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Author Topic: Animal dying - maggots  (Read 26064 times)

Coximus

  • Joined Aug 2014
Animal dying - maggots
« on: June 11, 2015, 10:33:19 pm »
I had a ewe die on me on Sunday, and its lamb sadly followed suit last night.

In the case of the ewe I found her about 2-5 hours after death (max 5 hours since Id moved the flock) - and her back end and underside was swarming with maggots, however she was showing no signs of distress when she was moved, and was otherwise normal.

The lamb was bottle fed for 3 days and was otherwise fine until last night, when it became lethargic. I tried to feed it again as per usual but it died when I picked it up - about 5-6 mins afterwards I noticed maggots crawling out of its anus and a few on its underside - these were not present 4 hours previously when I fed it and gave it a good look over and cleaned up abit as it wa scouring lightly...

This isnt flystrike is it? Or not as I know it,.,...... never seen maggots coming out like that so soon after death.

Old Shep

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • North Yorkshire
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2015, 10:53:34 pm »
I'm afraid that I would say the cause of death was fly strike.  The eggs would have been laid long before death if they had hatched so quickly. They had probably got into the blood stream and brain.  Spotting flystrike is a black art with very subtle signs like a subtle shudder, head hanging low and looking sad and even very experienced shepherds can miss it.  Sorry for your loss.
Helen - (used to be just Shep).  Gordon Setters, Border Collies and chief lambing assistant to BigBennyShep.

bigchicken

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Fife Scotland
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2015, 10:58:05 pm »
I wouldn't think that maggots hatch that quick so I would say you had strike. I would as a matter of urgency check very closely any other sheep you have and get them some flystrike preventative. In this warm humid weather strike is very likely.
« Last Edit: June 11, 2015, 11:00:13 pm by bigchicken »
Shetland sheep, Castlemilk Moorits sheep, Hebridean sheep, Scots Grey Bantams, Scots Dumpy Bantams. Shetland Ducks.

Melmarsh

  • Joined May 2014
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2015, 11:08:52 pm »
I'm afraid that I have to agree with the previous answers, fly strike. In the right temperature and humidity the eggs can hatch quickly. I would treat the remainder of the flock depending on if they have been shorn or not and treat the lambs anyway. A terrible situation and everyone will feel for you and your loss   :gloomy:

Coximus

  • Joined Aug 2014
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2015, 12:48:19 am »
Thats what worries me - Ive had a look over the rest of them, and see nothing - had a good inspection and tipped 8 this eve - nothing visible at all, no smell, nothing - but their wasnt on the ewe or lamb either so I worry about something inside - used last bit of crovect on them just incase and ordered some more, but wont have it till tues.

Bugger - horrible way to loose animals, especially catching unawares.

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2015, 11:29:31 am »
Sorry about that Cox  :hug:


We ve found three, two the day we clickzened,  ans another one yesterday, she must have missed the first spraying somehow, she right as rain though, we had to fly to catch her  :relief:


That's the stuff of horror stories that they can go up they're bum, shudder...


Big hug x

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #6 on: June 12, 2015, 11:31:22 am »
I listen for them too, yes I know I m a bit wacky  :thinking:

Kimbo

  • Joined Feb 2015
  • Anglezarke, Lancashire
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #7 on: June 12, 2015, 11:56:04 am »
awful, poor sheep and poor you. That must have been terrible to see.

Hellybee.....?you listen for them? Im probably going to regret asking this but what do you hear?
Is it time to retire yet?

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #8 on: June 12, 2015, 12:07:39 pm »
Other signs to watch for are flies buzzing around a particular sheep - even if you can't see anything, chances are that sheep's been strucken. 

And once the horrible things hatch and start munching, there's a wetness and a smell.  The wet can sometimes be seen, sometimes just a slight discolouration of the fleece, and/or something about how the fibres lie. 

Someone up-thread talked about sudden darting movements of the head, or foot - always watch a sheep that does this, if they do it again they have probably got something going on somewhere.

I've no experience of internal strikes, and don't know what, if any, external signs of this there might be, apart from a sheep that's clearly a bit miz - ears drooping, lying down reticent to move, hanging head and not grazing.

Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #9 on: June 12, 2015, 01:35:58 pm »
awful, poor sheep and poor you. That must have been terrible to see.

Hellybee.....?you listen for them? Im probably going to regret asking this but what do you hear?

Apparently they kind of rustle, but luckily I've never heard that.  Never had anal maggots either (personally or in a sheep  :thumbsup:). 

There is indeed a smell, so look, sniff, feel for damp and listen.

 We brought in a ewe yesterday because she was clearly bothered by something, twitching, jumping and stopping and starting.  We got her fleece off and no strike, so it's definitely worth checking at the first signs, assume it's strike, and if it's not then you've saved a sheep from the agony of being eaten alive.  I think she must just have had a fly bothering her, or maybe a couple of dags ( she has very long fleece)  I love that Ozzie saying " come on, rattle your dags", ie get moving.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #10 on: June 12, 2015, 02:23:47 pm »

 We brought in a ewe yesterday because she was clearly bothered by something, twitching, jumping and stopping and starting. 
Lots of horse flies about here at the mo making my sheep do just that.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #11 on: June 12, 2015, 03:29:00 pm »
In humid weather like this fly eggs can hatch less than six hours after being laid. 

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #12 on: June 12, 2015, 05:46:46 pm »
You know the snap crackle pop sound? Wel it's like a softer version of that. The smell reminds me of my grandads old potting shed.....


The head lifting and twisting maybe bearing teeth, catch it.   Any dark looking areas, fleece looking lifted.   Taking them selves away.  Just get them in n spray them and dag em.   there's nowt worse than maggots.  And as said above, time is critical. 


Dosed the ewes n lambs over the last two days. 92 ewes and shearlings and culls, and 77 lambs.  All sprayed up n up in the wind, brilliant.  Joined them up with another 54 shearlings and the little darlings moved in a treat.  And breathe :) x


Also nurse maid to two post op castrated ponies too, dear Binci and dewi they're doing brill too x
« Last Edit: June 12, 2015, 05:53:10 pm by Hellybee »

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #13 on: June 12, 2015, 05:50:37 pm »
Roll on shearing....... :thumbsup:

Kimbo

  • Joined Feb 2015
  • Anglezarke, Lancashire
Re: Animal dying - maggots
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2015, 06:52:17 pm »
Jeeeeeeezz.  :-\
Im suddenly not looking forward to our lambs any more
Is it time to retire yet?

 

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