The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Jon Feather on November 23, 2015, 10:53:34 am
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New to sheep. Got our first 10 (4 ewes, 4 gimmers and 2 whethers) in Aug. Got a further 2 gimmers about 4 weeks ago. All from SSS owners.
We feed and check them every day. Yesterday we found 1 of the last 2 gimmers is dead. Lay down like she was asleep behind a wall. Not a mark on her. They were all feeding and looking well on saturday. :'(
Any ideas what it cold be?
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Are these sheep covered by Heptavac? At this time of year pasteurella pneumonia may be quite common and the first sign of it in sheep is often a dead one. Any new sheep coming onto my holding get a double injection (4 weeks apart) of Heptavac, just safer that way.
However it could have been a lot of other things aswell...
Also - do these sheep need feeding at this time of year? Mine are only on grass so far.... hay will start next month or so depending on weather. My Shetlands do not get any hard feed (not even a lick) over winter, unless the temperatures are really low and/or the snow is too think for them to scratch through for grass underneath or in the last 6 weeks before lambing.
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Before you make any decision on whether or not your flock needs hay and a bucket this autumn, it is essential to at least body score them all. Conditions vary so much around the country, and on individual holdings that a group decision for the whole country is not appropriate.
Watch out for the very earliest signs of poorly sheep and act immediately. If your flock has not been Heptavacced then, as Anke says, get it done.
There are so many possibilities for your dead sheep, a quick answer on here is not possible. You would need to send her off for necropsy for a definitive cause.
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Thanks for that. Ill ask the breeder I got her off what meds they were on and get some Heptavac P Plus for the rest.
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The Heptivac should arrive later today. We will be dosing them all this afternoon (fingers crossed).
While I was feeding them this morning (we do this so we can get close enough to keep an eye on them) I noticed that another of the gimmers is a little off her food and her eyes are not quite as alert as normal.
I hope she isn't failing the same as the other that dies on Sunday.
Please feel free to comment.
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Well spotted, could be early symptoms I would speak to vet for treatment especially with your recent history.
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I'd speak to your vet straight away. In a gimmer of unknown health status, at this time of year and after the stress of moving to a new holding I, too, would suspect pneumonia and immediately inject with a long-acting anti-biotic but if you're new to sheep keeping I suggest your vet as a first step.
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However could also be CCN (as change of routine/feeding regime etc), start of pink eye (see current thread in sheep section), listeriosis, heavy fluke and/or haemonchus burden.... in these vague circumstances a shot of AB's and maybe a multivit/combivit (you will need vit b for treatment of CCN) would be the more likely answer from a vet or an experienced sheep farmer.
Have you had worm counts done? I would also treat the whole flock for lice (Cooper's spot-on in painless and works well - 2 applications three weeks apart), as again sheep coming from different holdings may well bring these with them, tups coming in at this time of year are chief culprits)
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Keep an eye open for lop sided expression, ir floppy face, especially ear , anything out of the ordinary re ccn. If you haven't got any b vits tonight you could give her a little drench of marmite n warm water, won't hurt her, give her a little boost. Could be anything doll, with the one you ve lost. It's been so squally and wet, very sorry for your loss x