The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: melodysheep on June 29, 2016, 09:19:16 am
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Morning! Haven't been on here for a while but follow!
Can anyone put up any suggestions? One of my 3y.o shetland ewes is shiverining this morning. They were shorn last Friday and have been absolutely fine but this morning, when I first looked, one of them was lying down looking very unhappy. I automatically thought she was just cold but feeling her, she's not. She's eating nuts out of my hand (positively mugging me for them) and now (a couple of hours later) seems as bright as ever but still shivering! The weather as we all know has been'changeable' and we are quite exposed although they have shelters to get out of the rain. Could it just be a chill? Her poo is fine and the other four all seem perfectly ok. Any ideas
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Doesn't sound too good, has she eaten anything which has disagreed with her maybe? I think you may have to speak to the vet about this one. Have you taken her temperature at all?
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Thank you waterbuffalofarmer. I've just had another look at her and was just checking on here before fun and games with a thermometer. She doesn't look very happy although she's cudding ok.
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I might suspect pneumonia and give her a shot. But if you can check her temperature, that'll give you a good indication.
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Temperature 38.4 so I think pretty ok there.
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:thumbsup: Just keep a close eye on her, then. I know I always feel chilly for a day or two when I get my hair cut! ;D
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Thank you SallyintNorth. Just spoken to vet as well and he thinks probably the same as you and again, just to keep a close eye on her.
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Presume you've checked for fly strike which makes them shudder?
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I'm with Old Shep. CHeck for fly strike, but quickly.
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I had a thin old ewe that was destined to live out her life on this farm (pet of our friend across the valley) and I got her a large size dog coat to wear when it was chilly after shearing. In your case I'd suspect pneumonia and give her a shot . Are you holding the tip of the thermometer gently alongside the colon wall and sure it's not touching faeces?
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Thank you Marches Farmer, atlanta and Old Shep and apologies for not acknowledging your comments.
I think she was just chilly and I was being possibly a bit neurotic! She is fine now. I strawed up their shelter and gave them a bit of hay and hardly saw any of them for the rest of the day!!
In hindsite, the difference between Blodwyn (sorry!) and the rest is that she's pure white. Here's the question: are they thinner skinned than the coloured ones or am I now being daft AND neurotic!!!
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It's not the skin you need to worry about, it's how much fat there is under it. Tough native breeds of any colour generally cope with cold and wet weather far better than Continentals. It's why many local farmers who've tried terminal sires like Beltex, Charmoise, Rouge, Bleu de Maine and Charollais go back to Suffolks and the Down breeds, whose lambs can cope with lambing outside.
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It was just a thought Marches Farmer. She's a 3 y.o., well covered, Shetland. The others are coloured and in the same sort of condition but didn't seem to be affected at all. The shearer reckoned they were in pretty good nick. A mystery methinks!!