Orf occurs in young kids and lambs. They can also give it to their mothers, if they are nursing.

WARNING: This ailment is zoonotic, meaning it can spread to humans. Always wear gloves when treating affected animals.

Symptoms:

Orf is a herpes linked organism, that shows up as pimples or sores. The sores will be found on the noses and mouth of young lambs/kids and the udders of their mothers.

Cause:

The leading cause is copper deficiency. So, the best prevention, is to see that your animals copper levels are correct. This plays a role in many ailments, including internal parasites.

Treatment:

Of course, give them supplemental copper. No, copper does not kill sheep. They need it, just in smaller amounts. You should keep dolomite on hand in case of a overdose, as dolomite is the antidote to a copper overdose.

Since we had other lambs and kids on the ground at the time, We made sure to up their copper. That way the issue would not occur with the other animals, and it did not spread beyond one lamb and his mother Had we been sure they had gotten their minerals, the problem would not have occurred in the first place.

To clear up the sores, we personally used WD-40 directly on the scabs. They dried and cleared up within a week.

Another treatment we did not personally use, but it said to have worked for others and is more natural:

3 tsp copper sulfate

3 tsp vinegar

mix into a gallon bucket of water, and use as a dip for all affected

Again, prevention is better than a cure! Keep up those minerals for your livestock and yourself!