[Jacob-list] Lice

[Linda]

What do you see when you see signs of lice on sheep?  One year a neighbor gave us a bunch of live roosters for the stew pot.  While I was plucking, I "noticed" (like in - Good Grief! what are these awful bugs that are jumping on me and biting me - burn clothes - take a shower in the garden hose?) the roosters had lice - the lice were the size of big black ants.  I'd guess that sheep lice aren't that big?  :-)
 
I had a ewe leave here that showed up with lice at her next home.  She had been wormed with ivormec and had been sheared about a month earlier and showed no sign that was apparent to me or the shearer.  I admit that I wasn't looking for lice and am not sure of what to look for.  I assume the shearer would have mentioned something if he saw signs, but maybe not.  I dosed the whole bunch with Permethrin even though I didn't see anything suspicious.  From what I've read, sheep can have lice with no symptoms until they are stressed so treating the whole flock seemed like a good idea. 

I'm not sure why Ivermectin is a "natural" product???  

Linda
 
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn

On Sun, 16 Apr 2006 13:56:02 -0700, ARTHUR PARTRIDGE wrote:

> ============
> I'm on digest, so this is a late answer.  I assume you mean lice on
> the sheep?  I had one ewe last month that had a patch of lice
> activity on her upper thigh.  My two choices were either a pour-on
> with diluted Permethrin and another pour-on 14-days later OR using
> Ivermectin oral paste (you could use the injectable made for
> sheep), just one dose.  All the sheep in the same group need the
> treatment.  I went with the easier method, the Ivermectin, which
> will only work on sucking lice, not the biting ones. They must have
> been sucking lice because the treatment worked.  The sheep are also
> dewormed and de-botted(?) (bot flies) at the same time with the
> Ivermectin.  I think Ivermectin is considered a "natural" product.
> I definitely prefer it to Permethrin insecticide.  I waited until
> all the ewes finished lambing before I treated them.  I might have
> to treat the lambs, I'm watching for any signs of lice. Cathy
> Moscow, Idaho
>
>
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