The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Mulberry on May 20, 2013, 06:38:20 pm
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My 4 week old texel ram lamb has since his 2 o clock feed developed a bloated stomach and has diarrhoea. He otherwise looks normal. I am giving him 3 400ml feeds of ewe replacement milk a day and have introduced creep feed.
All my other 4 lambs are fine. Please could someone advise what to do? I have read on one of the messages to give some ground ginger in water in a syringe, or some vegetable oil. Should I just see how he is and miss his 10 oclock feed?
Thanks in advance
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I've used vegetable oil on a couple of old ewes with bloat, in the past, with good results. I'd be inclined to withdraw the creep feed for a bit and give electrolyte solution rather than a feed, to rest his system but others on here may well have first-hand experience of this particular occurrence.
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Thanks so much - will try that and let everyone know. :)
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Daft question alert - how do you tell the difference between bloated and fat? Is it a sudden thing? Or is it VERY obvious? NOw worried I'm not feeding my 4 week old pet lamb enough - he is down to 2 feeds a day of about 400ml and is just on grass (no creep) - but he is a bit of a porker :pig: :pig: so I wasnt too worried (he seemed to be weaning himself (not finishing any of his 3 feeds).... untill I read this!!
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Bloat is very obvious, it's sudden and they seem in distress and can die. Getting to be a bit of a porker (politely called 'in good condition') is a slower process ;)
For sudden bloat, treat with vegetable oil and baking powder instantly - see below.
To avoid it in the future, add live yoghurt to the milk (8oz pot to 2 litres milk replacement), feed it much cooler than you'd think and if necessary split back to more, smaller feeds.
It can be a killer - dad lost a lamb the other day, fed it, 2 hours later, dead with bloat. So don't delay in treating it.
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Can't add to the bloat remedy advice already given - but diarrhoea is a worry; I would definitely stop feeding milk and swap to electrolytes (eg Pfizer Scour Formula) for 24 hours, if not 48. Heaping ewe replacement milk on top of diarrhoea is not a good plan.
ETA - sorry to hear about your dad's lamb, jaykay :bouquet:
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I’ve had a lamb that suffered from a few bouts of bloat, it came on within a couple of hours of feeding, looked liked a one sided beer barrel and miserable. Oil and BiCarb worked after around 4-6 hours. Mulberry; 2 links if it helps http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=33272.msg333740#msg333740 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=33272.msg333740#msg333740)
http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=33755.0 (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=33755.0)
Diarrhoea I can’t help on, except for the giving of oil seemed to help the bloat by the evacuation of a lot of wind and loose poo. Follow the other experienced advice on treating the diarrhoea.
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The diarrahoea is possibly caused by the bloat/ milk upset stomach, id expect that will settle a few days after the lamb is past the bloat. Yes I agree use electrolytes instead of milk at the moment, as more milk will keep adding to the problem. Maybe its an idea not to give anything except meds for the next few hours???? Good luck its a terrible thing, advice above sounds sensible, check out also if antibiotics or B vit will help (Im sure a call to the vet they will tell you without you having to take the lamb in. B vit my vet said help the gut get sorted for change in the diet.And its bacteria gas that causes bloat i think so thats why Im thinking antibiotic. FiB another thing they do if they are bloated is stand wih their back legs stretched out looking terribly uncomfortable. Its all very acute not a long term thing. I reckon the bloat thing often happens when they are going onto grass and they are still getting lots of milk. Cooler milk aparently helps avoid the bloat. All my luck to you and the wee lamb, and so sad to hear of the one that didnt make it.
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Its called Redgut build up of gas from the milk and feed very hard to cure. As said here give him electrolytes for a while, and adding natural yogurt to the milk occasionily reduces the chances of bloat considerable.
Also at 4 weeks of age should be on cold milk, warm milk is not a good idea once they've seriously started consuming creep. Also note a good creep is essential something that gives fibre if they don't have access to grass/hay and you should be introducing pets to creep as early as possible even a week old. A full milk diet will cause this when introduced at a later age say 4 weeks and its a shock to the rumen.
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At 4 weeks old I would start to cut the milk down with the view to weaning at 6 weeks. 2 x 450ml feeds at 4 weeks, 2 x 225ml feeds at 5 weeks, wean at 6 weeks. Also feed cold milk from now up until weaning. Try the sunflower oil and bicarb too. It's better to wean slightly early and accept they may (not always) have a slight check in their growth than too late when you have a dead lamb that's had redgut.
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At 4 weeks old I would start to cut the milk down with the view to weaning at 6 weeks. 2 x 450ml feeds at 4 weeks, 2 x 225ml feeds at 5 weeks, wean at 6 weeks. Also feed cold milk from now up until weaning. Try the sunflower oil and bicarb too. It's better to wean slightly early and accept they may (not always) have a slight check in their growth than too late when you have a dead lamb that's had redgut.
It's better to abrupt wean pets and not reduce, will reduce any issues and bloat.