The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Kitchen Cottage on July 02, 2014, 09:22:14 pm
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Found her in the field on her side. I thought she was dead but she got up. I've given her a mixture of bicarb, mineral oil and water and she started farting and gurgling. I've walked her around for a little while and she's now in a horse box with water and hay.
She is normally on Ewe Nuts but didn't get them this week and got pasture mix. They are on good pasture and I think I've overdone it.
Can I do anything else?
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If the distended flank has reduced a day or so on hay and water should do it, I would just check on her last thing for the night and if s/he is still uncomfortable give some more bicarb and massage a bit more.
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Good job, I'm sure she feels much more comfortable. Is the lamb with mum or a pet lamb, maybe worth rationing her grass/grazing so shes not filling up with everything.
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she's a hand reared who went out in the field about 4 weeks ago... rationing grazing I think. She is in a horsebox and standing up eating hay. She is still a bit bloated but I don't have a tube to stomach tube her....
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Like Anke says, massage her, keep her with hay and water and maybe with pal and keep an eye, no need to tube her
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If she's farting and gurgling she should be okay without tubing.
How's she doing this morning?
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As well as circular massage, if you get them to run around that helps them fart/burp it out too. Chase them about if necessary (being cruel to be kind :)).
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if there is too much grass? then i would run a topper or some sort of mower other it to help avoid bloat in other lambs and/or ewes. if you don't have a mower simply try stocking that pasture a bit heavier and if you don't have any more sheep then try putting a fence across the pasture to make the accessible area smaller?
may i ask what mixture of bicarb, water and mineral oil you used, so what amounts of each?
Cheers Ed
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If you top the grass I would keep them off of it because fresh cut grass will cause bloat quicker than anything. Understocking shouldn't be an issue, just means they will probably be slightly pickier what they eat, if it is very good pasture can you section it off and graze smaller amounts at a time?
If you've introduced grass slowly then at 4 weeks they shouldn't get bloat, the rumen will have developed by then, what is in the pasture mix, does it contain rolled barley? If they are on good grass I can't see the need to feed anything except a little to keep them tame, my hand reared lambs are all out on good grass and definitely don't need any cake.
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I never give creep to lambs unless their dam dies! One of the main benefits of native breed sheep is that they grow on milk and grass.
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I have put the lamb with the others in a very small paddock with just hay. She is a little bloated still but okay. I gave her a cup of bicarb with three quarters of warm water and 1/4 cup of oil. She started gurgling. I did walk her... and paniced later because it said not to stress them! I will cut the paddock into two and keep them on the front for a couple of days.
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Are you able to tube her? It really helped my lamb when it had bloat... he still died but the tubing was a definite instant release.
Creep is fine for lambs, it's a necessity for tame lambs however it's just getting the balance between grass creep and milk, all fine on their own but can be a bit of a nightmare with developing rumen and mixed together at that crucial time. I only introduce grass once my tame lambs are weaned and only then in the afternoons for the first few days and build up from there, and wean off milk abruptly at 5-6 weeks as this is when their creep intake increases dramatically. Only lost 1 this year a day before she was weaned at 5 weeks, a day too late in her case but have 17 out in the field happy and healthy.
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I've still got her in a very small paddock with a couple of others. She has a little lump of bloat but nowhere near as bad. I was advised not to tube (and I don't have a tube) in case I went into her lungs instead.
Minded to give her more bicarb and hope?
She is fine in herself and eating the hay and up and around.
When will I know if she is out of the woods?
???
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When will I know if she is out of the woods?
???
When you see nice healthy poos :)
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she has nice healthy poos ;D