The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: steve_pr on March 14, 2021, 10:55:25 am

Title: Lactating ewes scouring - brown diarhoea
Post by: steve_pr on March 14, 2021, 10:55:25 am
Looking to tap into the hive mind here. Got a 3 year old ewe raising twins who has been scouring (brown diarhoea, very runny) for a couple of weeks. A bit emaciated (but they are big suffolk/wiltshire horn cross lambs) but feeding OK on haylage, energy block and a bit of premium ewe mix. I think she got hot withy liver fluke (chronic) and has the classic bottle jaw, but was treated with Triclabendazole a couple, of weeks ago. Nothing seems to stop the runs. Tried leaving her just on straw but no change. Lambs are partly bottle fed but she is trying hard to let them suckle.


IN the last couple of days noticed a few more poo splodges round the shed, exactly the same in the main pen, so asking for help before we get the vet involved. They have all been wormed, fluked and have been on decoxquinate bucket for several weeks. All fed the same rations. Did an FEC but no sign of cocci oocysts or worm eggs (other than the odd one) so running out of options.


None of the lambs seem affected (yet) but need to resolve this before that happens. We lamb inside (in seperate lambing pens which are cleaned after each ewe) and then turn into big holding pen in the shed. They are now out in the field when permitting but come in at night (we have a fox problem!).


Would welcome suggestions, thought from others experience.
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Thanks in advance.
Title: Re: Lactating ewes scouring - brown diarhoea
Post by: twizzel on March 14, 2021, 12:50:20 pm
Increasing triclabendazole resistance so I’d get the vet involved. If it’s fluke there are other active ingredients in drenches but they don’t cover immature fluke.
Title: Re: Lactating ewes scouring - brown diarhoea
Post by: shep53 on March 14, 2021, 12:51:59 pm
The brown scour and bottle jaw would more suggest Barbers pole worm at this time of year and since you have wormed /fluked and no eggs in the fec  then maybe you have cleaned her out and she will need time to heal internally . Probably best to up the lambs milk so they leave her alone ,chances are she is producing very little milk .   Brown scour can be a sign of too many  conc's or a problem such as mastitis ,but if neither of these then time to heal . Forgot to ask what color are her eye membranes and gums if pink the fine if white /grey then she is anemic , so speak to vet for mins /vits
Title: Re: Lactating ewes scouring - brown diarhoea
Post by: Bramham Wiltshire Horns on March 15, 2021, 09:30:57 am
Looking to tap into the hive mind here. Got a 3 year old ewe raising twins who has been scouring (brown diarhoea, very runny) for a couple of weeks. A bit emaciated (but they are big suffolk/wiltshire horn cross lambs) but feeding OK on haylage, energy block and a bit of premium ewe mix. I think she got hot withy liver fluke (chronic) and has the classic bottle jaw, but was treated with Triclabendazole a couple, of weeks ago. Nothing seems to stop the runs. Tried leaving her just on straw but no change. Lambs are partly bottle fed but she is trying hard to let them suckle.


IN the last couple of days noticed a few more poo splodges round the shed, exactly the same in the main pen, so asking for help before we get the vet involved. They have all been wormed, fluked and have been on decoxquinate bucket for several weeks. All fed the same rations. Did an FEC but no sign of cocci oocysts or worm eggs (other than the odd one) so running out of options.


None of the lambs seem affected (yet) but need to resolve this before that happens. We lamb inside (in seperate lambing pens which are cleaned after each ewe) and then turn into big holding pen in the shed. They are now out in the field when permitting but come in at night (we have a fox problem!).


Would welcome suggestions, thought from others experience.
[/size]
Thanks in advance.

i Steve, sorry i cant help with your Plight but would be really interested to see your WILTX Lambs

as my name suggests i have Wilts and i am interested in seeing how the crosses turn out.

i have put some of mine to a Hampshire Down this year

the Wilts can be very versitle and are startuing to increase in popularity on the Commercial front

Tia
Title: Re: Lactating ewes scouring - brown diarhoea
Post by: Red on March 24, 2021, 09:57:06 pm
Ive had a few ewes that scour after lambing, not as bad as your describing, but I wash their bumps with liquid paraffin and baby shampoo & give them some kefir & it seems to sort them out
Title: Re: Lactating ewes scouring - brown diarhoea
Post by: steve_pr on March 25, 2021, 08:07:35 am
Thanks for that. Sadly the ewe died at the end of last week.  Turns out it was Triclabendazole resistant fluke, so had to refluke whole flock with Closantel!