Footvax

Sami23 wrote: »

Just wondering do many of ye use Footvax to prevent footrot and if ye do how do ye find it and when is the best time to use it ?
Thanks

I've used it, ewes that lambed at Christmas would be in with the lambs until march and didn't want the lambs being infected with footrot from the ewes.
Used it march and September, injection sites were prone to infection and there's wormers that you can't use on the sheep after, the reaction will kill the sheep. It does work but I don't use it on march lambers. Regular footbathing works just as well

Sami23 wrote: »

O right, think I'll give it a miss so.
As regards the footbathing what setup do u have as I have never done it yet myself. Would I b able to work it in a cattle crush for example ?

Very hard to get sheep into a long narrow footbath, especiall with lambs.
I dug a hole in the yard and concreted it, 12ft by 10ft by 6 ins deep and the ewes bring the lambs into it but it costs too much to fill for a small flock, it take €80 worth of zinc sulphate, but I'd often put over 1000 sheep through it before I'd clean it out.
CormacTuam sell a galvanise batch footbath, about 8ft by 4ft with 30ins sides all round, works alright with zinc sulphate but rusts like hell with copper sulphate, maybe someone here has experience of using it

Willfarman wrote: »

Does the injection site just die a lump rangler or does it rupture?

I've seen it do both, maybe they scratch it. I suppose I used the wrong word, it's more an allergic reaction than an infection and it reacts more with some sheep than others. It's important to inject them high up on the neck for that reason, ie avoiding the carcase.
We used the sterimatic syringe, (the needle goes through a disinfectant sponge between every sheep) and lately haven't as much lumps..that could be just coincidental