Scab - stray ewe

[cowboysupper]

For the first time I've had a sheep stray from the next farm over onto our place. Blackface ewe with next to no wool left on her, poor condition and sporting the odd flesh wound. I've never had a problem with scab but I'm very concerned that she is riddled with it. I managed to keep her away from our ewes but in doing so had no option but to gather her into a holding pen and call the owner.

She sat in the holding pen for the guts of a day before the owner appeared completely ignorant of the fact there was something badly wrong with his ewe.

Im concerned the mites are still active in the holding pen (sheep wire, wood posts, galvanised gates etc). Are there any disinfectants or insecticides which can be sprayed round the pen? Of course I need to use the pen as soon as possible to gather our ewes for vax, drench etc

 

[CopperBeech]

For the first time I've had a sheep stray from the next farm over onto our place. Blackface ewe with next to no wool left on her, poor condition and sporting the odd flesh wound. I've never had a problem with scab but I'm very concerned that she is riddled with it. I managed to keep her away from our ewes but in doing so had no option but to gather her into a holding pen and call the owner.

She sat in the holding pen for the guts of a day before the owner appeared completely ignorant of the fact there was something badly wrong with his ewe.

Im concerned the mites are still active in the holding pen (sheep wire, wood posts, galvanised gates etc). Are there any disinfectants or insecticides which can be sprayed round the pen? Of course I need to use the pen as soon as possible to gather our ewes for vax, drench etc

Dip in a backpack sprayer would probably work but obviously would be illegal . . . . .

 

[Al R]

Someone I know in Patagonia (Argentina) had scab next door that scratched on all the fencing on their boundary and they use a blowtorch to burn it all off, it was a fair stretch too from what I remember them saying!

 

[primmiemoo]

Might this be useful to know, @cowboysupper ?:

Sheep Scab | Moredun

Sheep scab, or psoroptic mange, is caused by infestation of the skin surface with the scab mite, Psoroptes ovis.

www.moredun.org.uk

There's a set of key points to click on and read through on the LHS, below the video clip.

 

[The sheep dipper man]

For the first time I've had a sheep stray from the next farm over onto our place. Blackface ewe with next to no wool left on her, poor condition and sporting the odd flesh wound. I've never had a problem with scab but I'm very concerned that she is riddled with it. I managed to keep her away from our ewes but in doing so had no option but to gather her into a holding pen and call the owner.

She sat in the holding pen for the guts of a day before the owner appeared completely ignorant of the fact there was something badly wrong with his ewe.

Im concerned the mites are still active in the holding pen (sheep wire, wood posts, galvanised gates etc). Are there any disinfectants or insecticides which can be sprayed round the pen? Of course I need to use the pen as soon as possible to gather our ewes for vax, drench etc

Unfortunately Op is the only thing but you cant just speay it on surfaces for environmental reasons. Keep your sheep out the handling pens for 18 days and you'll be fine the mites will be dead by then .

 

[cowboysupper]

Cheers folks! Such a pain in the ass having the hassle and cost caused by someone elses incompetence!

 

[SteveHants]

For the first time I've had a sheep stray from the next farm over onto our place. Blackface ewe with next to no wool left on her, poor condition and sporting the odd flesh wound. I've never had a problem with scab but I'm very concerned that she is riddled with it. I managed to keep her away from our ewes but in doing so had no option but to gather her into a holding pen and call the owner.

She sat in the holding pen for the guts of a day before the owner appeared completely ignorant of the fact there was something badly wrong with his ewe.

Im concerned the mites are still active in the holding pen (sheep wire, wood posts, galvanised gates etc). Are there any disinfectants or insecticides which can be sprayed round the pen? Of course I need to use the pen as soon as possible to gather our ewes for vax, drench etc

Off a sheep the mites are killed by regular detergent such as Flash liquid (other floor mopping liquids are available).

Edited to add: The above information came from a seminar on scab given by Moredun.

 

[neilo]

I’d have thought pretty well any insecticide would kill the mites off the sheep.

You can buy concentrate from most Ag merchants, to mix in a hand sprayer. The last I got (for Blue Tongue midges) was called PerbioChoc RTU, but it was just a cypermethrin chem iirc.

The problem will be ensuring you get every single one though, so avoiding using the pens for a bit will be safest.

If your neighbour has scabby sheep running about you may as well get prepared for it’s arrival too. It only needs a bit of wool carried by a bird.

 

[Agrivator]

For the first time I've had a sheep stray from the next farm over onto our place. Blackface ewe with next to no wool left on her, poor condition and sporting the odd flesh wound. I've never had a problem with scab but I'm very concerned that she is riddled with it. I managed to keep her away from our ewes but in doing so had no option but to gather her into a holding pen and call the owner.

She sat in the holding pen for the guts of a day before the owner appeared completely ignorant of the fact there was something badly wrong with his ewe.

Im concerned the mites are still active in the holding pen (sheep wire, wood posts, galvanised gates etc). Are there any disinfectants or insecticides which can be sprayed round the pen? Of course I need to use the pen as soon as possible to gather our ewes for vax, drench etc

Are you just guessing that she had scab? If she didn't appear to be suffering from a severe itch, could it have been something else?

 

[Mc115reed]

I wouldn’t even consider risking it one bit! Even if you sprayed dip here there and everywhere I’d still say f**k that not worth the risk... get all the hurdles out the shed and get creative building a make shift race, short term pain for long term gain! Keep them out of the holding pen and away from that field for 14 days minimum or suffer the consequences... it only needs 1 mite too survive ...

 

[cowboysupper]

Are you just guessing that she had scab? If she didn't appear to be suffering from a severe itch, could it have been something else?

I am guessing she has scab but I don't want to take any risks. I neglected to mention in the OP she was also badly lame...she's a real bundle of joy...

 

[The sheep dipper man]

I am guessing she has scab but I don't want to take any risks. I neglected to mention in the OP she was also badly lame...she's a real bundle of joy...

By the sounds of it they are practiceing great livestock management!! Not

 

[cowboysupper]

By the sounds of it they are practiceing great livestock management!! Not

LOL, saw them advertising pet lambs on Facebook.... No thanks

 

[Agrivator]

I am guessing she has scab but I don't want to take any risks. I neglected to mention in the OP she was also badly lame...she's a real bundle of joy...

Is scab a notifiable disease with you. If it is, and if you seriously suspected scab, why didn't you report it and obtain a diagnosis. After all, the sheep was in your possession.

Scab is such a serious issue that you would have been doing your neighbour a service.

 

[cowboysupper]

Is scab a notifiable disease with you. If it is, and if you seriously suspected scab, why didn't you report it and obtain a diagnosis. After all, the sheep was in your possession.

Scab is such a serious issue that you would have been doing your neighbour a service.

Its not notifiable in Northern Ireland unfortunately although hopefully that will change in future. Otherwise I would have been on the phone to the authorities immediately.