Melophagus ovinus, or the sheep ked, is a brown, hairy fly that resembles a tick.

[1] The sheep ked feeds on the blood of its host by inserting its sharp mouthparts into capillaries beneath the skin.

[3] Symbiotic enterobacterium Candidatus Sodalis melophagi was described to live in evolutionary early/intermediate state of symbiosis with sheep keds.

[3] It feeds on the blood of its host, so causes irritation to the sheep, leading it to rub, producing both loss and damage of the wool.

It also makes firm, hard nodules that develops on the skin called a cockle, this will reduce the value of the hide.

Although this response is trying to combat the ked infestation, it also results in a less abundant and lower quality fleece.

[7] Adult keds can be killed using treatment dips and sprays most commonly containing ivermectin or pyrethrin.

Resistant sheep’s skin was histologically examined and showed arteriolar vasoconstriction in addition to fibrinoid degeneration of the tunica media in the lower dermis.

In resistant sheep, keds were unable to obtain enough blood and eventually died from starvation.