Ewe Lamb Being Driven Crazy!!?

[Cab-over Pete]

Aye-up,

We have a bunch of Tx x Mule ewe lambs to grow on hopefully selling for breeding this summer. All doing well and looking great.

One of them is behaving very strangely. It's as if she is infested with maggots. Skipping about, then flopping down head tight to the ground. Nibbling her sides, trying to scratch her sides with her back feet, running a few paces, scratching and rubbing on the fence.

This is the third day running. We've caught her three days running and spent several minutes each time parting the wool down to the skin. First day just the usual places but today we have been over just about every inch of her and there are definitely no maggots, even in her feet. No sign of scab or indeed anything at all. All the while we had her caught she was trying to bite me.

She doesn't get a moment of rest. She's grazing as best she can. I've seen her drink and she looks well in every way except the constant fidgeting.

It's not nice seeing her in such distress. I'm trying to get hold of our shearing man to get them done. Maybe she's just fed up of her wool? Perhaps once it's scissored off she will be happier.

Any ideas?

Cheers, Pete.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Could be lice

 

[Bob c]

you can maggot worm this time of year aswell

 

[exmoor dave]

Something buzzing around her, they hate flies/ bees/ wasps etc etc

A few ewes in the shed last night were doing exactly what you describe.

 

[Nithsdale]

Sounds like scab me. Especially as she's trying to bite you too!!

Just because you can't see any signs, doesn't mean she is clear.

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Oh, bugger. They were all injected with Dectomax in late January which I thought covered scab?

 

[Gulli]

Could have picked it up since then. It's not a vaccine.

Could equally be flies buzzing around her head. Or maybe there's one in her ear...

 

[Cab-over Pete]

No that's true, it's not a vaccine. There are no flies buzzing about when we catch her and we can get right up to her in the field, none seen then either.

If it's scab, what's the plan?

 

[Gulli]

Could be midges or any sort of flying animal really (unlikely to be bats ...)

I would isolate it quickly before it spreads to anymore and get a vet diagnosis to be sure. Then treat accordingly.

Or do what some do and just leave them to run round the field with all their wool falling off and not tell the neighbours

 

[Gulli]

http://www.scops.org.uk/ectoparasites-sheep-scab.html

 

[Al R]

No that's true, it's not a vaccine. There are no flies buzzing about when we catch her and we can get right up to her in the field, none seen then either.

If it's scab, what's the plan?

More dectomax unfortunately!

 

[Downton_shep]

Oh, bugger. They were all injected with Dectomax in late January which I thought covered scab?

Is it 2 jabs for scab?
I think it's probably flys/midges myself.

 

[Nithsdale]

Is it 2 jabs for scab?

Dectomax is just 1 to treat scab.

Others (Cydectin) are 2 IIRC.

 

[Guiggs]

Cydectin 2% is a single jab,
You will need to put them on fresh pasture after treating or they can get re-infected from rubbing on posts/ gates etc as the scab life cycle is 17 days I believe!
Assuming it's scab that is, they do seem to jump about, head low, throw themselves down when being harassed by flies etc but the chewing / biting sounds more like some kind of parasite to me.

 

[Wooly]

Something buzzing in her ear ?

Don't know how people can diagnose scab, when I'm sure Pete has only a few sheep !

Sounds more likely to be the first signs of scrapie.

 

[Nithsdale]

Cydectin 2% is a single jab,
You will need to put them on fresh pasture after treating or they can get re-infected from rubbing on posts/ gates etc as the scab life cycle is 17 days I believe!
Assuming it's scab that is, they do seem to jump about, head low, throw themselves down when being harassed by flies etc but the chewing / biting sounds more like some kind of parasite to me.

Stand corrected


The reason I'm saying scab is, an old boy i know used to work in a market... got to know who had scab as the sheep would try biting you as he worked with them sorting owns out!

 

[Guiggs]

@Nithsdale Farmer ,
You're right that cydectin 1% is 2 jabs!
I just chose to use the 2% 1 jab when I used it!

 

[Nithsdale]

Does it not need injected in the base of the ear, or something??

I just use Dectomax. 1 Jag, intramuscular. I just nip them in the back leg as i zip up the alley

 

[Guiggs]

Yeah base of the ear, can be a faff but I wasn't getting the right result with dectomax when I used it. It was 3 or 4 years ago I had a problem and the cydectin sorted it, I just use it as a precaution on the rare occasions I buy any ewes in these days!

 

[Nithsdale]

It sounded a faff when i read the data sheet, so i went for Dectomax.

Iv not used any product for a few years but had to do my ewe hogg's in Feb, as they were plucking their wool and nibbling themselves.