The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: tommytink on December 29, 2020, 10:15:48 pm

Title: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: tommytink on December 29, 2020, 10:15:48 pm
I’ve got a ewe lamb that’s been scouring for a few days. Her sister got it a couple days before her and has dried up. I’ve noticed a couple of others starting to look a bit mucky too. Only seems like the one breed of ewe lambs, not the other breed or the ewes. They were wormed end of Sept. I know advice here would be to get a FEC but she’s away on tack at the moment plus the vet won’t get me a result for a week with New Years etc. Should I dose the affected ewe lambs with a wormer? It’s been mega wet recently and as they are away I don’t know if she’s maybe eaten something that’s disagreed with her.
Title: Re: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: SallyintNorth on December 29, 2020, 10:37:04 pm
Might be fluke? 
Title: Re: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: twizzel on December 30, 2020, 08:11:19 am
Most vets have in house FEC testing, waiting a week for results is no good for anyone if you’ve got cocci on your hands that needs treating ASAP. So I’d still get a fec, but if you can’t, don’t reuse the same wormer in case the sheep are resistant to it.


Or as sally says could be fluke, cocci or just wet grass going through them. But you won’t know without a fec.
Title: Re: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: tommytink on December 30, 2020, 09:49:02 am
She was fluked with Fasinex end of Oct and she’s not near any watercourses at the moment so would hope not fluke? She seems well otherwise.
Funnily enough this time last year I called the vet about some suspect poop and he said “you do know it’s New Year’s Eve, don’t you?”!! As if all problems should stop or something...
Title: Re: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: harmony on December 30, 2020, 10:52:42 am
The sooner you do a FEC the sooner the results will be back. You have already said it's been going on a few days and more are getting mucky bums.


Your vet could also know if there is a current fluke problem. Never assume that because you have given the treatment it's worked. You don't need a watercourse just wet areas.


Hope you get it sorted.
Title: Re: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: SallyintNorth on December 30, 2020, 12:13:48 pm
1.  Fasinex does not kill eggs or 1-day old hatchlings.  So needs repeated 6 weeks later to kill anything that emerged since first treatment.
2.  Fluke does not need a watercourse.  It needs wet ground, which rain will deliver. 
3.  (2) is a mahoosive over-simplification, fluke has a complex lifecycle (as does the snail)
Title: Re: Scouring ewe lamb
Post by: shep53 on December 30, 2020, 12:36:51 pm
Get a FEC done ,if you don't know which internal parasite is there how do you know which treatment to use eg Barbers pole worm is  a winter worm and needs the correct product to kill . Since you say it has been really wet then my guess would be that this is the cause , wet grass in wet poo out and why the first lamb has dried up naturally , without a FEC  all just guess work