The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: sophie_aj on May 02, 2014, 05:13:13 pm
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I am talking about the same little lamb who has been a wee bit under the weather but seems bright enough and is drinking well. She's just not gaining weight. The other two are almost double her weight now ??? She has poor muscle mass compared to the others and is much smaller.
Perhaps this is to be expected. Just wondering what other people's experiences are of raising un-thrifty lambs and if they have any tips? Any shared thoughts/experiences are much appreciated
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Is she a single or twin? First time ewe? Vitamin injection? Worm status? Ewe checked for mastitis? Easy birth or lengthy delivery? Spends night outside or under shelter? Jaw under- or overshot? Anus correct? Eyesight OK?
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Yes, some lambs don't thrive as well as their peers. Some make it eventually and can be got away fat, albeit in the very last batch! But some fall by the wayside. Mind, some of those that start out healthy and grow well initially also don't make it ;)
It's worth giving her some vitamins if you haven't already.
I can't remember - are you hand-feeding her? Does she take the milk ok? Is it a lamb milk and are you making it up and feeding it according to the instructions? Does she eat hay ? Grass? Creep?
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Well she is one of three lambies that I acquired from the farm I was lambing at.
Thus: she would have been it's probably fair to say a dodgy looking triplet. She always looked a bit odd (thought she might get more TLC if she came with me - might not do that again in a hurry!)
She feeds off the bucket with the rest (considering going back to bottle to keep better track of her feeds)
They are on Lamblac 200g for every litre.
She is nibbling at creep mostly from my hand (she really likes nibbling mud though...)
They are indoors at night and out if the weather is fair at the moment. Anus fine. Eyesight fine.
No, she won't have had vits. I really don't know anything about her mother unfortunately, she wasn't one I lambed.
So not hugely useful. She is 1 month old and weighs around 5kg. He birth weight mind you would have been very small.
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vitamin drench or a jab, try n stop her eating mud, i suspect she is looking for summat. dont want her getting some nasty from the ground. yeah id go back to bottle too, to look see how much she s taking. ours are still on bottle.
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vitamin drench or a jab, try n stop her eating mud, i suspect she is looking for summat. dont want her getting some nasty from the ground. yeah id go back to bottle too, to look see how much she s taking. ours are still on bottle.
Can't advise as only in year 3 myself, but sending lots of hugs :hug: . Re vitamin jabs/ drench is this the sort of thing people keep in... What are the brand names? I havnt come across that yet....
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all my lambs seem to go through a stage of enjoying molehill soil they have access to a mineral block and no problems to report with any of them. I wondered if it was a way of preparing the gut for the transition between milk and pasture.
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we get a drench from the co op, vitamin jab Combivit x
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Aside drenching, does anyone know of any mineral/lick blocks that might be suitable?
I have only got three lambs so not sure of the cost of buying a drench?
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You could ask your vet if they can supply a few doses of either a drench or a jag. Alternatively any local sheep farmer may be able to let you have enough to drench a few lambs.
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For a mineral lick you could buy one of the mini-Rockies which are very cheap. Make sure you get the one suitable for sheep (yellow). My lambs seem to prefer them to the large mineral blocks.
I had a really teeny one last year, she was fine by the winter :thumbsup: (but then got stolen :furious: )
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Thanks Bramblecot - just been advised the same thing from chappie at out local farm stores. They didn't have any in stock but I've ordered some online now. :thumbsup: She's doing ok - decided to top her up with bottle throughout the day as I can to make sure she gets enough.
I have been reading that they should consume 10-15% of their bodyweight would that be ~600-700ml for a 6kg lamb?
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Pleased to report that little Katie Morag (!) has put on 1.5kg this week and it much much perkier, running kicking her legs in the air - so feel like she is winning her battle. She won't catch up with her 10kg friends but they wait for her which is very sweet and co-operative!