The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Kola70 on April 11, 2011, 10:25:21 am
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This is my first posting and not perhaps the happiest!
I am very new to this game and one of my ewes gave birth to twins a gimmer and tup on 1st April. The gimmer is a cracker the tup whilst healthy and indeed has suckled very well since the 1st, has problem with his front two feet. I found as he walked he was rolling over on the front of his hoofs at what I would describe as his wrists. I splinted both and he seemed to be fine keeping up with the ewe and as I say had grown so fast in a week.
Last night I saw that he was holding up his right foreleg. On taking a look I could not see anything wrong, joints not hot etc. I rebound both splints because when I took them off he was still rolling onto his "wrists". This morning I find that he is sheding, if that is the right word, one of his hoofs. When you compare the hooves of both front feet they are softer than the hind legs. I am concerned that my splinting may have lead to the degrading of the hoof but what do you do with a lamb that is shedding it hoof? Any thoughts from anyone would be much appreciated.
Also if he is still rolling onto his wrists is this going to lead to having the lamb put down. A shame as he is looking good otherwise but no point in letting the wee man suffer.
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The legs should be exercised whenever you have time - several times a day, a sort of physio for them. Move the joint around, straightening it as much as possible, then reapply the splint, with padding at pressure points. Sometimes it does get better, sometimes it doesn't and the lamb needs to be destroyed - by stretching and flexing the leg frequently you will be able to judge if there is any appreciable improvement. For the hoof, would a tiny trim help?
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Fleecewife thank you for your advice. I will do some physio and see how it gets on.
As to the hoof I can trim the nail no problem and I guess that it will just grow back.
Off to the paddock to give some TLC.