Author Topic: Not a good end to a Sunday! Orf? (Read 3237 times)

thenovice · « **on:** June 17, 2013, 07:52:07 am »

Checked 1 of the ewes last night, and saw she had 2 or 3 red spots on the end of her muzzle. She seems fine in herself, and her lambs seem ok. Luckily she is in a small paddock with just her lambs, as only been here a week, and so still in isolation. Could this be the start of Orf, or something else? Never had it, or even seen it before. What can I do to treat if it is? Thanks all

Anke · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2013, 10:40:52 am »

Mine just get some sudocream onto the scabs to help drying them out quicker. Others spray with the purple spray. It's bacterial so there is not much you can do to, but let it run its course. She will be a carrier, so may run through your flock in due course.

I have had it very severely in the lambs last year just after weaning, and they stopped eating... but again not much you can do. I think it may also be stress related, so if your ewe is new to your holding it may have just erupted after travelling/new field etc etc.

thenovice · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2013, 05:37:21 pm »

Thankyou, someone else said use sudo cream. Iodine has also been suggested, as had blue spray. Would TCP do the same thing I wonder?

Anke · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2013, 06:02:16 pm »

Sorry, what's TCP?

thenovice · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2013, 06:07:28 pm »

Im showing my age now. Tcp antiseptic liquid, what teenagers used to put on their spots in the 80s

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2013, 06:48:45 pm »

Blue spray will stop the spots becoming infected with a secondary bacterial infection. Keep an eye on her teats as if it's passed on to her lambs they may infect her from their noses when they suckle and if the teats get too sore she won't let them suckle.

Anke · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2013, 08:40:30 pm »

Quote from: thenovice on June 17, 2013, 06:07:28 pm

Im showing my age now. Tcp antiseptic liquid, what teenagers used to put on their spots in the 80s

Well I was a teenager in the 1980s...just not in this country... But it should do the job I think.

SteveHants · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2013, 10:22:52 pm »

Bucket licks with a high salt content are good - orf is viral so there isn't a lot you can do about it. There are special buckets made for orf, but the only difference between those and normal bucket licks are that the salt crystals are bigger to get in the sores more (thankyou Mr Bucket-lick sales rep!). Essentially, the salts keep the wounds clean and they clear up more quickly.