[jimmy]

Hi there, we've only recently started with sheep (2 weeks ago), and I just wanted some quick advice.

One of our lambs I think got stuck in some brambles or branches and tore the back of its fleece (back right hip).
It's also had a bit of a messy backside, which could be related (Odd bits of poo hanging on).

I checked up close, and there doesn't seem to be any damage to the skin, or any bugs or anything like that.
Since then though, more of the fleece seems to be coming off. Not sure if it's getting stuck in other things and tearing it further. We do have a fair amount of brambles still around unfortunately.

Is this normal/ok? Should I spray it with purple spray just incase? Shall I try to cut any dangling bits of fleece (especially if they have poo attached!)? Or shall I just leave well alone...

Any help would be great for a complete newbie

[Marches Farmer]

Poo - have they been wormed and fluked?  Have they come from poor grazing onto rich pasture?  Brambles - worth cutting back the longest bits - sheep can get very tangled and very stressed very quickly.  Fleece - difficult to say without seeing it.  Would suggest antibiotic spray and keep an eye on it.

[Fleecewife]

If the fleece is coming off in chunks then your sheep have a skin disorder - ask your vet who will probably tell you to take a skin scrape for identification before you start treatment.
 
If it's just general bits of fleece hanging off then you can pull or trim them off to neaten the sheep, but it's not essential.   You would only need to spray or apply a healing cream if the skin itself is broken.
The droppings adhering to the wool around the rear end are what's called dags and should be washed off if they are very runny, or trimmed off if they are a bit drier - using 'daggers' which are short hand shears designed especially for the purpose; make sure you don't pull the skin or you may cut it..   If it's the runs, then again you need to investigate the cause.  It's normal to worm sheep as they arrive on your land, or better still as they leave the previous owners land.   If that wasn't done then do it now.   If as Marches Farmer says they have gone from poor grass to very lush grass then they will tend to get the runs from the grass.  In that case you can feed them some good hay which will help to dry them up.
 
Brambles in a sheep pasture can be lethal, as they get caught in a patch and stand there until they die, unless you find them.   I would suggest that you go around your pasture and have a good look for anything dangerous to your flock, such as spiky wire, poisonous plants, escape holes in the fence.

[jimmy]

Thanks for the help! Will do. One of them did get stuck the other day, I wasn't prepared for quite how easily they seem to get stuck in the growth. Thankfully though the land is behind our house, so I'm able to check on them a few times each day. Guess I better get rid of more brambles!

If the fleece is coming off in chunks then your sheep have a skin disorder - ask your vet who will probably tell you to take a skin scrape for identification before you start treatment.
 
If it's just general bits of fleece hanging off then you can pull or trim them off to neaten the sheep, but it's not essential.   You would only need to spray or apply a healing cream if the skin itself is broken.
The droppings adhering to the wool around the rear end are what's called dags and should be washed off if they are very runny, or trimmed off if they are a bit drier - using 'daggers' which are short hand shears designed especially for the purpose; make sure you don't pull the skin or you may cut it..   If it's the runs, then again you need to investigate the cause.  It's normal to worm sheep as they arrive on your land, or better still as they leave the previous owners land.   If that wasn't done then do it now.   If as Marches Farmer says they have gone from poor grass to very lush grass then they will tend to get the runs from the grass.  In that case you can feed them some good hay which will help to dry them up.
 
Brambles in a sheep pasture can be lethal, as they get caught in a patch and stand there until they die, unless you find them.   I would suggest that you go around your pasture and have a good look for anything dangerous to your flock, such as spiky wire, poisonous plants, escape holes in the fence.

[Bramblecot]

What breed of sheep have you got Jimmy?  Our Shetlands love browsing on brambles through the stock netting but will get caught up in any long strands.  You will soon be a sheep addict like the rest of us and spend hours on stock watching

[smallflockshearing]

Hi Jimmy, check with the previous owners, but if there's a chance that they weren't sheared this year you could be seeing the fleece breaking at the weak point of new season growth.  Although 'modern' breeds don't moult, growing it right through will not result in a double-long fleece.  In a competition between a healthy fleece and a bramble, the fleece should largely come off best!
If there is still a covering on the skin I shouldn't worry about it.  If the wool is coming off right to the skin then you may have woolslip, about which you can do little and which may indicate poor thrift.