The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: mrst064 on October 20, 2015, 12:32:19 pm
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Hi all
I have poll dorsets, two mothers lambed 2 and 3 weeks ago and lambed are thriving but the mothers are looking very skinny to the point of seeing the bones through the fleece. One is also suffering from a fluid pocket under the chin which when drained the other day was full of a clear fluid, no sign of an infection.
I'm quite new to this but I think their loss of condition is more to feeding twins. They need to be moved, nearly eaten off the field they're in and are due to be wormed/fluked.
Anything else I'm missing? They're fed in their pen some sheep nuts every day when I see them.
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At this time of year any ewe with young lambs will certainly need a lot of concentrate and good hay. If these were mine I would house them at least overnight and feed twice a day. Also let the lambs learn about feed so they can get some as well.
Fluke wrt to her pocket under chin?
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The lambs will be taking a big toll on the ewes at this time of year, I separated my lambs from the ewes in early September as some of the ewes were looking very poor. They've now recovered on good grass and look round again!
If you're going to keep the lambs on the ewes then you need to up your supplementary feed :sheep:
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At this time of year with less goodness in the grass I would feed twice a day and have had lid hay available, they're working hard with twins at foot ,trying to keep their condition, produce milk for two.
The swelling under the chin depending on it's size would make me think ???fluke ,who drained it ?? Your vet ?
Hope they put condition on soon before we get any bad weather, good luck :wave:
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If they lambed 3 weeks ago, does that mean they are lambing 3 times in two years? We know Poll Dorsets can do this, but is it really a good idea and in the best interests of the ewes?
As everybody has already said, they need a lot of supplementary feeding now. At least twice per day .How much is "some sheep nuts"?
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I worked on a farm that had two flocks of Dorsets, a spring-lambing flock and an autumn-lambing flock. Each ewe lambed just once a year, but it meant they had spring lamb ready for the best prices when the rest of us were still in the lambing fields. ;)
If the ewe has fluke badly enough to have bottle jaw, I'd be amazed if she's managed to carry two lambs to term, lamb viable twins and have milk for them. It's usually pretty grim by the time you see the bottle jaw, in sheep.
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Do fec, I know that it's only the oocysts are picked up in the test, but at least you know what's going on then, perhaps something else will be picked up too, have a chat to vet as to what to do next. But I would also put a high energy lick in with them and one of those disc licks that they like to chew on.
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If the ewe has fluke badly enough to have bottle jaw, I'd be amazed if she's managed to carry two lambs to term, lamb viable twins and have milk for them. It's usually pretty grim by the time you see the bottle jaw, in sheep.
If fluke is involved the ewe will be under tremendous strain. I would supplement the lambs asap and foster them on if you have a chance, or you could lose the ewe.
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I agree, get them topped up, take some strain off her x