Author Topic: Lamb not thriving (Read 4585 times)

Hevxxx99 · « **on:** May 26, 2016, 09:13:45 pm »

Got a lamb, now about 6 weeks old who isn't thriving. She's one of triplets and her 2 brothers are doing fine. She was the runt when they were born, so she was supplemented for the first 3 weeks and was doing well, but she seems to have just stopped growing and looks poor and grubby but not ill as such.

She does a lot of stretching, with her back legs behind her.

Do you think she might have bellyache or are there other things that cause this odd symtom?

No sign of bloat or scouring. They've been on grass for about 3 weeks now.

Old Shep · « **Reply #1 on:** May 26, 2016, 10:24:21 pm »

Are you bottle feeding it or is it just on Mum? Creep feed available??

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2016, 11:32:17 pm »

She's just on mum but they're all eating a lot of grass now, of which there is plenty. In fact, I'm wondering if that's the problem: too much rich food. She doesn't lok bloated at all though. All the other lambs in the field are big and fat. I'm not feeding creep as I don't want to push them on too fast.

As she was on a bottle as a top-up to start, I'd have expected her to run to me for food if she was hungry.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #3 on:** May 27, 2016, 09:57:22 am »

If she's uncomfortable she could have joint ill - consult your vet? Occasionally you get a lamb that appears to be surviving but not thriving and just seems to stop. They're generally found dead in the field one morning. Around here they say if there's something wrong on the outside there's generally something wrong on the inside too.

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 27, 2016, 11:31:50 am »

I certainly think there's something wrong on the inside. She isn't lame, though, just keeps stretching her back legs out every few minutes.

I think consulting the vet is a good way to go. I suspect it's gastric/intestinal.

clydesdaleclopper · « **Reply #5 on:** May 27, 2016, 12:09:37 pm »

have you tried offering her a bottle again?

Hellybee · « **Reply #6 on:** May 27, 2016, 01:11:09 pm »

It won't hurt to give her some kick start or a vit drench, jab of combivit?

Melmarsh · « **Reply #7 on:** May 27, 2016, 04:43:31 pm »

I had a lamb like this year's ago , I called her stretch for the very reason you have said. Vet couldn't find anything wrong externally but she never "did " in the end I had her PTS and opened up , her gut was constricted in several places and slightly discoloured . I did the right thing and she'd had a good period of time to get right but obviously never would

twizzel · « **Reply #8 on:** May 27, 2016, 07:47:19 pm »

We had a lamb not thriving this year, suspected white muscle disease and treated for it but she got worse, we put her down last week. Didn't open her up but suspect all was not well inside, think she might have had it in her heart muscles too.

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #9 on:** May 27, 2016, 08:46:24 pm »

Oh dear, those two tales don't sound encouraging $:-\$

I caught her up today (with some difficulty: she's still very lively) and gave her a thorough looking-over. Nothing apparent other than rather thin and (dammit!) the start of orf. I've got two others with orf and it's the first year I've had it. Presumably, it's resident in the new field I'm renting. I wormed her and the other sheep at the same time as she's about the right age and thinking maybe that is the problem.

I'll take a bottle up with me tomorrow and see if she's keen for a drink, Clydesdaleclopper, but I suspect she'll just run away.

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2016, 01:15:17 pm »

She didn't run away: she took about 250ml before deciding grass was tastier but I'll keep offering it to her as a top up.

She seems to be holding her own, so fingers crossed she'll survive, but I doubt she'll ever be anything more than a runt.