Pink-eye coming back

Tommy_T

Member
I have five ewes that went away with another flock for tupping. When they came back I noticed straight off three out of five had pink eye. I had this last year (not with these sheep) and the vet said if hard to catch or short on time can give a jab of Alamycin instead of faffing around with eye drops. I did this then and problem solved. Did the same with all five of these ewes and they cleared up.

Just over a week later the worst affected ewe was squinting and her eye looked inflamed again. I jabbed her again, it improved, but now two days later a couple of others look like they could be getting an issue again. I’m about to tear my hair out. Do I just jab the other four again as well?
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
I have five ewes that went away with another flock for tupping. When they came back I noticed straight off three out of five had pink eye. I had this last year (not with these sheep) and the vet said if hard to catch or short on time can give a jab of Alamycin instead of faffing around with eye drops. I did this then and problem solved. Did the same with all five of these ewes and they cleared up.

Just over a week later the worst affected ewe was squinting and her eye looked inflamed again. I jabbed her again, it improved, but now two days later a couple of others look like they could be getting an issue again. I’m about to tear my hair out. Do I just jab the other four again as well?
Yeah, and make sure you isolate them all from your other sheep or it will, likely as not, rip through the lot.

Some sheep (especially, I suspect, from a naieve population) seem to recover from it and then, almost immediately, get re infected.

It can be a right bu66er to clear up if you get it in a big bunch.
 

Bucks Boy

Member
Mixed Farmer
Agree, good idea to keep them isolated.

You may want to have a word with your vet. A dose of draxxin (different AB group and longer acting) may help sort the problem once and for all.
 

Bob the beef

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scot Borders
Been told by vet that the antibodies that are produced against pink eye don’t last particularly long in sheep and cured animals can become reinfected very shortly after being cleared up. As said isolation is the best insurance
 

TheRock

Member
Livestock Farmer
There seems to be sheep/ breeds more prone to it than others. Texels seem to get it where as it’s very very rare we get one in a blackie-even if they are in the same batch.
 

Tommy_T

Member
Back last year the vet suggested just doing the worst affected ones. It was only in my tup group so did this. Then took one to the ewes and although he had looked to be unaffected a few of the ewes got it. So I assumed he was carrying it although had no symptoms and it would’ve been best to just have done them all. Jabbed them all and it cleared up and no issues since but don’t know if that’s standard to do them all or just the worst ones. I don’t understand how some people say let it run its course when it can make them blind either!

These girls are native breed. Annoyed with myself sending them off for tupping elsewhere but had nothing for them to go with here that would’ve produced a decent lamb.

Definitely don’t want it going through my main flock so will have to keep them separate, annoying as it is as they’re munching their way through a field I was holding back. Concerned after this time I’m going to wait and think it’s okay and then it comes back again. I know Alamycin is safe for pregnant ewes apart from it may cause discolouration in teeth of lambs but don’t really want to keep jabbing…
 

Tommy_T

Member
As they’re all in lamb I’m trying to go for the option that has the least stress from treatment and catching up. I’m just about to check on them so hoping I’m wrong and no one else has it again but we’ll see. Guess my extra field is just going to have to take the brunt for a bit. Who knows, maybe the grass will get going a bit earlier this year to make up!!
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
I take it this is the first problem you have had, one day you might look back and think is wish I had sheep with bad eyes and not all of these dead ewes. As for the eyes I just jab anything blind with aly and never notice them again.
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
I have five ewes that went away with another flock for tupping. When they came back I noticed straight off three out of five had pink eye. I had this last year (not with these sheep) and the vet said if hard to catch or short on time can give a jab of Alamycin instead of faffing around with eye drops. I did this then and problem solved. Did the same with all five of these ewes and they cleared up.

Just over a week later the worst affected ewe was squinting and her eye looked inflamed again. I jabbed her again, it improved, but now two days later a couple of others look like they could be getting an issue again. I’m about to tear my hair out. Do I just jab the other four again as well?
you will learn long term to never mix sheep from different farms , apart from pink eye , you could bring in resistant worms , codd , scab , lice ,MV , etc all more expensive to treat than buying your own ram even if you sell him after tupping
 
We've had it on off for the last 5 years. It's not what many would call good practice, but a spray of engemycin or terramycin in the eye cures it if caught early enough. I tend yo have a tube of orbenin in around this time of year
Got a texel tup into the shed the other day and his one eye was totally white. Warmed the can in my pocket for a while and sprayed his eye once. Yes it was a shock to him but within 10 seconds he was fine,three days later his eye is clear. Less stressful for him than having to catch and retreat with ointment
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
you will learn long term to never mix sheep from different farms , apart from pink eye , you could bring in resistant worms , codd , scab , lice ,MV , etc all more expensive to treat than buying your own ram even if you sell him after tupping
That’s what I meant really.
 

beardface

Member
Location
East Yorkshire
Got a texel tup into the shed the other day and his one eye was totally white. Warmed the can in my pocket for a while and sprayed his eye once. Yes it was a shock to him but within 10 seconds he was fine,three days later his eye is clear. Less stressful for him than having to catch and retreat with ointment

I find if they've started to form.something similar to a cataract then ointment is the way to go, but all other times the can of spray is the best option.
 

Further a field

Member
Livestock Farmer
you will learn long term to never mix sheep from different farms , apart from pink eye , you could bring in resistant worms , codd , scab , lice ,MV , etc all more expensive to treat than buying your own ram even if you sell him after tupping
I certainly learned this having bought in codd affected ewes recently
 

spin cycle

Member
Location
north norfolk
I have five ewes that went away with another flock for tupping.

sorry....but i thought i was stupid sometimes

you will learn long term to never mix sheep from different farms , apart from pink eye , you could bring in resistant worms , codd , scab , lice ,MV , etc all more expensive to treat than buying your own ram even if you sell him after tupping

this
 

Tommy_T

Member
Thanks all.

Absolutely agree that mixing flocks is a bad idea and not really something I wanted to do. I’m not so stupid that I don’t understand the concept of a closed flock, and this is what I like to keep, however I don’t have commercial breeds and swapping out my existing tup (the sire of the ewes in question) proved impossible for one reason or another. Always plenty of turnover for terminal sires but rare breeds prove tricky. My question was about the pink eye though, not my flock management decisions.
 

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