Lambs losing their wool, is it normal?

[madelineanne]

I've recently taken in a baby lamb, her mom didn't accept her, so i have been bottle feeding her. She is about twenty days old now and has started to lose her wool. Is this normal and will it grow back? I have no experience with this so it would help to have some good feed back. Also is it save to brush the wool off or should we just let it fall off naturally.

[Grahame]

Hi Madelineanne,

I think someone had a similar problem here a while back (you could search the old posts). It is probably stress related. Even healthy sheep can get stress problems that lead to a weakening of the wool fibre and it then breaks relatively easily. I think the main problem you will be facing is sunburn. If you can protect the lamb with some suncream he/she will probably come good. I'll have a quick look for the past post.

[Grahame]

here you go http://forums.permaculture.org.au/showthread.php?10923-Lamb-losing-wool

It could be worms too. I read somewhere that a bad worm infection can cause lambs too lose their wool.

[andrew curr]

if it loses all its covering it could get sunburn it may need a little wooley jumper
got any pics
some plants cause photosensitization but its unlikly to have eaten enough
what breed?/some shed more prolificley than others:grin: