[MrsJ]

We have a lamb who had what looked like scabs around it's mouth yesterday.  We tried to catch it but it's a slippery little blighter.  Now the mouth looks very sore.  One of our group thought it might be Orf but I dont know where it's come from.  One thought it might be because there are a lot of thistles and brambles where they graze.  I have read that there is a Tubby that seems to prevent Orf (if it is that) but don't know where to get it from.  The website seems to give lots of info but no stockists or price - has anyone used these?

any advice would be appreciated.

[hexhammeasure]

If the orf is not around the nose or eyes I would recommend a spray called bactikill. spray twice over a period of a week and it should clear fairly quickly. We have used the tubby thing I forget which one was for orf. the main problem was that not all the lambs would eat it so some would still get it.

[Rosey]

my friend had orf, contracted from some hurdles.  He used septi-clense and it worked very quickly.  Be careful to use gloves though as it is transferable to humans.

[VSS]

Orf is sort of a right of passage for sheep - they will be more likely to pick it up if there are thistles as tiny punctures from the prickles give an entry site for the virus. Once they have got it there is nothing you can do to make it clear up quicker - it will go in 14 days time. What you an do is prevent secondary infection - as hexamesure says baktakill is excellent, especially if you don't want your sheep to all have blue/purple noses. If they only have tiny orf lesions, sudocreme is pretty good aswell and helps hair grow back quite quickly.

[countrygirlatheart]

intrigued - whats the 'tubby thing'?!   

[MrsJ]

Thanks for the advice.  Caught the little blighter last night and gave him a shot of antibiotics. 

Tubby's are buckets of nutrients.  this is their website http://www.brinicombe.co.uk/agriculture/products/animal_health/tubby.php I saw them recomended in a book but haven't tried them yet.

[milly molly]

Hi i got orf once when i got cut on a tooth when we were dosing the lambs, ruddy sore!
I was told it was a viral type of infection (similar to warts) which starts on the infected ewes udder and is picked up by the lambs when they suckle, i think their is a vaccine for it though, its also a notifiable disease, was picked up by the environmental officer when i sold a lamb at market with orf, that was a long time ago so things could have changed by now.

Mandy

[VSS]

Its not a notifiable disease - its very common.

It doesn't necessarily start on the ewes udders, in fact it often goes from the lambs to the ewes.

There is a vaccine for it, but unless you have serious annual problems with orf it is probably not necessary. If you guard against secondary infection they will get over it very quickly and they will only get it once.

[Pentre1230]

VSS is spot on, its certainly not a notifiable disease, it does make me wonder where people get there information from and I certainly wouldn't have taken a lamb to market with orf!! If you haven't got a serious problem with it don't vaccinate, its a live virus and a horrible little sod!!

We have a good success with Ovaloid Capsules they can be given to both ewes and lambs, we give the lamb two capsules, then we spray the area with Terramycin spray and for good measure give a jab of long acting Terramycin or similar, its a bit "belt and braces" but it saves me having to keep inspecting the ewes/lambs. 

[Tullywood Farm]

If the lamb is really young and was bottle fed powdered milk,
it could be a rash from that, which is very common with pet lambs
Sudocrem will clear it up in a few days.

Julie

[MrsJ]

Thanks everyone - Ovaloids it is then.  It wasn't a bottle fed lamb and we had no problems last year so dont know where the Orf is coming from but we have a second one with it now (my favourite lamb - he's so friendly and nosey!).

[PuBS]

Antibiotics wont cure Orf because its a virus, but help prevent secondary bacterial infections,the best spray is one containing Gentian Violet imho, as it dries up the crusts.
A friend of mine had Orf on his finger and kept getting asked to show it to med students in Oxford where he lived!!!
It looks horrible but isnt life thtreatening unless the lamb cant suckle, keep an eye on their body score.
Also watch out for mastitis in the ewes.

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

Thought I would bring this topic to the fore again.

For some time the best (and some would say the only) way to treat Orf was with ovaloid capsules. However, there is now a choice of products with the introduction of Orph Paste by Net Tex. Which from test results seems to have good effects in around about 5 - 7 days.

Thanks

[Fleecewife]

Hi SfS.  What are the active ingredients of the Orf Paste?

[landroverroy]

The main active ingredient in most EFFECTIVE orf remedies is sulphur. The most permanent and cheapest solution for orf that I have come across is to buy flowers of sulphur from the chemist and mix ir with an equal ammount of salt. Allow the sheep free access to this till a couple of weeks after all signs of the orf have gone. I have had orf in my sheep twice in 25 years (from bought in pet lambs. It was 100% effective both times. Don't bother vaccinating. It's a waste of time.