Young Lamb with Strange Hooves

mysunwolf

mysunwolf

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I have a ewe lamb about 8 weeks old that has strange looking hooves. I'm not sure if she's always had this or not. They're a little long, but not overgrown. She had soremouth pretty bad on her muzzle and feet, and it is finally starting to heal. She was also the runt of twins, not getting enough milk for the first week. The hoof looks like there are two different pieces, but they're connected. Pretty strong, not a lot of smell. What's going on? Anyone ever seen anything like this?

DSC_6285.JPG
 
SheepGirl

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At first it looked like just two different colors on her hoof but when you look closer it looks a little separate. However if she's not limping then i wouldn't worry about it.
 
Sheepshape

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I think it is the ovine equivalent of Beau's lines in humans. These occur when growth suddenly ceases as a result of a severe acute illness. Normal growth occurs afterwards and the line of arrested growth appears.

They should just grow out.

I saw similar in a ewe of ours who had gangrenous mastitis. (She also shed her fleece).
 
mysunwolf

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Thank you both!!

That makes perfect sense, sheepshape. Maybe the lamb got the flaw in her feet from being partially starved of milk (though she wouldn't take a bottle) in addition to having to live off of grain and getting soremouth (the worst case I've seen here yet).

Since she's walking just fine, I'll let her be.

I love BYH so much :love
 
Southdown

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Interesting, I've never seen this. I did have a yearling ram with poor hooves, but it wasn't like this either. I would give it time, as someone else mentioned, you would think it will grow out eventually and get trimmed off.
 
mysunwolf

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I'll try to go out and get another updated photo of the hoof, I haven't checked it in over a month and it may have grown out.
 
mysunwolf

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Yep, orf = soremouth. We had an outbreak of it when we brought in lambs from a particular farm and I didn't know what it was. And then I got it on a finger (ew). The sores in the herd never looked very bad, and they were always on the lambs, with none of the adults getting it.

This lamb's hooves have healed nicely and she is bigger than her twin now.
 
BrownSheep

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Hey, just going to let you know that you can "vaccinate" against soremouth. It's basically a live virus you apply. I haven't ever used it or had a need to but I know for some people that once you get soremouth every lamb crop will be infected.
http://www.colorado-serum.com/csc/ovine_ectmya.html
 
goatgurl

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sheepshape is right about the hoofs and yes they will grow out. i had a doe who was terribly sick and when she got better her hoofs grew like that too.
 
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