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Author Topic: Ewe with hard udder and no milk  (Read 11955 times)

Ermingtrude

  • Joined Mar 2017
Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« on: March 27, 2017, 06:47:39 pm »
Hello, hoping for some advice about a ewe.

Ewe lambed Saturday 1500, 2 lambs, and was instantly very good with cleaning and sorting them out. She had bagged up nicely, and had something to eat and drink. On regular but discreet checks, the lambs seemed to be suckling, but it became obvious they were not getting anywhere. I gave them made up colostrum, and had a look at her - large udder, warm to touch, full, but didn't feel solid/hard, and wasn't obviously painful. Tried to milk her and nothing. Assumed bad technique, and checked her temp ( normal ) and heart rate ( bit high, but to be fair, she had only given birth a little while before, and I was poking at her ) breathing fine. Gave her some more time, and although the lambs kept trying, there wasn't anything. Worried about mastitis, so called vet who suggested oxytocin, which I gave, and to try massage and gentle milking. Still nothing. Gave lambs some more colostrum - not too much as vet suggested that if they were hungry, they would keep trying, and that would stimulate milk. Midnight Saturday night still nothing, and lambs hungry. More colostrum. Ewe still fine in self, no temp, panting a bit, but eating and drinking, laying down, moving around etc and not objecting to the lambs trying to nurse, but still nothing. Spoke to vet again Sunday who said a second dose of oxytocin may help - it didn't - and to start bottle feeding lambs as it was unlikely to kick in now. Lambs are fine - taking feeds ok. Ewe still eating and drinking, but her udder is solid and warm/hot. Not discoloured, nothing from nipples, and no sign it is causing her pain ( my eyes water just looking at it ) and vet says no need to do anything, as if there is no milk coming out, then infection ( mastitis ) is unlikely to have got in, and it will be like she is drying off after weaning, and the milk will be resorbed over time. She is a lovely girl, and this was always going to be her last pregnancy, but I wanted her to have some time retired as a lawn ornament - so I am a little worried about what to do for the best. Vet says put her in field with the other ewes/lambs, and bottle feed her 2 - less risk of infection than being in, but the grass may stimulate the milk, which makes her more at risk of mastitis - and as the lambs are getting less interested in trying to get milk from her, and more interested in the appearance of regular bottles from the nice milk lady, I am torn ! Any/all advice gratefully received.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2017, 10:30:25 am »
Have you managed to clear the "plug" at the end of the teats - sometimes you have to be quite brutal to get this out.  If her udder is hot then mastitis would be my first guess.  Sometimes lumps in the udder form after the heat has appeared, and are due to abscesses.  Has your vet actually examined her or just given advice over the 'phone?  Has he/she suggested antibiotic treatment?

Ermingtrude

  • Joined Mar 2017
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2017, 11:07:51 am »
Yes, the vet saw her Saturday after lambing, and he also thought the lambs were suckling fine, but was off on another call, so didn't stay that long. He saw her again Sunday for the second oxytocin injection, and he also tried to get some milk from her then, with no success, but seemed to think there wasn't any blockage, or infection/abscess ( I was also thinking mastitis ) and mentioned a virus that can make the udder tissue harden and go fibrous ( not sure of name, I had never heard of it ). She is still eating and drinking fine, walking fine, not objecting to the lambs trying to suckle, or me trying to milk her. She hasn't got a temp, and although the udder is certainly hot to touch, it doesn't feel any hotter than other parts of her - inside ears, nose, and a bald spot on her chest - where there isn't fleece. The vet wasn't keen on antibiotics when he didn't think it was mastitis.

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2017, 12:20:46 pm »
Since your vet has examined her twice and you say she is happy and eating fine then it sounds ok ,  While rare it happens mostly to just one side  , very rare on both sides

Old Shep

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • North Yorkshire
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2017, 03:44:31 pm »
We had it once on both sides - all you can do is take the lambs off and let her dry off somewhere on hay, no concentrates.  Once you've decided that's it - don't keep feeling the udder and keep any lambs off it then it will dry up itself.  Keep an eye out for mastitis developing, but if it doesn't she should be fine to keep as a lawnmower. 
Helen - (used to be just Shep).  Gordon Setters, Border Collies and chief lambing assistant to BigBennyShep.

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2017, 05:16:51 pm »
Would the virus the vet mentioned happen to be maedi visni?

Ermingtrude

  • Joined Mar 2017
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2017, 06:09:35 pm »
Thank you all - she still seems to be fine in herself, so I have put her in with a couple of other older ladies - she never even had a backward glance at the lambs ! The lambs are fine being bottled so far, and are out in the day time in a small paddock, with some others, and they can come in at night with the other still pregnant ones.

It was Maedi Visni that the vet mentioned - he suggested a blood test to check.

I do appreciate all your input. Having had horses all my life, sheep are a new step, and a little scary, and I want to do my best for them all !

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2017, 08:39:17 pm »
I suggest following your vet's advice regarding getting her tested for MV.  This is a fatal disease and something you'd need to tackle immediately if tested positive.

Ermingtrude

  • Joined Mar 2017
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2017, 10:54:26 pm »
Vet is due out tomorrow afternoon to test them all for it, so I have my fingers crossed for good results. There are only 4 older ewes, 4 that are about a year, and then the current 6 lambs, with 2 more lambs due from one of the older ewes, and I'd be gutted if they had issues.

waterbuffalofarmer

  • Joined Apr 2014
  • Mid Wales
  • Owner of 61 Mediterranean water buffaloes
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2017, 12:25:59 pm »
sorry to hear about this and I hope all turns out well! :hug:
the most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, loving concern.

Ermingtrude

  • Joined Mar 2017
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2017, 03:25:58 pm »
Thank you :)

Testing done, and he checked the ewe at the same time - no real change in the udder, but she is tucking into the hay and seems fine in herself. The horses are due teeth and jabs on Monday, so he will check her again then assuming things don't change in the meantime.

Thank you for all the help.

Ermingtrude

  • Joined Mar 2017
Re: Ewe with hard udder and no milk
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2017, 08:29:57 pm »
All negative - great relief. Ewe is in with the yearlings, and seems fine - still got a massive udder that is firm to touch but not hot, and nothing from teats. She seems fine - eating drinking moving and can shift herself across the field PDQ when a handful of nuts are on offer.  Lambs are happy with the bottle and gaining weight at an alarming rate. Ewe is now an official lawnmower - all I wanted from her, and as long as she stays fine in herself, she has a permanent position. The lambs are also staying, after all this bottle feeding, they can join the lawnmower pack as nice sheep.

Thank you everyone for your input - it was very helpful and a great weight off my mind when things looked like they were going pear shaped.

 

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