Can't get rid of lice- HELP

[Southern by choice]

So our two Jacobs were treated a few weeks ago with (cattle) pour on. We followed the dosage- seperated th wool and applied it straight down the back. It did not work. Now Gwen is losing wool under her neck... could be from where her neck rubs to get the hay but regardless they still have it.

I need to move the sheep back with the goats asap... because of my partners "space" requirements.

What can I do? I am thinking something oral??? Have no idea what to use. Also I think I should treat all my goats anyway but what about the kids and what to use? With the wool would the seven dust work or DE? I am at a loss.

The sheep are real small! 45 lbs and 33 lbs

 

[bonbean01]

I'm sorry the pour on stuff didn't work...I've never had lice here so far, so have no idea. I believe you have a vet friend near you and I'd ask for advice...has to be something that could get rid of them for good...hope someone with wool sheep that has had this problem gives you good advice...poor sheepie...those bites have to itch and hurt

 

[Roving Jacobs]

There is really no effective way to get rid of lice while they are still in full fleece. Soaking them completely to the skin with water can greatly reduce lice numbers in fleeced sheep but its a bit cold for that, at least in my area.

The best way I've found is to use a permethrin pour-on at shearing, then 14 days later. Sevin dust and sometimes Ivermectin pour on works too. They probably aren't sucking lice so injectable or oral ivermectin won't help the way a pour on or dust would.

 

[alsea1]

Sounds like you may have to shear them now in order to get rid of the darn things.

Soon my sheep will be shedding out their winter growth. I was thinking about using some dust in the little barn area floor just to make sure nothing gets started.

 

[SheepGirl]

Is this a picture of their neck? To me, that just looks like where she rubbed against a feeder. What does your sheep feeder look like?

This is my ewe in 2010 eating at a make-shift hay feeder with purebred Babydolls and also her two daughters and one son:

This is what resulted from it (notice the red mark on her neck--looks a lot like the mark on your lamb....also note how her left ear is intact ):

 

[BrownSheep]

I have a ewe with a self sheared neck. She sticks her head through the fence and pulls her wool out.

 

[Southern by choice]

There is really no effective way to get rid of lice while they are still in full fleece. Soaking them completely to the skin with water can greatly reduce lice numbers in fleeced sheep but its a bit cold for that, at least in my area.

The best way I've found is to use a permethrin pour-on at shearing, then 14 days later. Sevin dust and sometimes Ivermectin pour on works too. They probably aren't sucking lice so injectable or oral ivermectin won't help the way a pour on or dust would.

I was thinking this but was sure hoping to hear something different. :/

I was trying to wait til the end of March to shear, this stinks! My sheep vet said the same thing, we found them when they had their surgeries and she said oral/inject are only for sucking lice.

So any brands recommendations on type of shearers (electric)? Roving- what do you use since you have jacobs and they have so much lanolin. BTW- I am skilled so that's not a problem.

I do think the neck is from the feeder.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Roving Jacobs]

I was trying to wait til the end of March to shear, this stinks! My sheep vet said the same thing, we found them when they had their surgeries and she said oral/inject are only for sucking lice.

So any brands recommendations on type of shearers (electric)? Roving- what do you use since you have jacobs and they have so much lanolin. BTW- I am skilled so that's not a problem.

I do think the neck is from the feeder.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had my goat shearer, who also repairs shearing machines, out with a bunch of different brands of machine and decided which ones fit my hands and my needs the best. Originally I had an ancient set of Oster Shearmasters which is a good, powerful shearing machine but just too heavy and big for my little wimpy hands. I have nerve damage in one of my hands from an accident while working in a jungle so I needed a set that didn't vibrate too much, was small enough for my lady hands (everything is built for giant dudes!), but could still get through thick greasy fleeces.

In the end I decided on the premier shearers and I've been very happy with them. They aren't the most powerful shearers ever and wouldn't be good for really large flocks where you need to power through thousands of sheep but they work well for me. They're pretty light and don't vibrate too badly when you have the tension set right. They can be a little touchy about getting the tension just so and making sure the blades are tightened just right but with a little practice its not too hard and premier has really good customer support so if you're having trouble you can just call them and they'll walk you through how to adjust them. I think I use the blackhawk 94 combs for my Jacobs.

I really liked the Heininger shears I handled too but they're harder to find, a little more expensive, and in my area there are fewer people who can repair them so I went with something I knew I could get support for.

If I were closer I'd pop by and shear those little ones for you! Buying shears for 2 sheep is awfully expensive.

 

[purplequeenvt]

Household scissors But actually, that is what my sister and I used when we first got sheep. I think we sheared 13 sheep and 2 or 3 llamas like that. Band-aids for the blisters are HIGHLY recommended.

If I were you I'd get a pair of hand shears. Since you only have the 2 lambs it won't take you long to shear them by hand.

 

[Southern by choice]

I was trying to wait til the end of March to shear, this stinks! My sheep vet said the same thing, we found them when they had their surgeries and she said oral/inject are only for sucking lice.

So any brands recommendations on type of shearers (electric)? Roving- what do you use since you have jacobs and they have so much lanolin. BTW- I am skilled so that's not a problem.

I do think the neck is from the feeder.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had my goat shearer, who also repairs shearing machines, out with a bunch of different brands of machine and decided which ones fit my hands and my needs the best. Originally I had an ancient set of Oster Shearmasters which is a good, powerful shearing machine but just too heavy and big for my little wimpy hands. I have nerve damage in one of my hands from an accident while working in a jungle so I needed a set that didn't vibrate too much, was small enough for my lady hands (everything is built for giant dudes!), but could still get through thick greasy fleeces.

In the end I decided on the premier shearers and I've been very happy with them. They aren't the most powerful shearers ever and wouldn't be good for really large flocks where you need to power through thousands of sheep but they work well for me. They're pretty light and don't vibrate too badly when you have the tension set right. They can be a little touchy about getting the tension just so and making sure the blades are tightened just right but with a little practice its not too hard and premier has really good customer support so if you're having trouble you can just call them and they'll walk you through how to adjust them. I think I use the blackhawk 94 combs for my Jacobs.

I really liked the Heininger shears I handled too but they're harder to find, a little more expensive, and in my area there are fewer people who can repair them so I went with something I knew I could get support for.

If I were closer I'd pop by and shear those little ones for you! Buying shears for 2 sheep is awfully expensive.

thanks Roving.. I believe you would.
It may be a bit for only 2 sheep but I look at it from the perspective of once I can shear in a relatively time efficient manner, than I can help others in my community that only have a few that need some help.

By the way- I reallllly love these two little Jacobs. Gwennie, really my DD's sheep, is the bounciest most playful thing I have ever seen, She leaps and jumps and gets so excited when she sees my DD! Always makes me smile.

Thanks for the advice on the kind of shears, I guess I better do some shopping around.