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katie

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 2:03 pm Post subject: Orf
One of my ewes has it -probably brought in with one of the ewes we bought in August. It's not very nice, is it? She had an antibiotic injection ans we're bathing her mouth with salt water and putting Sudocrem on it and it seems to be getting better. Any hints or tips to help?

darkbrowneggs

Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 663
Location: Worcestershire

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 3:42 pm Post subject:

I know is regarded as a bit of a dirty word on this forum, but have you thought of homeopathy

Ainsworths of London - who I think I mentioned before have written a small book on Homeopathy for Sheep, and they supply the remedies through the post, and also (if you ask them politely) will often give advice on particular problems over the phone.

I know some on this forum are very anti, but I can only speak as I find, and it works on my animals. I have probably only had to use the vet about once in around 8 or 9 years now.

All the best
Sue
Dark Brown Eggs

SheepShed

Joined: 08 Nov 2006
Posts: 332
Location: In the middle of a Welsh forest

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 3:54 pm Post subject:

Most cases of orf clear themselves up after a few weeks, the main thing is to prevent infection of the sores, which is where the antibiotics an cream come in.
If she's penned make sure you wash everything down afterwards - Jeyes fluid works well if applied liberally.
Remember that orf is zoonotic so it can be passed to humans. Wear gloves and overalls and take care. I've seen someone who had an orf infection in their eye after rubbing it and it was very unpleasant.
Keep a watch on the rest of the flock, as it tends to go the rounds, particularly at this time of year it seems.

mochasidamo

Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 615
Location: Montgomery

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 4:32 pm Post subject:
We have had it through the lamb crop a couple of times but ours seems to be fairly mild as in the lambs have never been bad enough to go off their milk. A little bactokil is all we use and of course making sure the scabs don't drop off indoors. Be very careful with scratches etc on your hands and wear disposables. It's worse in humans than sheep.

toggle

Joined: 30 Dec 2006
Posts: 11622
Location: truro

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: Orf

katie wrote:

One of my ewes has it -probably brought in with one of the ewes we bought in August. It's not very nice, is it?

She had an antibiotic injection ans we're bathing her mouth with salt water and putting Sudocrem on it and it seems to be getting better. Any hints or tips to help?

be careful you don't get it

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 6:06 pm Post subject:
It may surface in spring even if it goes away now. Have a sharp look at the udders if it does. Orf can cause a very nasty mastitis.

katie

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands

Posted: Fri Oct 08, 10 6:48 pm Post subject:
Thanks everybody for the advice - I'm completely paranoid now! I shall be keeping a very close eye on everybody, myself included!

VSS

Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2845
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 10 3:09 pm Post subject:
Orf is going through our lamd now - better they get it now that when we want to sell them as breeding stock next year. Just trying to keep them well away from the lambs we want to take to the Winter Fair!

katie

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 10 3:13 pm Post subject:
VSS , is it worth vaccinating against it before tupping?

mochasidamo

Joined: 22 Sep 2005
Posts: 615
Location: Montgomery

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 10 8:16 pm Post subject:
The vaccine is a pain. The scratcher does just that giving each sheep a mild dose. And they come in huge dose packs completely OTT for a small flock.

katie

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 10 8:25 am Post subject:
Oh. Thanks for that! Someone recommended the pure rock salt lick as giving some protection against orf. Has anyone else heard this?

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19862
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 10 10:56 am Post subject:
We farm on the coast, everything is salt laden and a few of our lambs have orf every year.

VSS

Joined: 14 Jan 2007
Posts: 2845
Location: Llyn Peninsula, North Wales

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 10 8:15 am Post subject:

Orf is, for most flocks, one of those things that sheep just have to go through - rather like children and chickpox.

It is a virus and as such they will only ever have it once. It usually last for about 14 days, but will seem to go on for ages as obviously, they won't all develop it at exactly the same time. Anything particularly badly affected, spray the lesions with some sort antiseptic type stuff - we generally use bactokill (expensive, but really good) or purple spray.

I wouldn't advocate vaccination unless there is a very good reason - your vet should be able to advise on this.

katie

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 713
Location: midlands

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 10 1:00 pm Post subject:
Thanks VSS. I did ask the vet and she said it might be an idea if we have a continuing problem with it. I wanted to know what real people did, though!Presumably with a big flock, you can't vaccinate every sheep that gets it?

SheepShed

Joined: 08 Nov 2006
Posts: 332
Location: In the middle of a Welsh forest

Posted: Thu Oct 14, 10 1:32 pm Post subject:

katie wrote:

you can't vaccinate every sheep that gets it?

You vaccinate the ones that haven't got it before they get it.

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