The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Holl on May 21, 2016, 02:46:41 pm
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We have seven orphaned lambs that we are feeding at the moment but one recently won't feed. He had no problem feeding before but yesterday he only had half his bottle and today he is refusing to feed at all. Because he has been okay with feeding before I doubt it is anything to do with the way I'm feeding, the milk itself or the bottle, especially as the other lambs are more than happy to feed. He will sniff at the bottle but that is it. I have tried to take him away from the other lambs while feeding and sat with him on and off but all he will do is bah at me.
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Is he bloated? Is he passing urine and faeces? Does he have a temperature? How old is he? Is he eating hard feed and hay/grass?
All the above may give clues as to why he won't eat.
If he's not eating, and you're not sure why, a trip to the vet may be in order as young animals have low reserves and can go downhill fast without treatment.
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I'd consult a vet. If your weather has been as up and down as ours has recently pneumonia would be my first guess.
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If hes still eating hard feed.... maybe he just weaned himself - One of my tex x's did at 4weeks this year, went to give bottle and one day he just wasnt interested, creep was just better for him. He stopped being clingy and became a sheep. Pity others werent like that!
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If he was feeding before and suddenly stopped then I'd be pretty sure he is ill. I would consult a vet asap.
This year we had a mothered lamb that stopped feeding at 5 days old, then developed scours and became very weak rapidly. He improved slowly after AB shot from the vet, but he was too ill or weak to feed for 3 whole days (so that meant milking out the ewe and tubing it back into him...) He turned a corner eventually and is doing fine now.
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Yes get him checked out. I agree the abruptness of him stopping sounds like there's something up.