The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Emmam on April 26, 2012, 02:44:39 pm
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One of my ewes has started excessively scouring overnight - really badly. She is due to lamb next week and is elderly. She will not eat anything today but was eating happily yesterday.
I am about to drench her for fluke. Have given her some ewe boost and liquid life aid and will repeat the life aid at tea time.
I have popped her outside but she will not touch the grass either, even though her elderly companions are munching away, she just stands there looking at the grass but not eating.
I am going to pick her some ivy and stock up on calcijet just in case she needs some.
Is there anything else I can do to tempt her to eat?
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I've just been through this! A good tip if she won't eat ivy roll the leaves and push between back teeth, mind your finger though! She will eat it this way, use the liquid life aid undiluted, 2-4 times a day, it's good stuff. Pick hedges think sheep, twigs with new leaves on willow etc. worm her and jab anti biotic, just in case of infections, I drenched with probiotic drinks too. Good luck keep us posted.
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I had a ewe scouring really badly, and just sitting there in a pool of poo. She lambed the next day, so keep an eye on her just in case :-\
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Mine cannot resist elder at this time of year, might be worth a go?
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Thank you! She has eaten a couple of ivy leaves, off now to pick her some elder before it gets dark!! When you say probiotic drinks, do you mean those yoghurt drinks for humans or something else? ???
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Yes I used actimels, she rather liked them, but only a couple a day, I liquified porridge oats and actimel, and drenched her with it.
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Thanks Dixie.
She is up and outside this morning, tentatively picking at a little grass but without much enthusiasm. She very much liked the elder last night but not this morning. I will pop out and buy her some actimels later then.
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I've never heard about the ivy trick, thats a good one to remember
I have a ewe in the same boat at the moment, I have given her some glucose solution (from the vet) and also a product called Avipro which is great stuff, its a probiotic powder, I use it mainly for the poultry but it works for most animals/birds :)
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Thanks toaster. Will look into Avipro, it would make sense to have some in the cupboard in case one of the hens needs some as well. Good luck with your ewe.
Bertha (she has a name and her daughters are named but the rest are not!) really likes pickings from the hedges and verges eg elder, dandelions etc
Luckily the vet told me to stock up with life aid but I will need to get some more from them as we are going through it rather quickly. I fed her porridge last night with some natural yoghurt and she has stopped scouring. Still not herself but I managed to get her to her feet and she was tentatively licking the bucket lick this morning. Husband has gone out for some more twin lamb drench, so we will keep plugging away with her. I was dreading checking her this morning as she is our favourite ewe and we had already decided to retire her before this episode.
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An update on Bertha - she lambed unassisted this afternoon. I watched from a distance and she did a great job - two lovely ewe lambs - welcome to the farm, Bella and Blossom, I think you are keepers. :love: :love: :love:
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Thats wonderful news! Made my day!! :thumbsup:
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Thats wonderful news! Made my day!! :thumbsup:
Thank you so much lachlandmarcus.
PS Did I see on another post somewhere that you have a Haffie. I do too!
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Delighted to hear your news :thumbsup:
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Keep an eye that she continues to eat, hopefully now she's lambed shell be ok, but don't assume ( sure you wouldn't of course) but I had a few nightmares the last 2 weeks!
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Phew, great news :thumbsup:
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Well done :thumbsup: :thumbsup: