How to Remove Sheep Keds

The sheep ked (Melophagus ovinus) behaves similar to a flea on a dog. It is an external parasite that holds fast to the sheep's wool and feeds off the animal's blood. The full life cycle of the ked is spent on the sheep and they live less than seven days if not on their host. The bites of keds are irritating to the sheep, can eventually make them sick, and skin reactions to the bite can discolor the wool. Clearing your sheep of keds will make for a healthier animal and better quality wool.

Things You'll Need

  • Sheep
  • Shearing equipment
  • Pyrethroid-based Insecticide in dust, spray, or dip form
  • Dipping vats (if using insecticide in dip form)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine if your sheep has keds. Part the wool at the base of the neck or between the shoulder blades. Sheep keds are wingless flies about seven millimeters in length. Other signs are discolored wool and visible excrement in the wool from the keds. The rump of the sheep is also a good place to check for infestation.

    • 2

      Shear your sheep. The keds cling to the wool, not the skin, therefore shearing should remove up to three-fourths of the keds. Keds are spread animal to animal by contact with infested sheep so shearing all sheep that are housed together is important. The shorn wool should be taken from the sheep's area as soon as possible.

    • 3

      Treat your sheep with a pyrethroid-based insecticide. This is a long-lasting treatment that has a high efficacy rate (up to 100% if used properly). The chemicals are available as a dip, spray or dust. Dust your sheep if you wish to treat them for keds soon after shearing. This is a good option if you have many animals because it takes less time than the other methods. For dipping or spraying you must wait until some wool has grown back in order for the liquid to hold.