FAQ

Sheep Scab is a reportable disease but poses no risk to human health. Under the Sheep Scab Order 1997 it is a criminal offence if owners or keepers fail to treat visible sheep scab. Local Authorities can control movement and require treatment.

Two options are available:

1. Organophosphate Dip — blocks nerve transmission, full PPE required, sheep must remain in solution at least one minute. Protection lasts 60 days if used correctly.
2. Macrocyclic Lactones (moxidectin, doramectin, ivermectin — e.g. Cydectin, Dectomax, Ivomec) — typically wormers, not all kill mites; check datasheets. Consult your vet or SCOPS for guidance on MLs.

Biosecurity measures are essential: quarantine new stock, isolate affected stock, double-fence boundaries, blood-test before clinical symptoms appear, and treat at times of risk. Discuss concerns, treatment plans, and preventative measures with your vet.

Signs typically take 40–50 days to appear after infection.

Early signs: restlessness, rubbing, soiled wool, head tossing.

Clinical signs: severe itching, wool loss, exudative skin lesions, thickened skin, weight loss, low birth weights.

Watch for: sheep rubbing against fence posts, nibbling fleeces, dirty areas behind the shoulder, and dull or depressed sheep standing apart from the flock.

Sheep scab is highly contagious via direct contact with infected sheep. It also spreads via contaminated wool, equipment, fences, sheds, and fields. Mites survive up to 17 days off the sheep in wool tags and skin flakes, so infection can occur without direct sheep-to-sheep contact — including via trailers, shearing equipment, and marts.

Sheep scab is one of the most contagious parasitic diseases of sheep in Great Britain. It is an allergic dermatitis caused by the Psoroptes ovis mite. The female mite lays 1–2 eggs daily for approximately 40 days. Within 6–8 weeks, mite numbers multiply massively, the lesion spreads across the body, and sheep rapidly lose condition.