Baymule
Herd Master
It would be a big deal to me-people can catch it. My sheep do not have orf.
Boarding someone sheep - how much to charge?
- Thread starter Michael & Donna
- Start date
NH homesteader
Herd Master
That's what freaked me out! Of course they told me after touching their goats. I had never heard of it before then, so I went home and Googled it and obsessed about it for a few days. Haha!
purplequeenvt
Herd Master
You won't get sore mouth from touching an animal that doesn't have an active infection. Generally speaking, sore mouth is NO BIG DEAL. It really depends on the strain though. There are some strains that are so strong/bad that they cause a significant amount of pain/damage.
I will say though that in the 16 years of raising sheep that none of us have ever caught sore mouth from the sheep. Usually the lambs will get it at a certain point in the spring and then never again. Occasionally, if you show or expose your sheep to other sheep, they can pick up a new strain and have another outbreak, but it's usually milder. My personal opinion is that I would not refuse to purchase an animal that came from a flock with SM. I would however never purchase an animal with an ACTIVE outbreak.
As for the potential boarding situation, do it only if you are completely comfortable with the people you will be dealing with as well as the health of the animals and you have the space for it without shorting your own animals. Like others have mentioned, you don't want to introduce disease or parasites if you can help it.
We have a neighbor who charges $1.50 day per animal for WINTER care, including feed.
Sheepshape
Herd Master
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We have sheep/cattle for our neighbour. We charge him a small annual retainer to use about 10 acres, whilst he will fertilise, mend fences etc. in addition. He is a very experienced farmer who has 200 plus acres himself (he hires our land as we have a field or two which bisects his two areas of land), so we don't have any real issues with disease importation. A stranger with animals who may have or may be incubating a variety of diseases are an entirely different issue.....but pregnant does and sheep....not at all advisable.
Just seen purplequeenvt's post. I have had orf from my own sheep.It gave me a VERY sore finger which discharged pus for weeks and a rash called erythema multiforme which covered my body with very itchy rings with an area in the centre which formed a scab (I hadn't any immune compromise, so the rash wasn't dangerous). It was NOT the nicest experience I have ever had and took about 4 weeks in all to resolve. It's a good idea to wear gloves when drenching sheep (advice I really should take!)
Just seen purplequeenvt's post. I have had orf from my own sheep.It gave me a VERY sore finger which discharged pus for weeks and a rash called erythema multiforme which covered my body with very itchy rings with an area in the centre which formed a scab (I hadn't any immune compromise, so the rash wasn't dangerous). It was NOT the nicest experience I have ever had and took about 4 weeks in all to resolve. It's a good idea to wear gloves when drenching sheep (advice I really should take!)
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