Author Topic: Sudden Death in Cade Lambs (Read 6602 times)

Copeson · « **on:** April 27, 2014, 09:12:12 am »

Hi could anybody help we have had some cade lambs of a local farmer they have had colostrum of the ewe , navel sprayed and a squirt of spectam every now and then we find one slightly blown and are unable to let down they also start fitting and die the latest is a 7 week old lamb who has been weaned of milk weighed 9kg the vets don't seem to have any ideas ! its so frustrating

suziequeue · « **Reply #1 on:** April 27, 2014, 09:19:59 am »

Have they been vaccinated?

Copeson · « **Reply #2 on:** April 27, 2014, 10:29:03 am »

No and we have spoken to the farmer and he doesn't vaccinate the ewes so we are looking at vacci the rest of the cades

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #3 on:** April 27, 2014, 11:20:42 am »

Vaccinate and get a vet who knows sheep

suziequeue · « **Reply #4 on:** April 27, 2014, 11:21:18 am »

Good idea IMO. I would expect that cade lambs would be particularly vulnerable even if they had colostrum.

The colostrum will only provide passive immunity for a few weeks - until the lamb's own immune system kicks in - but there's nothing like vaccination for ensuring that particular diseases are covered.

There are plenty of threads on this forum about vaccines. We use Heptavac P+ and have never had any unexpected lamb deaths.

Anke · « **Reply #5 on:** April 27, 2014, 11:22:03 am »

... and don't buy any more cade lambs from said farmer!

JulieWall · « **Reply #6 on:** April 27, 2014, 12:27:35 pm »

Are they on pasture with a high legume content? Sounds like bloat to me

One of the problems with cade lambs is how greedy they are, big feeds less often seems to stretch the stomach, you can always spot a bottled lamb by their pot bellies. They grow into greedy adults so it might be a good plan to let them fill up on hay before turning them onto pasture to stop them gorging themselves on the new spring grass. If you have an electric fence then strip grazing will help you control how much they can access at a time
Could easily be something pastoral too, vaccination is always a good plan, without more information it's all guesswork really but if you cover all the bases it won't do any harm.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2014, 02:45:11 pm »

Non-vaccination leaves the lambs very vulnerable to the clostridial diseases, especially added to the stress of being separated from the ewe and transported.

Copeson · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2014, 02:59:03 pm »

Thank you all for your replys we are going to vaccinate luckly we are given the cades and our vets are really one of the best in this area with livestock it just makes you very depressed when you cant save them , we have had a cow tread on her new born heifer calf today and kill that its days like this when we feel like packing it all in its very hard to pick yourself up and carry on

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #9 on:** April 27, 2014, 03:27:47 pm »

I absolutely know how you feel. To have all that work and care of that cow for 12 months, only to have such a stupid mindless accident leave you with no calf...

Shall you be able to get a set-on for her?

Copeson · « **Reply #10 on:** April 27, 2014, 04:02:10 pm »

Hi whats a set on ? also we remembed she did the same to her bull calf last year and broke his leg which luckly we had put in plaster and he was fine it makes you so mad, shes a lovely big home bred cow and the calf was one of the last calfs from our very quiet show bull who we had a lot of fun with at shows and we wanted to keep the calf

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #11 on:** April 27, 2014, 04:08:50 pm »

Oh, shame. But with that history I wouldn't be breeding from her again

A set-on is another calf that you set onto her as her own. If you've a local dairy farmer they may have a calf you could use, and may be able to give you some advice on setting it on.

Is she staying with the dead calf and wanting it or mourning it?

Copeson · « **Reply #12 on:** April 27, 2014, 04:30:08 pm »

Never had a problem before with her and shes had a few calves shes 9yrs old shame as got a lovely big bag and is easy to handle when calving at the moment my partner feels like getting rid of the lot !

Hellybee · « **Reply #13 on:** April 28, 2014, 03:48:03 pm »

just thinking ... does anyone else go near the lambs. my friend lost a lamb once cos her friend let it suck on her fingers...since then people are banned from touching them. i dont think they can deal with the flora that others have on theyre hands/fingers beyond that of theyre substitute mum ie me ...... just a thought ....

twizzel · « **Reply #14 on:** April 28, 2014, 04:12:52 pm »

More likely that in sucking fingers they have bloated with gas/air in their stomach, my lambs are handled by me mainly but others do handle them and they are fine, although I don't let them suck on fingers...

In response to the main question I'd say either bloat or clostridial disease will cause sudden death, bloat more so... I lost a 5 wk old lamb this year just about to be weaned off milk, the time period between being fine and healthy to dead was less than 2 hours. If you keep losing lambs though I'd suggest finding another farmer, a lot of it depends on the start they have had in life. Vaccinate the others with heptavac asap.