruck, but I'm a bit worried. I've left a messsage for the breeder I bought them from as he offered ongoing advice and help, but wanted to see what folks on here think too.  If I wash his bottom and clip his fleece back, do I risk "undoing " the Clik treatment and need to do it again? Any thoughts welcome thank you.

[SallyintNorth]

Hi Blackbird.

I'm not a Clik user and don't know how/where it's applied or how it works, so we'll have to wait for someone else to come along and comment on that.  And on when it would be safe to reapply if necessary.

I'de definitely clip back any long mucky wool on the rear end though; whatever meds have been used, they don't protect through dung.

[woollyval]

I use Clik.....but totally agree....clip it all off and find out a bit more regarding what he was wormed with etc. Contact previous owner asap

[Blackbird]

Thanks both, OH managed to get him pinned down and I clipped most of the mucky bits off him, let it dry and gave him a spray of Blowfly Repel. No signs at all of maggots. Previous owner did come back to me and confirmed worming and Clik cover etc. We think it's probably because of the lush grass he's now on (no choice there I'm afraid), plus stress of moving. We are monitoring him closely and I will register the "flock" with the vets tomorrow and ask further advice. Bit of a steep learning curve today. 

[shep53]

To answer the question, if you dag  after applying clik you must re apply to that area, clik binds to the wool

[plt102]

We have grey faced dartmoors. Dag them (cut off all fleece around tail and back end) very regularly and keep a very close eye on them. Ours got fly struck above their shoulders on their necks so don't just check back ends. Crovect or clik after you trim. Invest in some electric shears as it will save you time and effort. Good luck xxx

[omnipeasant]

The mucky bum iws probably due tobetter grass then he's had before. Definately dag.

[Hazelwood Flock]

I agree with others, dag and re spray. Electric shears are definately a good investment. I crutch the ewes with them before tupping and shear some early show sheep with them, they're so handy!

[SteveHants]

Beware cocci in this weather. Check that the scouring isnt this - your vets should be able to tell you from a fecal sample.

[jaykay]

Good advice, SH, I've just had a goat kid, one of the three, have cocci. Very runny liquid green poo.
Three days of injections of norodine fixed it and she's right as rain again. But if it is cocci, as I found out last year, you have to move fast or it damages the gut irreparably and they don't 'thrive'.

[Blackbird]

Well, the lamb is still scouring (over 4 weeks now), and my other GFD wether who up till now has had a commendably pristine bottpm has also started scouring. FEC done by the vet shows no worms and no cocci. I've no idea where to turn next. The one who's been mucky for weeks is in reasonable condition and eating well, but the one who's just started is a bit lacklustre and he feels thinner to me. Vet thinks fluke is extremely unlikely and that they'll get better by themselves.

 In the meantime, I'm giving a little hay. They've been on the same smallish (and now very mucky) patch of land since I had them as I've been waiting to get the hay cut and didn't want to put them on even longer and lush grass. Hay now cut so I'll move them onto the aftermath once baled and hope this helps.    Any other thoughts gratefully received!

[Foobar]

If you are still waiting to move them give them lots more hay, and see what happens.
In fact, can you get the two worst offenders in and feed them only hay?


And what sort of scour are we talking about here - can u describe or photo?

[yvonne.s]

We are completely new to sheep too and got our first 3 gotlands last week, we've also had a scouring problem with the change in grass. They are now in a very restricted area with hay. It was suggested I try yea ssac to help the gut. Has anyone used this? I was told to give them 100g each daily for a month and then cut it back to 50g adding to their feed,  so we will give that a go and wash their back ends in hibiscrub or is clipping better? A learning curve, we thought we could put them straight out into the paddock and they would be fine!
 

[Blackbird]

Foobar, we're talking very liquid green (not dark or black) poo. It's just the 2 GFD wethers, the other 3 sheep  -GFD mother (10 years old) of one of the wethers, a Shetland lamb and Heb lamb, all roughly the same age are eating well, show good condition and normal poo.

Yvonne, what is the yea ssac you refer to? (will ask Uncle Google!). We having been washing their back ends in soapy water - I don't think Hibiscrub is needed - and we have clipped them short as well.

[Foobar]

Hmm. Well four weeks with liquid poo is not good and you need to change something that's for sure.
Ask in your local agri store for some "scour halt", and/or some rumen reactivation stuff like "provita rumen stimulant".  If you can't find anything ask your vet.
Get them in on hay only and a little hard feed.