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Author Topic: Wiltshire X self shedding question  (Read 3575 times)

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Wiltshire X self shedding question
« on: July 01, 2015, 07:58:59 pm »
Hello, Having a bit of a nightmare with shearing this year. 
Singing shearer couldn't make it to ours to shear the little flock and I actually managed to shear the majority of them myself.  Apart from one. She is a skittish thing anyway but she managed to get out of the race and pen, demolishing a wooden fence and causing a wound on her abdomen all at the same time.  I managed to treat the wound by hiding in nettles and spraying and very very luckily it's healed beautifully (it was quite superficial fortunately)
My question is, as a wiltshire cross could the clumps of fleece that are falling off of her indicate that she has inherited the self shedding gene?  SHe's looking quite poodle like.
I'm unable to get near her at all, she won't come to a bucket anymore and I really don't want to stress her further in this heatwave.
Any advice from wiltshire people please? 
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2015, 09:57:02 pm »
Well I have had one or two most years that sported a full fleece for most of the summer (Shetlands or Shetland/texel crosses).... and were fine! I wouldn't worry, and if the fleece looks like coming off anyway, I would just keep an eye on her bum and signs for flystrike.

devonlad

  • Joined Nov 2012
  • Nr Crediton in Devon
Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2015, 11:15:12 pm »
we've had wilts x Lleyns and its never been consistent. all seem to shed at least half their fleece, always round neck and backside, some shed completely some years and not others. its partly why we got rid of them and went back to full wilts as we never knew

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2015, 07:34:39 am »
thank you for your replies.  This one survived a dog attack last year and I think she's gone skittish since. I've noticed that compared to the other sheep I have (suffolks & LleynX) her fleece is never as full so was hoping for an answer like yours Anke - it has reassured me a lot!
I check them 2 or 3 times a day currently and at the mo we have no fly issues - I managed to spray her whilst hiding behind a fence so hopefully we have a few more weeks of chemical protection  :) 
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Daleswoman

  • Joined Jan 2015
Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2015, 09:00:30 am »
Nothing to add about the shearing aspect, only to say I think you are doing the right thing leaving her alone during the heatwave, I lost a lovely but skittish Shetland ewe yesterday because I was determined she would move fields with the rest of the flock and she got so stressed she succumbed to the heat.

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #5 on: July 02, 2015, 10:58:41 am »
So sorry to hear that Daleswoman.
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Tim W

  • Joined Aug 2013
Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #6 on: July 02, 2015, 06:49:23 pm »
In general it takes 2 crosses from a wilts (or other shedding type) to get a fully shedding sheep

If she is shedding a few clumps then she could well shed a good deal (eventually)----being stressed/sick will slow down the shedding process

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2015, 07:58:46 pm »
That's interesting Tim because she was shedding more effectively before I (stupidly) tried to intervene.  I'm leaving her to it and checking on her regularly.  Trying to get her used to being near us again with crackers etc. 
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

GrannyAching

  • Joined Apr 2015
  • Pembrokeshire
Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2015, 08:43:27 pm »
My Wiltshire x Welsh have pretty full fleeces which, they shed given time every year. I tend to get the shearer to tidy up anything that's left when he comes but this year they are all naked apart from one which needs the dagging area cleaning up but I will do that my self. There was an uncatchable sheep on the mountain behind us for at least seven years, never shorn, never wormed, never treated for flies - looked amazing as it didn't seem to shed either.  I think they caught it in the end cos they went out on a wet day and it was too heavy to move.

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
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Re: Wiltshire X self shedding question
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2015, 09:40:48 pm »
Wow 7 years?!   I feel so much better having read replies on here. I was very worried. 
Funnily enough, the only time she has succumbed to flystrike was after being shorn and Clik'd  ::)  That day my dog had kept her still in the corner just by standing there looking at her and she allowed me to trim and treat, full recovery.  Had she not been feeling a bit rough from the maggots though she'd have just stamped on him and carried on running around
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

 

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