The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Vinnie on April 13, 2016, 05:00:53 am
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Just wondering if a lamb is chewing their cud can they still be bloated? Bloat is when there is very little stomach activity right? But if its gurgling and chewing their cud then they are ok??
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is there anything coming out the other end?
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I think they could still have excess gas built up inside which they are unable to get rid of fast enough. If you think it has bloat then treat it as such (massage, veg oil drench etc). If you have a photo then that might help :)
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The only signs is a big belly and sometimes it feels very tight. He poops lots and pees lots, chews his cud. I can't tell if there is a rise on the left side because of his wool. So not sure if he is just chunky or if the beginnings of bloat. In the mornings his belly is a little softer but still big. I will try and get a picture today sometime, not sure if it matters but he is a Katahdin, and the ewes at least are vacuum cleaners for food.
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I hope the picture came thru clear it is windy outside today. When you flatten his wool it looks alittle less but still very full.
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Sorry - can't help on the diagnostics but a beautiful little lamb. Lovely coat.
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Katahdin are hair sheep so there isn't much wool, so yeah, I would say that belly is bigger than it should be.
Is this lamb being bottle fed, or is it still on it's mother? And how old is it?
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He was a bottle fed lamb but has been weaned for about 2 weeks now. He is 2 months old we had to wean him early because the milk replacer and the hay wasn't mixing well. His wool is about half inch long they are Katahdin crosses not pure breeds sorry I should have mentioned that. I gave him some baking soda free choice just in case, he nibbled alittle on it. But he is pooping and peeing and chewing his cud, just has a big belly. Also so about every couple hours during the day I take him away from his food for about an hour so then he sits and chews his cud. Otherwise he prefers to constantly nibble.