The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: pinkvisla1 on April 16, 2015, 10:39:08 am
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My orphans are now off the bottle feeding! I give them creep in the morning and they are in their outside pen. I let them free on the field after lunch when the grass is not so wet! But they go mad and you can see their bellies getting really fat! should I limit their take of grass? Fresh water also available. They are NOT hungry but i'm worried as their bellies look really fat! and i'm scared about bloat
Just want to make sure i'm doing this correctly! I guess they must be 7-8 weeks now?? When should I worm?
Did the flystrike treatment "Click" yesterday just in case! :sunshine:
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Did you reduce the bottles gradually? It sounds like they are eating grass which is good. If they get let out into the field do they forget about milk bottles? It could be hunger when they are in the pen or just association / routine. Do they have hay and concentrates?
Could you let them play out on some poorer pasture? grass verge or something. Little and often is better for their tummies when it comes to grass rather than feast and famine. What are their poos like? Are they dark and dry? or green and runny?
Yes you can worm them but use something recommended by your vet which isnt too acidic such as Albex.
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We worm our pet lambs in mid May with Combinex. Our area is very flukey and touch wood so far have had no issues with liver fluke when the lambs have gone to slaughter in the autumn.
R.e. weaning, sounds like they are doing just fine. If they are off milk and out at grass they shouldn't bloat. If they look really full skip a cake feed. If they have hay too this will help :)
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Echo twizzel :)
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If you have a fluke problem Combinex is better than Albex but more astringent. If they have delicate tummies (bottle feds sometimes do) then the bicarb in Spectam will settle any acidosis in the rumen after worming.