The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Muttley94 on March 07, 2012, 07:25:24 pm
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Only 3-4 weeks to go before the fun starts, so while waiting I'm trying to make sure I have everything I might need. I have colostrum&bottles, a bottle of kick start, docking rings and a high energy lick which I gave the ewes a few days ago. Is there anything I've missed? Anything you guys would recommend? All suggestions are much appreciated :) :sheep:
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Yes, all of that :)
I have a prolapse harness, but that's because Roughs are prone to prolapses.
In my lambing bucket I also have dagging shears (for clipping long wool hiding teats), lubricant in case of having to 'go in', antibiotics in the fridge ready, for the same reason, stock spray to mark the ewe and the lambs that belong to her before I turn them out, iodine or blue spray for navels, a couple of pieces of baler twine for feet and a piece of washing line for head, in case a lamb needs 'organising' in order to come out properly.
Oh, and a book and a torch :D
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Getting the lube and stock spray tomorrow from the vets, and will ask about the antibiotics then. Which naval spray would you recommend? Dagging shears, right I'll look into that as well :) I'm sure I have baler twine somewhere and some washing line, hope I don't need it though! Got some books and a torch with spare batteries too :) thanks!
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Well everyone says use iodine but I have always used the blue Terramycin spray you use on feet and never had any problems. I find it easy to use too.
I jag any ewe with antibiotic if I've had to intervene inside.
I use the dagging shears because Rough Fells have very long fleeces and sometimes the lambs spend ages sucking on wool. Maybe I won't need them so much now I have Shetlands instead.
I've only ever once needed the baler twine, to untangle twins - it was helpful to keep hold of the leg I'd traced as belonging to the first head out, while I tried to find the other one attached :D Mainly any intervention I've had to do has been to straighten legs or push a lamb back to get a head in the 'divng' position that had got tipped back. That's all and it's far less alarming than it sounds. You take a deep breath, make yourself calm down and then you can do it :)
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Ah I see, think I will pick that spray up tomorrow too. I have 4 mules and a jacobs so maybe I won't need the shears. If it gets more complicated than head/legs back I might just leave it to the vet haha :) though I should get experience for my second year. "deep breath, keep calm and get on wi t'job" was some advice I got from an old Yorkshire man when I was on holiday there, seems pretty sound :)
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I am using arm length disposable gloves if have to go in. I have so far not had to jag with antibiotic after intervention, but all of mine were pretty minor - usually just bringing the legs out, putting head back in etc.
Also very short fingernails, no jewellery either.
I use Bactakil on navels.
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What would you say are the pros/cons for gloves compared to no gloves? So if i can't bring it round and out I will phone the vets and they will probably jag the ewe, at least I don't have to worry about not doing it right :) Bactakil? Never heard of it, will ask tomorrow what they have in stock and see what they say. Thanks for all the advice!
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In my first year of lambing I lost a couple of lambs to watery mouth - possibly they didn't get enough colustrum.
I now give my newborn lambs a dose of Spectam to guard against this.
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Have a look at Sallyntnorth's post's - good advice especially stuff for the medicine cabinet like PSF which CAN be added to milk (unlike the rehydration stuff vet sold me which needed to withold milk before and after... not much good when trying to get a poorly lamb to feed and get energy >:(. So good idea to research the best products ie some prevent and some prevent and cure (eg for watermouth). Again refer you to sally's posts.
Vet won't give you antibiotics etc unless they have seen your flock within last 6 mths.
Problem is you can buy all this stuff and never need it or you open it for 1 or 2 lambs and then its wasted (I gave my stuff to neighbour for free who helped me out but he said next year we would share the cost, so something to look into). I had to buy a bag of powder milk (min 20kg) and only made up a few litres out of it... ::)
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Spectam, ok thanks I'll get that today too :) if I don't need some stuff then I will just give it to the vets incase anyone else can use it. I'll go look at Sally's posts now. Thanks for all the help :)
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Re gloves - you should always use them, I for example have not yet jagged a ewe after helping with a mispresentation, I always have a clean glove in my pocket - it means if I am busy with something nearby (I also have goats kidding at the same time as lambing, plus getting the garden sorted etc etc) I can quickly put on a glove and help without having to try and wash my hands, clean finger nails etc etc.. Really the price of gloves (I am still on my first box after 4 years of lambing and they don't go off) is minute compared to the possible loss of a ewe/bottling her lamb(s), so i don't think there is an excuse.
Bactakil comes in a handy spray bottle, doesn't mess your fingers up or the lambs belly (Don't get the purple version though), good allrounder for the holding.
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Please you should use gloves for your own protection too, a friend of ours spent 4 wks in hospital when infection got into his hand from lambing a ewe with campylobacter
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You should certainly be using gloves if you're after anything other than healthy lambs, yes. And any shepherd with a female partner who is or could be pregnant should definitely be using gloves, too - ideally probably for handling all lambing fluids, whether internal or external, I guess? (One of our up-to-date biologists will hopefully come in on this one...)
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Well that's me got gloves now too! Suppose you can never be too careful with hygiene and looking back, I went to a friend's house and got to help with some lambing (only carrying lambs to their pens as I was about 13) and, even though we washed our hands meticulously, I was ill for a few weeks and always wondered if that was the cause. Is there much difference between terramycin and bactakil? I've got terramycin ordered at the vets as they had none in stock. So if I use Spectam that covers this watery mouth?
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The full lenth gloves bought this weekend were £10 a box so that works our a 20p a pair, and the short gloves are even cheaper.
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I keep a hot water bottle handy too always good if you don't have power for a heat lamp or you have a power cut and need to keep a lamb warm, I collect old towels as well that I can boil wash or throw away these are handy when you have to help dry a lamb or just to put over the hot water bottle to stop mess and accidents
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I had a hot water bottle around here somewhere, but as usual it's went walkies ::) I have a few old towels ready as well so if i can't find the hot water bottle they will have to do :) got the full length gloves for £8 which is great, hears hoping I don't have to use them though
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We have never had a case of waterymouth in 16 years (fingers crossed). I understand that it is more a problem of lambing large numbers indoors, than lambing smaller flocks, especially outside. Please think very carefully whether you can justify the need to use antibiotics routinely where you don't have a known problem - that is the way to create antibiotic-resistant bugs. For navels, 10% iodine (not 5%), especially if dipped not sprayed, is completely adequate for normal lambing.
Pay close attention to hygiene, wearing gloves as discussed above, and using a disinfectant in the lambing shed, to prevent infections rather than using routine antibiotics 'just in case'.
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We have never had a case of waterymouth in 16 years (fingers crossed). I understand that it is more a problem of lambing large numbers indoors, than lambing smaller flocks, especially outside. Please think very carefully whether you can justify the need to use antibiotics routinely where you don't have a known problem - that is the way to create antibiotic-resistant bugs. For navels, 10% iodine (not 5%), especially if dipped not sprayed, is completely adequate for normal lambing.
Pay close attention to hygiene, wearing gloves as discussed above, and using a disinfectant in the lambing shed, to prevent infections rather than using routine antibiotics 'just in case'.
I was scared to approached the antibiotics issue as I have been critisied in the past for trying to be more natural with my sheep.
I totally agree especially with the antibiotics, I have only had to use them once for an infection from a cut that I never spotted, even after a dog attack I clean them thoroughly with antiseptic and vet was happy for me to monitor for any problems and not use them as a 'just in case method'.
I try to not use drugs of any kind if possible as like humans a resistance can be built up which means when you do need to use them the are less effective or even not effective.
I think if good hygiene is followed when lambing then it is not necessary to give drugs, boil lambing ropes before and after use and store dry and airtight. I also use hibiscrub before after after lambing to make sure I am as clean as possible for the ewe and then for myself even when using gloves.
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Thanks for the advice :) I don't think I will use antibiotics unless a problem occurs because as you say that can cause bugs to become resistant. I'm keeping things as clean as possible to prevent any infections so I will look into getting some hibiscrub, I've read a few comments about it. Can it be picked up at the likes of Millers stores or only the vets? Thanks again, I really am grateful for all the help, it's great to have somewhere to discuss things with experienced people :)
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Most agri stores, horsey places and probably even the chemist will stock Hibiscrub - cheaper than the vets. Our vet always recommended it as a general wound cleaner too.
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Ok I'll look there first, thanks! It seems like a great general thing to have about the yard anyway :)
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When I asked my vet for antibiotics she gave me penicillin. Not sure why but neighbour says its pretty impossible to overdose. Maybe a compromise between not using antibiotics but having something on hand if you need it. Still costs mind...And its not a single jab, probably 3 days you need to give it.
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We have never had a case of waterymouth in 16 years (fingers crossed). I understand that it is more a problem of lambing large numbers indoors, than lambing smaller flocks, especially outside. Please think very carefully whether you can justify the need to use antibiotics routinely where you don't have a known problem - that is the way to create antibiotic-resistant bugs. For navels, 10% iodine (not 5%), especially if dipped not sprayed, is completely adequate for normal lambing.
Pay close attention to hygiene, wearing gloves as discussed above, and using a disinfectant in the lambing shed, to prevent infections rather than using routine antibiotics 'just in case'.
I don't routinely carry antibiotics, and, as I lamb outside, any ewe I help tends not to stick around to be given them.
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We have never had a case of waterymouth in 16 years (fingers crossed). I understand that it is more a problem of lambing large numbers indoors, than lambing smaller flocks, especially outside. Please think very carefully whether you can justify the need to use antibiotics routinely where you don't have a known problem - that is the way to create antibiotic-resistant bugs. For navels, 10% iodine (not 5%), especially if dipped not sprayed, is completely adequate for normal lambing.
Pay close attention to hygiene, wearing gloves as discussed above, and using a disinfectant in the lambing shed, to prevent infections rather than using routine antibiotics 'just in case'.
I don't routinely carry antibiotics, and, as I lamb outside, any ewe I help tends not to stick around to be given them.
Actually I do routinely carry both Penicillin LA and Terramycin LA as it's not always possible to get to the vet quickly. However, I am very selective about when I use them. It helps that my profession was in nursing I suppose so the decision is easy to make. If I was stuck I would phone the vet for advice. Last year I didn't use my antibiotics even once and the previous year I used them (Pen) after a very dificult Soay delivery where she and I were both bruised (I did also have to go to the vet to get anti-inflammatories for her).
I lamb outside too but if there's a problem needing antiBs I would give them immediately, before the animal made off. Otherwise the whole flock has to come in to catch one animal ::)
I feel it is important to use antibiotics where they are really needed, and often speed is of the essence, which is why I carry my own supply. My concern is with routine use as a preventative rather than looking at each situation and deciding if the treatment required is antibiotics or some other form of care.
If my supply of medicines is unused at the end of the year then I see that as a mark of success, rather than a waste of money.
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If my supply of medicines is unused at the end of the year then I see that as a mark of success, rather than a waste of money.
Great attitude :thumbsup: :wave:
We do routinely use Oroject or Spectam in the lambing shed but if I had a small flock and plenty pens, or if I was somewhere less inclement, I would not expect to need this precaution. The trouble is, the prophylactic must be given within a couple of hours of birth to be effective, and something may happen tomorrow that causes it to be needed; with our numbers, we could lose a lot of lambs, and/or have several weakened and needing longer treatment programmes to recover, in that 24 hours, so on balance we find it best to use the prophylactic.
Apart from that we would not use antibiotics as a routine precaution, no. We even carry purple sprays (Septiclense and Footcare) for feet where there is no evidence of active bacterial infection, reserving the blue antibiotic spray for feet with active infection.
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I have now got spectam and some purple spray, anything more then I will get the vet out :) thanks to you all for your help, I know everyone will be busy and I appreciate you giving up even the smallest of your "me-time" to help a newbie :sheep: :)