Are there sheep ticks in Shetland or Orkney?

[paulb]

count feet 6 a ked 8a tick. not sure if many want to be close enough to count its feet.

[rbarlo32]

According to this local vet Vidlin seems to be the main area you find them

 

https://www.facebook.com/dr.miriam.krause/posts/377095735728882

The lamb dad was talking about came from Vidlinisha area.

I've never seen a tick out westerskeld way in the few years we've had sheep ect can't say I mind much as what that poor lamb had I never want to see another sheep go through it was awful and there was nothing the vet could do even after a couple of visits.

[lg18]

Just an update on my research doing tick surveys around Shetland and Orkney. By dragging my piece of blanket around on the ground in various locations in July, I found exactly NO TICKS! The very kind vet found only one tick for me, from a cat. To compare, when I use exactly the same method around Aberdeenshire, I almost always find several (sometimes many) ticks, virtually everywhere I look. I did the same thing in Orkney this summer too, and found ticks in only one of the sites I looked at (Rackwick, Hoy), whereas the kind vet in Kirkwall managed to find 6 ticks for me (from cats). So, the conclusion is: Shetland clearly does have ticks, but they are rare, and generally not a problem. Orkney has more ticks than Shetland, but they are still fairly uncommon. Aberdeenshire has loads, especially in the woodlands! Interestingly, as part of the same project, some colleagues surveyed Faroe and they found ticks at only one of their sites, too, on the furthest south island in a small community woodland.

 

Many thanks to those of you who helped by replying to my post and giving valuable advice!

Lucy

[The bear]

As I understand the tick problem has got much worse since the end of compulsory sheepdipping which would also eradicate much of the ked infestation we have here in the isles.

Crofters and farmers alike should work together to eradicate these parasites but should insist on total gathers on the hill and all animals treated as one no ifs or buts!!! The ked can only survive without a host (sheep) for a very short spell and can only be transferred from one to another from close contact.

These parasites are having a devastating effect on your sheep, lambs and wool clip which intern effect your profit.