Most experienced livestock owners are well acquainted with the signs of lice infestation: rough coat, hair loss, scratching, irritated skin, secondary skin wounds and infections, weight loss and general restlessness.
What does lice do to sheep?
Lice feed on dead skin, secretions and bacteria normally found at the surface of the skin. They do not suck blood. They do not eat the wool fibres but do cause a thickening of the skin. Their presence irritates the sheep, causing the sheep to bite, scratch and rub on trees and fences.
What are the symptoms of sheep lice?
Clinical signs that would lead a producer to suspect lice include the following:
- irritation that leads to biting, scratching or rubbing.
- stock are irritated and restless.
- sheep or goats with rubbed or pulled wool/hair should be checked.
- cattle coats will start to look scruffy and their skin may be rubbed raw.
