The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Newbie79 on May 04, 2020, 08:53:02 pm
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Hi, I'm new to sheep! Need some help please. I have a bottle fed lamb that has bubbly poops off and on. He is getting lamb milk replacer, some hay, & some creep feed, all spaced out through the day. He had runny yellow poop when I first got him, but that resolved itself. He has produced ewe berries today and appears to be feeling fine, although he just had this foamy poo again. He is chewing his cud and seems normal, but I am concerned because this poop does not look normal. Nothing comes up when I google it. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
Edit while awaiting approval: I found one reference to goats with foam in poo that suggested it possibly relates to too much protein, or food moving too fast through system. I held his creep feed tonight & will give it to him tomorrow in an even smaller amount to see if it changes anything. Looking forward to suggestions. Thanks :)
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I feed my lambs ad lib cold milk from a bucket and teat. They have access to both clean water and fresh creep at all times but I do not give them hay or grass until weaned. I found that feeding from a bottle gave them tummy troubles, either from me getting the temperature slightly different at each feed or just the amount they drank at each session.
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How old is the lamb? If its under three weeks I would take away the creep and the hay and just feed milk. I would also feed it at room temprature rather than warm.
If that doesn't help I would probably speak to my vets in case its e coli or similar infection
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Most likely thing is the wrong bacteria / in the wrong place. Everything to do with the feeding - milk, creep and hay, as well as drinking water - should be scrupulously clean every time. Sometimes milk gets in the rumen, which is bad news. Usually it's a result of overfeeding (too much milk at one feed) or feeding technique (eg, head too vertical, milk doesn't run down oesophageal groove.)
Fresh, clean, soft hay should be available to all ruminants from before 7 days; it's the best thing for rumen development. Creep is less key, you don't really need them to be eating creep until you're getting close to weaning.