Author Topic: Biotin for hoof care (Read 2415 times)

JMB · « **on:** February 18, 2013, 09:36:27 pm »

Hi.
I found a mineral lick on mole valley farmers website that contains biotin for hoof care. It is the fertility and foot care lick. Haven't seen it anywhere else. In the wet conditions, with the occasional limping sheep, and pregnant ewes ( who I don't want to turn over to treat, or should I?) I was wondering if anyone else used biotin or similar for hoof care in sheep? I think it is vitamin H.
They've never had foot rot so I don't want to inject them ( there is a vaccination for footrot prevention )as I don't think this would help.
Just looking for an alternative to foot spray or antibiotics as a prevention.
Thanks
Joanne xxx

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2013, 04:52:05 am »

No, don't turn pregnant ewes unless you absolutely have to.

They get a bit limpy as they get heavier. Human ladies who've been pregnant themselves say it just feels a bit like that in the later stages

So long as she's coming for food ok, I'd leave her be, and give feet a good checkover after she's lambed.

If you think they're spreading infection to each other, move the feeding area around; if that's not possible, spread lime on the ground where they walk over each other's footprints. That'll kill most of the infective agents.

Sounds like the lick would do no harm - except that it creates somewhere for them to congregate and spread any infection to each other...

So if you can't move it about regularly I'm not sure I'd think it a good idea...

wallyward · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2013, 07:37:26 am »

Hi

have had the MVF feet & fertility buckets out over the summer and through tupping. Ewes seemed to prefer them to the general purpose mineral buckets. as they are in a bucket you can move them around every couple of days. i do this with all the buckets as with all the wet weather they can make a mess around teh buckets as they dig their feet in to lick. dont know if its the buckets or just luck but had no scald or limping sheep even though they have needed snorkals sometimes the fields have been so wet. i now use one feet & fert bucket every other time i need to get a mineral lick.

JMB · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2013, 07:46:57 am »

Thanks for your replies. It's always tempting to buy something, when maybe there's an easier more practical solution.
I was just curious because I see a lot of biotin products for horses and cows, but not for sheep
J xxxxx

Bramblecot · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2013, 11:12:09 am »

I bought it for mine last year and they loved it

.

Turned their noses up at the garlic lick but it eventually got eaten over the summer.

The GP licks are eaten steadily but the one they gorge themselves on is the Lifeline Lamb and ewe. I don't know what extra is in it but I have 2 buckets side by side (one GP and one Lifeline), as an experiment). 20 ewes demolished the LIfeline in under 3 weeks and the GP is less than a third gone. Any ideas?

The grass is almost non-existant now but they have ad-lib hay and a small amount of hard feed, and had a mineral drench recently. Lambing in 4 weeks.

Foobar · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2013, 12:51:15 pm »

Quote from: Bramblecot on February 19, 2013, 11:12:09 am

The GP licks are eaten steadily but the one they gorge themselves on is the Lifeline Lamb and ewe. I don't know what extra is in it but I have 2 buckets side by side (one GP and one Lifeline), as an experiment). 20 ewes demolished the LIfeline in under 3 weeks and the GP is less than a third gone. Any ideas?

Lifeline is a "feed" block, GP is a "mineral block". Lifeline is 12% protein, GP will be about 2%, if that. They will "eat" a feed block, but only "lick" a mineral block.