The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: vh on April 25, 2014, 12:24:15 pm

Title: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: vh on April 25, 2014, 12:24:15 pm

Got a one day old lamb that's passed it's first, dark muck but there's no milky muck staining now on tail or hind-legs. It's up and bright and sucking. Am I being paranoid or does it need something like a mild enema? Any one know please?

Title: Re: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: shep53 on April 25, 2014, 12:35:04 pm

So long as its past its meconium ( dark muck ) then all should be well , depends on how much milk its taking  for a dirty yellow bum , some are always clean

Title: Re: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: Foobar on April 25, 2014, 12:40:16 pm

Lambs should never have dirty bums surely ? :)
My ewes keep their babies bums clean by licking them, so maybe yours is too.
(this is one of the things on my cull criteria list ... any ewe that doesn't keep it's lambs clean gets the chop!)

Title: Re: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: vh on April 25, 2014, 12:45:09 pm

Thanks for the reassurance, it is just that it's bum is so VERY clean and there's normally something around!

Title: Re: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: Bramblecot on April 25, 2014, 03:02:43 pm

~What breed is it?  My Shetland lambs are invariably spotless but the GFD pass thick yellow goo which sometimes gets stuck however much mum tries to clean them ???

Title: Re: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: vh on April 25, 2014, 08:31:03 pm

Hi - It's a texel cross beltex and still looking perky so must be OK.

Title: Re: 1 day old lamb possibly not passing faeces
Post by: suziequeue on April 25, 2014, 09:31:49 pm

I agree - don't worry.


Our lambs bums are kept very clean too. As long as they look bright eyed and feeding well with a full belly then they'll be jumping abut in no time :-)