[tommytink]

I’m having a bit of a  week. Not feeling very happy with myself and have a couple of quick questions...

My ewes have been in a field of their own since Tuesday. It’s one of my smallest fields and is quite mossy and the majority is short grass. How long should it take for their udders to start shrinking? They look bigger than ever now. I realise this is because none of it is being used. Their udders all felt fine prior to them going in.
My housing is quite central to the fields so it was a little impractical to bring them in as there would have been no distance between them and the lambs. Now I’ve seen their udders I am worrying and thinking maybe I should just house them, but I can’t move the lambs out of their field and stress them out any and I think this would only make the separation worse as they’d see a bit and definitely hear each other and they’ve just finally calmed down with the noise (the ewes were actually worse!) I’ve read up on mastitis and it talks of it being more of a risk pre and during lambing, so I’m thinking the best way would be to must regularly check the girls udders for any changes? Where does the milk go that’s in there?

Second question, which is quick, is that there isn’t an issue with worming and flystriking at the same time, is there? I bought some Clik yesterday and they asked they’d last been wormed. I realise this is prob just what they have to ask as it’s a POM-VPS thing, and NOAH doesn’t say anything about it, but as I said, with the week I’ve had I just want to be sure!

[twizzel]

Yeah fly pour on and worming are fine to do together.


The ewes will fill up with milk and then the udder will start to slacken off a bit. Normally within a few days they look really full, then I normally turn back out 7-10 days after providing their udder is starting to slacken off and both sides are equal (I.e one side isn’t bigger or harder than the other). I had a ewe get mastitis last year at weaning despite being inside on clean bedding. Sadly the quarter was too damaged so she dried off, got her out of withdrawal (was a long one as the antibiotic the vet used can be very effective but has a long meat with hold) and culled her in autumn. I’d probably leave your ewes where they are but keep a close eye over the next week. Then check all udders over in 4-6 weeks to make sure no lumps.

[tommytink]

Thanks Twizzel. Puts my mind at rest about the double whammy treatment. Couldn’t find anything to say not to but sometimes just need someone to verify! And don’t want to get anything else wrong.

I will keep a close check on udders for the next few weeks. Luckily these are my Radnors so at least I can get hold of them!

[twizzel]

I can’t see the issue between worming and pour on for flies, but you could always check with the vet if you’re worried.

[bj_cardiff]

Yes its normal for the udders to fill when drying out. It usually takes around 48hrs for them to get really big but once they do the ewes stop calling for their lambs and settle. I prefer the ewes to be outside for weaning and on poor/sparce grazing. Usually after a week you can see their udder going down. It'll take around another 3 weeks to completely go.

I separated the last few of my ewes and lambs on Tuesday too.

[tommytink]

Thanks all. Worming and flystriking done so puts my mind at ease for that at least.