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Author Topic: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull  (Read 5611 times)

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« on: January 25, 2015, 10:12:27 am »
Hi guys,
I have a texel cross suffolk ewe around 5 years old with bad scour. The colour is brown but it is very runny, It trickles out of her even when she lays down, she is a month or more off lambing and is scanned for triplets.

Her symptoms include, Scour, poor appetite, Dull (not overly dull just slightly). She sometimes presses a little when laying down. She hasn't lost a lot of weight yet
I have checked her over, she hasn't got bottle jaw and seems to see fine. She and the rest were dosed for fluke a month ago. They are being fed with high protein and energy nuts and have a high energy lick with them.
Recently there was heavy snow and they have had access to silage, Big bale silage of quite good quality. They had access to how much they want, maybe too much. I have now move them to poorer pasture where they will now receive dry hay and nuts only
Another sheep in my flock had the same thing.
Any ideas what could be wrong?

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2015, 10:04:32 am »
When was she last wormed?  What condition is she in?


What happened to the other sheep in your flock that had this?

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2015, 03:04:44 pm »
Are you sure she isn't aborting? Has she got a temperature? Metritis - if her lambs have died?

If they have been off the hay for a while then that should not cause scour anymore? Listeriosis would be the one to watch out after eating silage, but different symptoms.

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2015, 03:06:54 pm »
It a good thought from Anke, as ever I'm going to say - ask the Vet to have a look! Best of luck

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2015, 07:32:24 pm »
VET quickly , one month from lambing  any problems with eating can quickly result in twin lamb disease !    you could be describing acidosis , which is serious on its own ??

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2015, 10:37:21 pm »
Hi guys, yous all have good points I will consider

Update. The first to have scour is now on the road to recovery seemingly. She is the second, have been giving her norodine for 2days and no improvement. Unfortunately I've had a 4 year old sheep die last night of twin lamb she was at vets before dying and vet mentioned that it looked to be in desirable condition.Have taken samples of their scour poo to the lab. They have been injected for worm as a precaution in the mean time.

Having a nightmare at the moment . It seems an outbreak of what may be salmonella (scour) or worms is causing the trauma (twin lamb) according to the vet)

Currently have 5 isolated in shed, treatment and pampering
1. One has completed 5 day treatment of norodine 24 and has improved and shows no other symptoms. Condition 3
2. One (the post is about) is in eating hay and nibbling very few nuts, she has been pressing a little bit tonight and has very black watery scour condition 3/3.5.
3. One with a continuous sore foot in for injection and return to flock ASAP condition 3+
4. One who is unfortunately not eating and is quite dull. Have started her on provita energy plus today. She is in condition score 3
5. One with bad scour, eating and drinking fine and can see fine, she developed a watery eye tonight and seems to be tilting her head. They were yarded today so she may have hit her eye? Condition score 3
All will be looked at by an expert farmer tomorrow for advice and vet if necessary
As I have 36 in lamb ewes , now in fact 35, this is quite worrying. I've always kept around  just 10 sheep and have been very successfull in previous years with no major issues

NOTE the sheep with singles (9) are in a separate field and are all grand. Also the other twins and triplets are currently dry at the rear and very eager to eat their ration.

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2015, 10:40:23 pm »
Faeces in affected ewes are either brown or very dark brown

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2015, 02:57:28 pm »
To me, the word "silage" always flags up Listeriosis as the first thing to consider.

m3joeEm

  • Joined Jan 2015
  • Northern Ireland
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2015, 07:46:40 pm »
Thanks for all your advice . Good news . The ewe is back to her usual self . Doing what she does best .Eating and pooping ! No more scours

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Pregnant Ewe Scouring, Poor appetite, dull
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2015, 11:36:04 am »
Glad to hear it :relief: , good luck with your triplets :fc:

 

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