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Author Topic: Lamb that can’t walk properly  (Read 6866 times)

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2020, 06:44:26 pm »
Your vet should really have given a painkiller - you just pulled out two lambs from her when she probably wasn't ready yet and she will be in a lot of pain. That's what metacam is for, sadly most (male)vets and sheep farmers don't think that sheep deserve painkillers after a difficult birth!



In the first post it says she had abs/AI which I read as anti inflammatory.


On the bottle I fed overnight for the first week. Then every 4 or 5 hours during the day.

tommytink

  • Joined Aug 2018
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2020, 11:15:33 pm »
Yep she had the Hexasol they prescribed me so combi anti-inflammatory and antibiotic.

Spoke to vet earlier. They said the Hexasol is a long term AB so the one dose lasts a few days, although the anti-inflammatory part is only 24 hours they thought this should cover her. They suggested giving a calcium (with magnesium) injection and that that should bring her appetite around. She has eaten her nuts now and had a second helping a bit later. I’ll see how she is tomorrow and go from there.

tommytink

  • Joined Aug 2018
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2020, 06:16:01 pm »
As a follow on I have a couple more questions  :eyelashes:

My ewe regained her appetite. Got back to hay and cake and I added water to the cake so she was getting fluids. Once I knew she was drinking again I turned her out with the oldest lamb as felt being outside and back with the flock would be the best thing.

First of all, she is still leaking a bit of bloody coloured mucusy discharge (sorry if you’re eating). I’ve read that this can be normal for one to two weeks after (looking at similar posts on here). The AB injection she had covers for 5-6 days and what is coming out doesn’t smell bad. I noticed it a little on her tail, it’s not a heavy flow. One of my other ewes also had this but a larger amount and she had a dose of Pen Strep courtesy of a friend (I didn’t give her the Hexasol after lambing but in retrospect said friend pulled her lambs so I probably should have). This cleared it up but again a couple of days later I noticed small amount but gone again now. Basically is it normal for them to sometimes have a slight discharge?

Secondly, whilst checking her tail area I’ve noticed her teat and udder area is scratched and sore looking; presumably big lamb is being a bit of a biter. What’s the best product for this problem?

Thanks as always.

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #18 on: March 16, 2020, 08:56:04 pm »
dried blood and mucus bits stuck to the tail are common as are dribbles of blood for a day or two .  Udder cream / mint  / vaseline or similar rubbed in to keep the skin supple 

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #19 on: March 16, 2020, 08:57:14 pm »
Secondly, whilst checking her tail area I’ve noticed her teat and udder area is scratched and sore looking; presumably big lamb is being a bit of a biter. What’s the best product for this problem?

This nearly always means she hasn't got enough milk and is likely to result in mastitis if you don't help.  Can you top up the lamb?  Are you sure no other lambs are pinching milk from her when she is feeding her own, or when she is eating cake?

As to the continued discharge, she / they may need a bit (more) calcium and / or more antibiotics.  I would discuss with the vet.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

tommytink

  • Joined Aug 2018
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #20 on: March 17, 2020, 07:09:18 am »
We haven’t been feeding them cake since turning them out onto the grass. I’m guessing this is a mistake? They have a large area but it is obviously not the best quality so I need to continue to supplement? I think I read feeding cake after turning out can lead to mis-mothering and that’s what’s led me astray. Will be even harder as we have the three without lambs in with them as well due to space issues.

If I top the big lamb up how much would I give him? And would that not make him leave his Mum?

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #21 on: March 17, 2020, 09:43:54 am »
No he will always run back to mum :)

Feed him till he’s full two or three times a day.  I’ve written about how to know when they’re full - and overfull - on one of your threads already :)

You need to take care with the cake when a ewe has just lambed but once they’ve rejoined the flock they’ll be fine.

What I do is feed the flock well away from the new mum, then walk over and (quietly so the others don’t see) give the new mum a bit of cake where she is. 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #22 on: March 17, 2020, 09:58:44 am »
You are in a difficult situation ,when you say 3 without lambs do you mean pregnant or empty ? . If you have a 100 ewes and young lambs in one lot then feeding can cause mismothering ,but small numbers are not a problem , if a ewe can't find both her lambs after feeding she needs gone as she's a poor mother . Many people have large groups with pregnant / newly lambed / older lambs all together and still feed  or fields with young lambs and older lambs together still feeding

tommytink

  • Joined Aug 2018
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #23 on: March 17, 2020, 10:53:02 am »
There were only eight of these. Two didn’t take, and one lost her lamb. The two that didn’t take were returned to at later dates so will watch them but the ram is out now at least. He seems less bothered about being alone now than when we first got him so think he’s toughened up a bit.

We fed them this morning and all came over. After this period is over if the non-pregnant ewes are too fat I’ll separate them onto poorer grazing. It’s only a couple of extra mouths and my wallet’s been pretty much open since I started so will just bear whatever extra cost. One of the empties never used to eat out of their trays anyway, always wanted it straight out the bucket, so that’s something! Just wish the grass would get going so I can implement better field management.

I checked the ewe this morning. Her udder looks less sore and she has milk. It’s not hot, hard, or lumpy. Maybe her production was hampered after that day or so where she was quite off her food.

I will get udder cream for her. Assume lamb can still suck! Will check him out as well and see if he’ll take a bottle to give her a rest. I’ve looked at other images of sore udders where the skin is actually broken etc so she’s not that bad in comparison but will do what I can to alleviate it. The previous owner left a tub of aqueous cream - would they have used this on udders?!

I know I have started so many threads it’s embarrassing! I almost hate doing it now as I’m sure I look like a complete moron asking so much all the time!!

Our first Badger lamb appeared today. One minute everyone was normal, next minute there’s a lamb up and sucking. We were just about to feed them their little bit of cake as well! Leaving it till a bit later. Don’t want to interfere at all as realise the importance that they create a bond as they won’t be penned. We have a separate ration for her but with the usual stampede I don’t know how that’ll go. Don’t want lamb to get trampled!
 

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #24 on: March 17, 2020, 11:52:28 am »
Everyone has to start somewhere  :)  I have a ewe with very sore teat and with some metacam last night and udder salve she is letting her lambs suck this morning  :thumbsup:  sudocrem is also good, anything which keeps moisture in and creates a barrier.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #25 on: March 17, 2020, 12:28:07 pm »

I know I have started so many threads it’s embarrassing! I almost hate doing it now as I’m sure I look like a complete moron asking so much all the time!!


Nope, not at all.  What would be moronic would be to have this fantastic resource here and not make use of it.   :hug:

We were all beginners once ;)



Our first Badger lamb appeared today. One minute everyone was normal, next minute there’s a lamb up and sucking. We were just about to feed them their little bit of cake as well! Leaving it till a bit later. Don’t want to interfere at all as realise the importance that they create a bond as they won’t be penned. We have a separate ration for her but with the usual stampede I don’t know how that’ll go. Don’t want lamb to get trampled!

Great, glad the Badgers are doing it how they should :)  :hugsheep:

I wrote upthread about how to feed once they are lambing in the field.  90% or more of just-lambed ewes will not leave their lambs to come to the trough, so as long as there is a distance between the new lambs and where you feed there shouldn't be a problem. 

What I do is pour the feed for the others out in a looooong line so everyone can eat together.   Quite a generous feed so it will keep them occupied while I feed the new mum.  Then, hiding the cake I have for the new mum (so not carrying a sack or bucket or making any rustles or rattles), I go off to see her straight away and discretely put the cake down for her nearby to her lambs.  Then I walk away, and if I think there is a risk the other sheep will come to investigate, I probably have a bit more cake about my person and I go back to the other ewes and make a big show of putting a bit more out. ;)

With Shetland types, and I assume it will be similar with the Badgers, on day 2 or 3 the new mum will either park the lambs and come to the trough without them, or will bring them to the trough.  (Almost never the latter on day 2, that's usually day 3 or 4.)
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #26 on: March 17, 2020, 12:29:35 pm »
If you are putting udder salve or cream, or sudocrem, on the udder, take care you don't put it where the lamb will suck, and if possible not where the lamb will get it on its head in case the ewe then licks it off. 
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #27 on: March 17, 2020, 12:31:26 pm »
Better to ask than muddle through  :thumbsup:  if your 2 returned are maybe in lamb but much later then maybe move the ewes and lambs onto decent grass and leave the 3 on the bare paddock or they may get to fit and if late will most likely be carrying single's .  Most ewes want to stay on the birth site for 24hrs  and even if she comes to the trough the young lambs tend to either lay a sleep near the birth site or keep to the out side edges of a bunch of feeding ewe's and you can always catch it  until the scrum is over

bj_cardiff

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Carmarthenshire
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #28 on: March 17, 2020, 03:44:46 pm »
I know I have started so many threads it’s embarrassing! I almost hate doing it now as I’m sure I look like a complete moron asking so much all the time!!

gosh no, don't be embaressed - I think most (all) people here are more than happy to advise anyone who asks a question based on their experience. I think if you are under the impression that you know everything there is to know then you really have a problem!! The advice also changes over time too, so its useful for other people to read the replies and compare to their own practices.

Nelson International

  • Joined Aug 2017
Re: Lamb that can’t walk properly
« Reply #29 on: March 19, 2020, 10:51:26 am »
I know I have started so many threads it’s embarrassing! I almost hate doing it now as I’m sure I look like a complete moron asking so much all the time!!

I'm sure there are plenty of other people like me who are learning a lot from your threads, so don't apologise - rather, thank-you  :thumbsup:

 

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