[Azzdodd]

I have 3 black zwarble ewe's all been struck in the last week I have 16 white ewes not one struck? Same field white ewes fleece was longer that the zwarbles too? All clipped now but just a thing for the future for me

[smee2012]

I have four Z ewes that I'm in my third year of keeping, also have six lambs this year, and none of them have ever had fly strike (touch wood). I don't have any white sheep to compare to though 

[SkyeSheep]

We have Shetlands and none of the black sheep have had flystrike even when one of the young katmogets and one moorit got struck in the very wet autumn 2012. But maybe breed has more to do with it?

[kanisha]

flock of predominantly black ouessants with a handful of whites  only ever had one struck and that was very minor  in a ewe with a dirty bottom. I do wonder if fleece type might have more to do with it.

[in the hills]

Our Soay are a mixed flock in terms of colour, some dark phase.

No strike in 4 years of keeping 

They self shed and don't have loads of fleece in the first place. I'm hoping that this helps with preventing strike. Bit worried this year as I didn't lamb and a couple of ewes are yet to shed completely. Hoping they will soon and won't succumb in the meantime.

A sheep farmer told me that he thinks fleece type is a big factor in susceptibility ..... though not the only one of course and said he would personally still preventatively treat any breed.

[BALLOCH]

We have black welsh never had and have had occasional dirty bums had zwartbles too and didn't get but we are in north scotland

[FCA]

We've had Zwartbles for the last 12 years and have never had a case.  I always hoped it was because the flies didn't like the black fleeces, but that's obviously not the case after Azzdodd's experience!  We always treat with Vetrazin as a preventative.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

No they are not more susceptible than other sheep. The only problem with them is you take longer in noticing whether they have fly strike or not. The signs to look out for are, always wanting to hide themselves and repeated scratching, especially if they start to pull some of the wool out. hope this helps.

[Bionic]

So far there seems to be a lot of fly strike this year but rather then the colour of the sheep I am wondering where those people are located.
I was going to do a poll,  but don't know how to do it on here, so that those that have had flystrike this year can tick the area they are in.
That way we might get to see that its more area related than anything else.

[SallyintNorth]

Sally, go to Sheep, and where you would press 'New Topic', to the right of it is 'New Poll'.

It's fairly self-explanatory after that, I think.

[in the hills]

Think that might well play a part too .... we are fairly high and hadn't seen a fly when others on here were talking about flies and strike. There are some about the last few days though  . Wish my ewes would hurry and drop their fleece.

It would be interesting, Bionic.

[Bionic]

Sally, go to Sheep, and where you would press 'New Topic', to the right of it is 'New Poll'.

It's fairly self-explanatory after that, I think.

Thanks Sally, poll done

[Possum]

I had a mixture of Zwartbles and white wooly sheep last year and it was a white one that was flystruck. I think your Zwartbles were just unlucky this year.


How are they doing now?

[Azzdodd]

Thanks for the replies guess it's just bad luck for them then! Yeah there fine now once they were clipped and treated apart from the bald patches you wouldn't even know!!

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I just had to shear a whole sheep due to maggots I hosed her and put on her linseed oil, she looks a little better. The shearers are coming this week, so hopefully alls good.