The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: birkb on September 04, 2009, 08:54:13 am

Title: scouring
Post by: birkb on September 04, 2009, 08:54:13 am

My new lambs have all started scouring.  They are five months old, weaned about four weeks ago and their dosing (worming/fluke etc) is up to date.   I moved them onto new grass which had been fertilised in the weeks previous but they had already started scouring before that.  They are not losing condition yet but i am concerned that they might.  Can anyone suggest why this is happening and is there anything else i can do ?

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: woollyval on September 05, 2009, 12:08:12 am

1.Did your wormer cover both adult and immature fluke? 2.Did you underdose? 3.Have you a resistant problem with the wormer? 4.Could it be cocciddiosis? 5.Are you feeding creep/nuts/hard feed?

1.....check bottle
2.....check weight of lambs and dosage
3.....Get dung sample to vet for egg count
4.....Ditto above
5.....grass only needed....diet could be too rich 

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: hexhammeasure on September 05, 2009, 12:19:50 am

is the grass lush and wet?  That could be the problem too. this wet weather is playing havoc with the lamb market as farmers are struggling to get the lambs to lay down fat

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: garden cottage on September 05, 2009, 07:20:31 am

watch out for fly strike, weve just had a couple but caught it early.

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: Yvonne on September 11, 2009, 05:07:30 pm

Check their temps. they should be around 40. If they are above that, it could be a bug, if not it will help them to stop scouring if you give them old hay & fresh water only. The vet can give you a broad spectrum antibiotic for them if it is a bacterial infection. Hope this helps

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: supplies for smallholders on October 10, 2009, 07:45:38 pm

Make sure they stay hydrated - use something like "Liquid Life Aid"

What wormer are you using ? if Panacure try something stronger like Noromectin injection.

Put them on dry feed (hay).

Could also be coccidosis - happens after about 2 weeks after going to grass, if suspected get an oral drench from the vet.

If persistant get a sample to the vet for analysis.

If grass is too lush and change is too sudden could lead to twisted bowl.

Good Luck

Gareth (SfS)
www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: Padge on October 31, 2009, 03:06:53 pm

we too appear to have this problem with ours   they too are 5 months old...one also appears to have some sort of green on his lower lip
Any ideas?

Title: Re: scouring
Post by: hexhammeasure on October 31, 2009, 05:19:04 pm

the green on his lip isn't too much to worry about the lamb will be what is known as a cud spiller. In pedigree sheep its undesirable and is often associated with greedy feeders. nothing harmful. also watch out for those that eat a lot of leaves as the extra tannins can affect the stomach lining. A good dose of cold stewed tea will help. (if its not worms)