[Jacob-list] Re: Tags

[Cathy Robinson]

  Thanks Melanie for the Tea Tree Oil suggestion.  I will definitely 
start doing that because we have had our share of infected scrapie tags 
here.  It may depend on time of year or style of tag, but we have had to 
totally remove a few of varying types, both from our own sheep as well 
as ones that have been purchased and were wearing a different style than 
our own, so I know that problems come from all types.    The absolute 
worst one was on a ewe last summer that had been tagged in March.  She 
acted a little bit "off" for weeks, but normal enough that we didn't 
really worry too much.  She ate normally, didn't act really sick, but 
more on the order of "depressed".    I attributed her "problem" to the 
fact that she was not bred last year and thought she was moping because 
she had no lambs.  Not far from the realm of possibility for her.  

We finally detected the problem when she was on the shearing stand 
getting her hooves trimmed.  You absolutely could not tell from casually 
looking at her that the tag was causing her a problem, but the odor on 
side of her body started us looking.  That tag was so infected that it 
had to be removed by a vet....a huge buildup of proudflesh on the inside 
of her ear around that tag...outer portion of the ear that you could see 
looked normal.  

If Betty is tagging just a few days after birth, you must be using the 
small "lamb" style tags.  I think the button tags would be too heavy for 
the tiny, tender newborn ears.  When we were only tagging for our own 
purposes (pre-scrapie program) we had lots of lambs losing their tags 
once they were old enough to start sticking their heads through the 
fence.  A few ripped ears were all I needed to stop that and for a year 
we did not tag at all. We are now using the button scrapie tags but wish 
I had ordered the small rectangle plastic "lamb style" tags.  

I intensely dislike tagging and get in a really bad mood when it is time 
to "install" tags.  I hate doing it and I hate it for the sheep, even 
though most don't seem to mind.  We just tagged last years' ewe lambs 
that are still here so hopefully they will be healed before warm weather 
arrives....although it is supposed to be 72 degrees here today!

Cathy
Perfect Spot Farm



Melanie wrote:

>  we apply Tea Tree Oil to everything that breaks the skin. We've never 
> found anything better. I've just used it on an infection my son had 
> after surgery, very fast results.


>     From: Betty Berlenbach <mailto:lambfarm at sover.net>
>
>     I tag the sheep when they are born, two days old, while still in
>     lambing jugs, a
>
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