Does anyone scratch for ORF

[Devil's advocate]

First cases of ORF for 25 to 30 years.

Such divided opinion, its so confusing.

Vet & vet websites online all advocate scratching with vaccine. As preventertive not during an outbreak.

Local farmers all swear by parafin or homemade remidies.

Have to say I'm very suprised how quickly the ewes are recovering, a ewe that looked a right mess, four days ago is already recovering well with out treatment.

I suppose I'm very lucky that it has occured so close to weaning.

 

[Skintagain]

Used brinicombe buckets past few years but going to try road grit next time we see issues in buckets

scratching is a ball ache

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

Spray with Osmond's bactakil and put out lumps of rock salt

 

[Agrivator]

Whatever you do, do not scratch for Orf. I cannot understand why it ever got a licence.

Moreover, anyone who scratches for Orf should not be allowed to sell any animal anywhere without making a declaration. And if they don't, they should be forced to pull thistles by hand for forever more - without gloves.

 

[Downtrodden Dad]

We put rock salt out, last year was the first year and hardly saw any, this year we have quite a few with it, used buckets in the past and hardly ever saw any. Previous to that used to scratch with varied results.

 

[ford4000]

Always see some lambs with orf at this time of the year, never scratched and very rarely treat any at all, as its usually just a few scabs on the nose and lips.

 

[hill shepherd]

Whatever you do, do not scratch for Orf. I cannot understand why it ever got a licence.

Moreover, anyone who scratches for Orf should not be allowed to sell any animal anywhere without making a declaration. And if they don't, they should be forced to pull thistles by hand for forever more - without gloves.

What's your thinking behind this statement? The sales around here are full of lambs scratched for orf, I thought most buyers wanted them done, can certainly think of a couple that always ask if there done.

 

[andybk]

Whatever you do, do not scratch for Orf. I cannot understand why it ever got a licence.

Moreover, anyone who scratches for Orf should not be allowed to sell any animal anywhere without making a declaration. And if they don't, they should be forced to pull thistles by hand for forever more - without gloves.

has a place doing ewes pre lambing (6 weeks + ) otherwise no , though can put a spanner in the works selling lambs mid summer some years

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

What's your thinking behind this statement? The sales around here are full of lambs scratched for orf, I thought most buyers wanted them done, can certainly think of a couple that always ask if there done.

Scratch ours what's the issue? Botten stores do get orf when they come to us if not scr atched. Homeopathic zinc tablets off vet and we'll salted beef,pork dropping melted to a paste and brushed on gives 100% cure.

 

[Agrivator]

Scratch ours what's the issue? Botten stores do get orf when they come to us if not scr atched. Homeopathic zinc tablets off vet and we'll salted beef,pork dropping melted to a paste and brushed on gives 100% cure.

It's a live virus. The scab drops off and can spread Orf to farms that are free. In fact, it is possible that store lambs standing in market which have been scratched for Orf can spread it to other sheep.

And a number of farmers mistake thistle or gorse burr (sores on the lips) for Orf. And for some stupid reason start to scratch for Orf.

Spend your time controlling creeping thistle instead.

 

[neilo]

It's a live virus. The scab drops off and can spread Orf to farms that are free. In fact, it is possible that store lambs standing in market which have been scratched for Orf can spread it to other sheep.

And a number of farmers mistake thistle or gorse burr (sores on the lips) for Orf. And for some stupid reason start to scratch for Orf.

Spend your time controlling creeping thistle instead.

The orf virus in the vaccine is a fairly benign strain, and much better to have that than a particularly vicious strain coming in from somewhere.

I haven’t scratched them for years, mostly as it’s an awful job and having a low level, controlled by buckets, seems to keep it at bay through natural immunity.

 

[neilo]

scratching is a ball ache

Does the scratching not cure that?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Used brinicombe buckets past few years but going to try road grit next time we see issues in buckets

scratching is a ball ache

It's easy enough to do the ewes pre lambing. Put them through the clamp of your choice and do the skin under the tail.

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

The orf virus in the vaccine is a fairly benign strain, and much better to have that than a particularly vicious strain coming in from somewhere.

I haven’t scratched them for years, mostly as it’s an awful job and having a low level, controlled by buckets, seems to keep it at bay through natural immunity.

It's a live virus. The scab drops off and can spread Orf to farms that are free. In fact, it is possible that store lambs standing in market which have been scratched for Orf can spread it to other sheep.

And a number of farmers mistake thistle or gorse burr (sores on the lips) for Orf. And for some stupid reason start to scratch for Orf.

Spend your time controlling creeping thistle instead.

Point me in the direction of a vets paper on that?? must be some literature.I would be more worried of the undipped sheep spreading scab than orf.

 

[Agrivator]

Scratch ours what's the issue? Botten stores do get orf when they come to us if not scr atched. Homeopathic zinc tablets off vet and we'll salted beef,pork dropping melted to a paste and brushed on gives 100% cure.

I think you should enlarge on how ''we'll salted beef,pork dropping melted to a paste and brushed on gives 100% cure''.

If that is the case, why on earth do you go to the trouble of scratching for Orf? It's a live vaccine which can cause Orf in a naive person doing the scratching.

 

[unlacedgecko]

I think you should enlarge on how ''we'll salted beef,pork dropping melted to a paste and brushed on gives 100% cure''.

If that is the case, why on earth do you go to the trouble of scratching for Orf? It's a live vaccine which can cause Orf in a naive person doing the scratching.

I really don't think people should be smearing animal by products around the mouth of a live ruminant.

 

[hill shepherd]

Its easy enough to do, we do them when they're young lambs so scab has dropped off long before they get to any auction so they won't infect any other farms. Only issue I have with it is the same as most other things, its expensive

 

[CopperBeech]

I really don't think people should be smearing animal by products around the mouth of a live ruminant.

As an industry, a sheep eating a bacon sandwich is the least of our worries

 

[Collie dog Sid]

I put it rock salt out, seems to work pretty well

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

The zinc tablets are the real cure