Author Topic: Sickly lamb  (Read 2925 times)

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
Sickly lamb
« on: April 07, 2017, 08:33:09 am »
Hello
i have a 2 week old orphan lamb (mother died just over a week ago) who is looking a bit lethargic and not keen on feeding. Quite a bit of the time he will stand there slightly hunched and head/ears drooping a bit, especially after i've managed to get some milk down (only manage to get just over half a bottle at a push). He does have dihoreah also of a dark mustard colour so could it be he is scouring and getting dehydrated? Or belly ache? His sibling does have an appetite however and is feeding well, although she is also scouring a little.
I am feeding them on calf milk replacer as a friend recommended this as a good cheap alternative, which i am feeding at about 150 grams to a litre of warm water. could they be reacting to this?
Appreciate anyones' advice
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

TheSmilingSheep

  • Joined May 2013
Re: Sickly lamb
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2017, 10:08:06 am »
Such a fragile time.  I'd check temperature for starters.  Listen for raspy breathing.  We had a poorly twin orphan last year - and OH took him out into the sunshine (thinking it might be his last few hours) and he perked up immediately (still with us!)....  If a temperature or respiratory issue then injection of ab and metacam...  We've only used lamlac so no experience of calf milk replacer.... scouring may be if the mixture is a bit too rich?
good luck  :fc:

twizzel

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Sickly lamb
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2017, 10:09:04 am »
Calf milk replacer isn't good for lambs- yes it is cheaper but it doesn't have the right fats, oils and proteins that lambs need. Lamb milk powder is more expensive but much better suited (although not overly much more expensive- we bough a bag of calf milk powder at £36.50 the other week and lamlac is £40ish so not saving that much?) So that could be causing problems, or it could be the change from his mother's milk to powdered milk. If he is scouring I would take him off milk and onto a rehydration/scour formula (rehydion or similar), we had one with bad scour last year who had alternate feeds of milk and rehydration liquid which helped a lot.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Sickly lamb
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2017, 03:35:44 pm »
E Coli? and what has been said before. Saving on milk replacer may now be totally lost as I would involve a vet wrt AB's and NSAID's. In my experience of lambs being taken off their dams, after dams died in particular, is that they didn't have enough colostrum and often won't make it once it has gotten to this stage...

WoodlandsDevon

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Devon
Re: Sickly lamb
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2017, 09:01:20 pm »
Thanks for the comments
Will get to the vets... seems in pain as grinding teeth Although breathing sounds clear
Khaki Campbells, call ducks and laying hens in sunny Devon

Sbom

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Staffordshire
Re: Sickly lamb
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2017, 10:10:34 pm »
Sounds like he needs a squirt of Spectam, which is an oral antibiotic which treats watery mouth and scour. Vets should give you a dose  :thumbsup:

 

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