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Author Topic: Poorly sheep  (Read 5506 times)

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Poorly sheep
« on: March 29, 2010, 04:57:02 pm »
I have some of my ponies on a friends fields.  There are a couple of ewes in with them.  To be honest, the owner knows nothing about sheep, and if anything happens its me and OH who deal with it, and also sort out worming, shearing and everything else.  These ewes are wild, and take some catching.  Anyway, a few days ago, my OH noticed one of the ewes looked weak on its back legs, and this happened before with some other sheep in that field, and we lost them.  A neighbours tup got in the field during October, so its possible they could be in lamb.  Hard to tall, as they are Shropshire sheep and have a big fleece, and getting near them to check for lambs was nigh on impossible.

Found one of the ewes down on the floor yesterday, then she seemed to make a recovery and walked fine with the other ewe.  This morning OH found her down again, so has got her and the other sheep in.  I am thinking it could be twin lamb disease, or maybe a mineral/vitamin deficiency, but like I say, the sheep seemed to go ok, and then went downhill again.  These ewes have been on a big field all winter, and have access to the ponies haylage.  Yesterday, I did notice that although one looked very well, and from what I could see big enough to be carrying lambs, the other one, who keeps wobbling over, looked poorer, and its fleece seemed to be duller, and coming out in places.

We did call the vet to one of the others that went like this, and although he treated it, he did not seem clear on what it was.

So any ideas, appreciated.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2010, 05:37:38 pm by Roxy »

jembo

  • Joined Feb 2010
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2010, 07:42:09 pm »
How frustrating for you to have to deal with them if they are not yours.
I would put a mineral high energy lick in the field (you would need to check its also suitable for horses). In regard to the ones weak on the back legs, I would speak to the vet.
I have a couple that are in lamb that are looking thinner than I would have liked, and am pumping high energy ewe nuts, hay and mineral licks into them so they try and keep condition. Chances are if they are looking poor they will be in lamb and putting everything into the lambs.
They will need to be fenced off from the horses for lambing, if they are anything like my ponies!

 

woollyval

  • Joined Feb 2008
  • Near Bodmin, Cornwall
    • Val Grainger
    • Facebook
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2010, 07:55:53 pm »
Difficult to tell without looking but twin lamb is a possibility, but so is a deficiency or fluke if were not dosed and field wet. You say this has happened before too so its got to be a managment/land related problem. Have you condition scored the ewes now they are inside? That will tell you a lot! Also is it possible they are being worried by the horses? I know of several sheep worrying equines. I think a poo sample for analysis would be a good idea, followed by a high energy mineral bucket (the molassed type) put in a place the sheep can get into but horses cannot! Plenty of hay/haylage and supplimentary feeding of 18% ewe nuts. Get vet out if worried and give bill to owners...shame on them!
www.valgrainger.co.uk

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charlie

  • Joined Feb 2010
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2010, 08:43:05 pm »
Try to jag her with some glucose.

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2010, 10:57:23 pm »
Thanks for your replies.  I had already given OH a mineral bucket to put in the field - had one before and the ponies did not touch it, and also suggested glucose.  He has somehow managed to get both ewes into my horse trailer, which already had a straw bed in it.  He has been trying them with ewe nuts (mine!) and hay (again mine!).  He said this afternoon it was on its feet, but by this evening it was down again.

We had a problem with one of the other sheep in the field a while back, exactly the same symptoms.  Vet came out twice, and jabbed it - but he did say he did not know what it was suffering from. Anyway, that recovered a bit, then went downhill, got a bit better, and then died.

Started off with 12 of these sheep.......they were orginally in a field full of growing xmas trees.  Apparantly Shropshire sheep will not eat the trees, just all the grass round them. Well, these sheep ate the trees.  Started losing them, and my OH got the vet out, who did a PM on one. He discovered its liver was disintegrated, but could not say why.  So, thats why there is only two.  Obviously no longer in the xmas tree field.

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2010, 11:39:43 am »
I'd report the owner to animal health and defra by the sounds of it.  Or is this a set arrangement with the owner - that you are responsible?
--Your doing the right things btw in trying to figure this out, well done.

Not knowing if the are up the duff is a major downer.

I'd def keep them in, look into maybe a calcium deficiency if they are in lamb.  Mineral lick and plenty of food and water can't do any real harm at this point as it sounds bad for the poor thing.

Ta

Baz

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2010, 01:38:38 pm »
Thank you everyone for your replies!

My OH spoke with the vet, who said he is seeing a lot of cases of twin lamb disease just now.  The farmer next door to where the sheep are, has lost 8 this past couple of weeks, and he said thats not through him being ignorent of the illness.

Anyway, we have drenched her, and given her an injection, and if no better will call the vet out.  The other ewe looks very well indeed, no wonder eating my haylage and my nuts every day!!  The poorly one does not look as well, but the vet said thats probably due to her lacking in vitamins etc.  The field is 10 acres, so plenty of grazing, and they have been fed by us.  Owner of the field knows we put feed out, and we have wormed them, and also sheared them with ours last year, so he pretty much has nothing to do.  We have made him aware of the situation, and he is happy to pay for the treatment so thats ok.

Farm is up for sale, so its more than likely we will inherit the sheep anyway.

I have told OH to pen them up in the barn, so we can keep a close eye on them for lambing - its given heavy snow later in the week, and no way do I want to be out on that hillside lambing sheep.

The owner is certainly not the type of  man to neglect animals, its more ignorance.  As any sheep owner will know, they can get all sorts of illnesses, and need foot trimming, worming etc. regularly.

Hardfeather

  • Guest
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2010, 04:36:39 pm »
You could try getting half a litre of flat lemonade or lucozade over her neck every four hours for a couple of days, for twin lamb 'disease'. My vet swears by that remedy, and it's far less expensive than what they usually sell you.

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2010, 04:41:54 pm »
I did suggest lucozade to my OH last night - I will be going over to the sheep later, to move it into a pen in the barn, as I do not want a sheep smelling horse trailer.  Will have to pen the other sheep nearby, as although its not sick at all, it will not settle with just the ponies if its friend is indoors.

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #9 on: April 04, 2010, 01:31:40 pm »
Well, poorly sheep, who is now much better, after being drenched and injected, must have lambed during the night.  Sadly, both lambs were dead.  Looked to me they were dead on arrival.  Crying shame, as they were big lambs too.  Vet did say be prepared for this with her having twin lamb disease.  Still got her with the other perfectly well ewe in the pen in the dutch barn, the weather is awful, high winds, and hailstones and heavy rain.  Will keep a close eye on the other ewe, and hope for the best.

Did consider looking for an orphan lamb for the ewe, but due to her not being well, think it best not to bother.

ballingall

  • Joined Sep 2008
  • Avonbridge, Falkirk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #10 on: April 04, 2010, 07:07:59 pm »
Poor wee thing. Sheep do sometimes grieve terribly for their lambs though. Keep your eye out for an orphan just in case one happens to come up.


Beth

shetlandpaul

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2010, 09:25:04 pm »
roxy are you leaving your self open if there is a complant against the owner. you could be opening yourself to trouble. are you recording the events and movements. your braver than me i would not be keen on importing a sick sheep onto my holding. be very careful.

Hellybee

  • Joined Feb 2010
    • www.blaengwawrponies.co.uk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2010, 10:59:43 pm »
Im sorry to hear you lost the lambs Roxy.   YOu did real good and all you could do, but i do echo Paul, be careful.  If i were you i would pay a token amount to the owner so that they yours.   Hope the ewe does well. :D

Roxy

  • Joined May 2009
  • Peak District
    • festivalcarriages.co.uk
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2010, 11:15:03 pm »
No, not on our farm. Still on owners fields, or now in his dutch barn.  The sick ewe looks much better, and according to our neighbour who has a lot of sheep, he says everyone round here has twin lamb disease (well, not them, I mean their sheep) and he has lost 8 himself this last week.  The other ewe looks well enough,  but so it should be having tucked in to our ponies feed and haylage all winter!!!  We have trimmed their feet, had them sheared, and wormed them all the time they have been on the field with the ponies, so I don't think anyone could say the owner had neglected them.  I am still using our hay, sheep feed and also my straw, but will stand this, as we get free grazing for the ponies :D

shetlandpaul

  • Joined Oct 2008
Re: Poorly sheep
« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2010, 11:43:09 am »
but your doing it for him unless this is by agreemet then he is neglecting his animals. we would do the same if we had sheep near us . i thought twin lamb disease was mainly down to lack of feeding running up to the birth. still new to sheep myself.

 

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