Two sick sheep – it’s blowfly season

Just before our visitors arrived we took a sheep into the field shelter to treat her for a case of fly strike.  This is what happens.  The new fresh grass can make the sheep scour and the flies are attracted to the dung.  The blow flies then lay their eggs in the wool often at the back end but can be anywhere.  With Pinky’s lamb the trouble was mostly on her flank and she was sitting alone in the field and “worrying” at the irritation.  We washed the area with disinfectant and then sprayed it with iodine.  We didn’t know what else to do.  Our friend Kate called Rob, a local sheep farmer, who came to see her on Sunday by which time another lamb was also sitting alone and “worrying” at a bald patch on his leg.  Out came the anti fly kit – a pair of electric  cutters to remove the wool in the affected area and shake out the maggots hatching from the eggs laid by the flies.  Then on went a soothing oil containing chemicals that kill the maggots and finally a spray along the back to prevent flies landing on the wool and laying more eggs.  The lambs did look sorry for themselves and their mothers were waiting at the gates of the shelter to see what was happening to their babies.  Finally, with a stroke and a kind word, Rob sent the lambs out to the ewes where they could suckle and begin the long road to healing.  We will now have to check all the flock very carefully and spray the sheep to prevent any further cases of this nasty and often fatal fly strike.

sick sheep

sick sheep2

One thought on “Two sick sheep – it’s blowfly season

  1. Following you in detail and fascination ….. Will never know how you manage with such intelligence humour and very hard work xx

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