So we have fly strike here again!! Poor Cherry and now her dad, Rambo!!
She was a feisty baby yesterday and was more awkward to handle, he, once we managed to lie him down seemed to accept his fate and enjoy the relief provided!!
But once again we have multicoloured predyed sheep in the fields! Though I am pleased to report Cheery’s fleece had started to grow back beautifully on the patches that had become utterly bald after her first round of strike!!
What have we learned:
- Crovect, crovect and crovect!! Prevention is better than cure
- Spot on is great as a cure
- Battles summer fly cream is brilliant
- Purple spray for any wounds
- Don’t be afraid to cut more fleece than you think is necessary
- Trim all the fleece as short as poss and a good pair of scissors beats hand shears for ease of working with jumpy babies!!
- Washing up liquid, water and smidge of hibiscrub is great for washing out the maggots they almost need to surface for air!
- Don’t forget the comb!!
- and gloves 🤢
- Take the time to get to know all your animals it’s easier to spot any issues (Both sheep seemed fine the previous day checks but heads hung low the following morning and then a bit of observation and itching spotted- no signs on the outer fleece) Sheep really like to hide their issues well!!
Sheep are amazing at hiding some awful issues as we learned from lambing this year! But we have learned an awful lot this year and things are already in the diary to do for next year to get on top of things early!!
However I do wonder if the different fleece of Rambo (which Cheery and A’tuin have inherited) is more prone to flystrike in our weather here in west Wales! Those that have the more Llanwenog style fleece seem to have faired better!! Llanwenog obviously being a super local breed (Any thoughts here gratefully appreciated!)
Anyway after a super hard day removing maggots from sheep we had a welcome beach picnic for dinner and a dip in the sea!!
Tyddyn Bryn 