The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Orinoco on January 07, 2014, 02:55:02 pm
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Hi all
Just wanted to ask your opinion, I am moving my sheep from one field to the other and when I brought them back, one of the sheep was limping on her front foot, my instant thought is she has pulled it.
Had a look, cleaned it up and blue sprayed it just in case.
As it has just happened I don't believe its disease related (but never dealt with this before either so ? ).
Could it be too much grass/food, they have not been on the new field for a while and I normally don't feed them before but did today (just some stock nuts).
When I google lame/limping sheep, it throws some worrying info at me, so I'm after a reality check.
Thanks
K
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The first thought when a sheep goes suddenly lame is that she has picked up a stone/twig /thorn or a slight sprain . the stone normally gets rammed with soil down the side of the toe under the horn , a twig often lodges between the cleets
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I have to say I rarely look at a sheep's foot until the animal has been lame for 3 consecutive days, or if it was extremely lame, or I can see that it's very swollen, or it's very much worse on the second day.
They do get little strains and knocks, same as us!, which often get better without attention.
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A few of mine have had limps in all this wet weather. As Sally suggests I normally give them a couple of days to sort themselves out (unless of course it gets worse or they a clearly struggling). Most of mine return to soundness within the time frame & mostly I'd say they've got mud impacted or trodden on something. We do seem to have a couple of sheep who are more dramatic than others who if given the choice want full bed rest & recuperation rations of nuts ::) Yet when checked nothing abnormal or worrying so most likely a bruise or similar :relief:
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We had a lame ewe last year which I left and it seemed to lessen but not stop entirely so we checked the foot - nothing - whether it was related or not she subsequently died after having the limp for about 3 weeks.
We once had a tom cat (19) who limped for about a year - vet said it was old age and probably arthritis - he eventually had his lung drained at one point which was full of fluid and the limping stopped, the limp returning when the lung filled again, no limp when it was emptied again.
So it can be a case of something not immediate to the eye straining other parts of the body.
Maybe isolate her and check out her eating habits and poo, eyes and general wellbeing.
Good luck and hope she mends. :fc:
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Thanks all for the words of wisdom, its easy to panic when your a novice, she is fine today so yep I was over anxious.
Ta
K
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:thumbsup: attention seeking maybe ;D