[in the hills]

Could we be missing anything?

We have bred 2 lots of lambs now. Both times our lambs (from the previous year) have developed mucky bums as the new grass has started to grow in the spring. Only the lambs have been affected and not the older ewes. We have put this down to change of diet.

Last year we dagged and problem sorted itself out.

This year same again so we have dagged. The sheep were treated for fluke a few weeks ago with Triclafas drench (as advised by the vet) ... we do have some wet land so fluke regularly. Vet recommended this one as dealing with all stages of fluke lifecycle. About 3 weeks ago we mentioned mucky bums to our vet. Told to treat with Combinex as a precaution .... wormer.

The lambs are still a bit mucky. Not terribly loose but enough that it is sticking to their fleece.

Could we be missing anything? Just wanted to reassure ourselves and also a bit concerned about strike. They are starting to shed so hopefully that will help and then we can use the Crovect. Older ewes are spotless 

[shep53]

If I read this correctly then you are talking about hoggs born in 2013 , they carry more wool than a ewe as they've never been shorn so more to stick to  , they also don't have the worm tolerance of older sheep .   You wormed them  and say they are drying up so just dag harder clip all the wool from tail and inside the legs .          Don't under stand the dosing TRICLAFAS is for all stages of fluke yes but at this time of the year only adults should be a problem , then you used COMBINEX  which is the same flukicide plus a wormer ??

[Hellybee]

If grass is flying through, get some mag buckets in too x

[ScotsGirl]

Have you tried treating for coccidiosis? That can make them scour although not sure how old they need to be to drench for that.

[Me]

If everyone insists on tipping triclabendazole down under various trade names every time "because it does everything" it really wont be long until it does nothing    people have embraced scops for worms but convenience is king with fluke 

[Llandovery Lass]

When one of ours started a black scour the vet suggested cocci, it was abit early for nemo so he gave, sold, us an injection for him. It cleared up so we bought a small bottle of Vecoxan drench and have done others when they show signs. It seems the problem for us is that we turn all the lambs out into the same field, the older ones  are fine as they gain immunity before they consume too many but the younger ones pick up a lot more due to the older ones passing the eggs, not eggs I know but I can't spell ooocists. We treat them as we see a dirty bum, they dry up virtually over night.
Next year I am going to try the Tubbies buckets, they contain an anticocidiostat and seem to solve the problem, perhaps I can persuade the ewes to lamb closer together.

[in the hills]

Me - Went on advice given by my vet. Was that not the thing to use then?

Llandovery Lass - Would cocci affect last years lambs (12 months old now). Must admit I don't know anything about cocci in sheep. They all look well/ healthy. Well grown.

Mmmm  - got some research to do.

Same thing happened last year in the Spring. It was only the lambs from the previous year and the new lambs were fine.

Just thought they would have settled by now as the grass has been growing for 2/3 weeks. They are eating all the hedges too as they are coming into leaf.

[SallyintNorth]

I'd get a FEC done - ask for one that looks for cocci and fluke too - because it's probably just the lush grass

And I'd fluke with a different fluke med; there are a lot of reports of triclabendazole being less than 100% effective.

I'm rather surprised at the vet recommending a combined wormer and flukicide just for worms - perhaps you already had the Combinex and were loathe to pay out for a different med?

[shep53]

 All older sheep above young suckling lambs carry coccidial oocysts and are immune to them .       I KEEP SAYING SHEEP ARE INDIVIDUALS  and not every one will pass neat little pellets all the time especially when grass is growing fast and wet .    Should not consider this is the norm for your sheep at this time of year

[in the hills]

I'll contact the vet tomorrow.

No SITN. We changed vets last year after we weren't that pleased with treatment for our puppy at the time. That vet always measured out the exact amount of wormer/ fluker needed for our small flock. So we've never bought a 'big' bottle of anything of that kind so nothing at hand as it were.

New vet suggested we buy a big bottle of the fluker that I mentioned for the reason that I stated. They said that it would last a long time and was the best approach with our wet land. OH was in the vets at a later date and discussed the fact that lambs were a bit mucky and the vet suggested worming and gave Combinex. They supplied this in a small bottle just enough to treat our flock. I must admit I did think it a little odd to be given a combined treatment. But I'm not a vet and they were looking at our flocks records at the time so I assumed maybe there was a reason for their choice. 

Will speak to them tomorrow.

[in the hills]

Just a quick up-date and thank you.

Seeing that all the sheep looked very healthy, we decided to initially follow the advice given by shep53. We caught all the flock up and combed all their back ends thoroughly with a dog comb  . Apart from one wether all had dirty but dry bums. It combed off really well  ... not sure its a method I've seen any farmers using though.

We then left them on a small paddock with less grass and they have remained there until today. All clean and dry.

We've let them onto a grassier paddock today so just hoping they stay dry.