Author Topic: Balding Sheep! (Read 2264 times)

smee2012 · « **on:** April 22, 2014, 04:56:50 pm »

One of my ewes has a large bald spot on the underside of her neck, and is very bedraggled in general around the whole of her neck. What's the likely cause of this? I recall she was the same last year but none of the other three sheep are like it (although they all have a shaggy neck and tum at the moment). She's been Crovect'ed and was wormed a month ago. Is it something to worry about? The skin seems fine underneath and there's no obvious sign of beasties living in her fleece. She seems fine, and did last year. When she was shorn last year it all grew back fine so I'm wondering if it's just a normal thing for her?

Bramblecot · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2014, 05:57:33 pm »

Does she push her head through stock netting? I have 4 at the moment that look as if I have shaved them

- but they are the ones that push through every little gap to get that special balde of grass ont he other side

.

I hope it is something that simple.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2014, 07:02:57 pm »

It'll either be that she rubs the neck leaning over or through things to graze, and/or her fleece is starting to 'rise' and she'll be ready to shear fairly soon.

If it were patchy all over, it could be that she's had an illness which left a weakness in the fleece, but the underside of the neck is usually the rise, or grazing over a wire.

smee2012 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2014, 11:23:55 pm »

Now that you mention it, she does stick her head through the fence to browse on the hedgerow - much more than the others do. Yes, it looks just like I've shaved it!