The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: mrslovettstailor on July 04, 2020, 10:37:19 pm
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Good evening! I am a new sheep owner as of 7 days ago. I did all my research, asked questions, etc. I have experience with other livestock but sheep are new. One of the sheep I got, a yearling, could possibly be pregnant. The breeder thought her udders were just a bit swollen from clover, and a vet confirmed that's possible, but then she had one in the same condition as mine unexpectedly lamb! I am keeping an eye on my ewe, and I swear that her udder has gotten bigger and the teats more pronounced over this week. She was barely handled and I have her eating from my hand but she's still hard to touch so I cannot feel her bag to check for the syndrome--sorry forget the name--the clover can cause, or mastitis that it can bring on as well. She could be closer, weeks, away, or not going to lamb. I was advised to feed her a grain but she also doesn't need the weight she will pack on if she's not pregnant. I am not sure what to do. I don't have a sheep vet near me, so paying $$$$ to have him come just to check without an emergency really isn't in the cards. Also, and this probably sounds stupid, but how much will sheep pant in the hot weather? It's been miserable here so I expected it yesterday, but today it's not too bad and they seem to pant all the time. They have water with electrolytes, free choice minerals and baking soda, the little pasture area they are on right now is not rich and I am supplementing with a purely grass hay. They have shade to lay on. Since I've not had sheep not sure what's normal and what isn't. I guess I never considered they pant because my horses and stuff don't. They don't seem show signs of bloat or other distress. Poop is normal, drinking and eating fine, no left side swollen.
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Yes sheep will pant in hot weather , can you see her vulva and compare with others if not in lamb will be small tight at the sides and a grey colour if in lamb then loose , swollen at the sides and pink. If she got mastitis you would soon know as she will be very ill /depressed with maybe a back leg limp . Since you can't catch her then a visual appraisal is all you can do ,you might even see the lamb move . If in lamb she is better fit rather than fat especially for a first lamb then if she lambs up the feed regime . Nearly forgot why the electrolytes / baking soda and minerals ?? Where in America ? How hot ? What breed of sheep ?
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Why don't you ask her breeder to come and check her over? You didn't want to buy an in lamb sheep, so really the seller should help you out here. In Lamb sheep will pant a lot more than not in lamb sheep, is this particular ewe panting more than the others?
Some of my empty sheep have a little 'bag' it usually looks like a ewe thats around 4 weeks off lambing and just starting to bag up. But it doesn't get any bigger than that. Why don't you take pictures of the ewe and its bag and post them here?
If your having hot weather I would be very careful of her lambing and blowflies, they will be very attracted to it!