[Karen Gaietto]

Has anyone experienced wool loss in sheep? I have 2 rams, one is 5 and the other 10 that are affected, the older one has lost mush wool at the back of the neck to his shoulders. All sheep are current on vac/deworming. Vet had me treat all for lice( although I do not think that was it) with cylence. Any suggestions? They have free choice minerals, and we are part of the scrapie program. Does anyone know about wool chewing as I wondered if that was a possibility?
Karen

 

[stephen & leah]

Karen,

My MIL has the same thing happening. Her sheep are the most pampered, well cared for, gourmet-fed, every-need-met sheep you ever wanted to see. Same deal...good hay, minerals, supplement blocks, comfy sheep barns, nice pasture, great well water, no parasites...But she has a couple that are loosing wool in clumps. They aren't going bald, but if they brush up against anything or if you just tug ever so slightly, it comes right off. She is desperately searching for a reason/cure, but has come up with NOTHING so far. Sorry, I know that doesn't help you any, but at lesat you know you are not alone.

Stephen

 

[Guest]

Two things come to mind, wool slip which I THINK is a problem mostly associated with housed ewes.
Another one is called wool picking not as in picking and carding wool, but the ewes will apparently pull bits of wool out of less dominate ewes thereby making it look like the ewe is shedding wool, It is said to be caused some low level chronic stress in the animals. My ewes are wool picking right now, they get very good care and lots of good feed-this could be part of the problem because it has also been noted that a lack of sufficient roughage may be partially to blame. All this makes sense in my flock because I aquired these ewes less than a year ago and now run my Gaurd Dogs with them, something they never had before (low, chronic stress) and they have been getting 3rd crop Alfalfa which is a very fine hay (maybe not as much roughage).
Calvin