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Author Topic: Hello - returning to forum after a long while off........and lambing problem  (Read 1981 times)

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Hello


Haven’t been on here for a few years but now I am retiring and going to be at home all the time (well - that’s the idea!!!), I wanted to reconnect with the TAS community.


Great to see some familiar names.


Am reading all the threads on Cade lambs. We have had our first poorly milkless ewe. OH said they were fine so I put them out this morning when I got back from work, but looking at their behaviour in the paddock it was clear that all was not right and I have put them back in the shed. Kicking myself for not checking her more thoroughly before they went out. She has no milk, scouring badly, off her food etc. I thought perhaps she hadn’t cleansed and she has had some IM antibiotic and SC metacam but I am not so sure that’s the problem now. Her back end looks fine and there is no smell or discharge of afterbirth hanging out etc. She is scouring liquid brown poo and is listless. There is a possibility that she might have gorged on some nuts. I willl need to “interrogate” OH a bit more on that score!


I have given the lambs some volostrum even though it might be a bit late now...... and another 150ml each of warm milk a few hours later and I will feed another one late tonight. I think that’s really settled them. As for Mum  - well - I’ll just have to see how she does. Should I be trying to tempt her with anyhing in particular?
We do the best we can with the information we have

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Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
 :wave: Hi there Suziequeue.  It's great being retired  :thumbsup:


For your ewe, there's some wonderful stuff our vet used to dispense as simply 'pink mixture' for drying up the runs.  It's now sold under a proprietary name, but our bottle's out in the shed and I can't remember the name offhand.....  It's along the lines of 'Kaolin and Morph' for people.


Lambs can absorb colostrum for 24 hours I think, although of course the earlier the better, but it sounds as if they are doing fine now and it's just the ewe who's down.
Have a listen to her belly to see if it's sloshing about, and listen with your head against her side for bowel sounds - all the normal rumbles, squeaks and gurgles we all have.  If it's silent then you need to get things going again with Digestive porridge given in the side of her mouth with a large, needleless syringe, and rehydration mix of 1 teasp salt and at least one tbsp glucose powder or sugar or honey in a pint of warm water, given every hour if at all possible.
I think it's well worth giving her Calciject too - if it's not needed it does no harm.


Appetite tempters are greenery such as young leaves of cow parsley, ivy, hawthorn, willow and other edibles, also digestive biscuits once she's perked up a bit.


As always, someone else will come along with some ideas as to cause and how to treat gorging on nuts, and of course you can phone your on-call vet for advice now.


Good luck with her
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Twin lamb drench will give a short-term shot of energy but I'd follow your vet's advice - the ewe could go downhill quickly.

EP90

  • Joined Jan 2013
  • Ireland

For your ewe, there's some wonderful stuff our vet used to dispense as simply 'pink mixture' for drying up the runs.  It's now sold under a proprietary name, but our bottle's out in the shed and I can't remember the name offhand.....  It's along the lines of 'Kaolin and Morph' for people.


It might be Bimastat, vet has just dispensed some for 3 scouring lambs.  It fits your description.

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales

Kaolin Powderhttps://www.fanevalleystores.com/product/106112/kaolin-powder-1kg


or maybe a bicarb solution


and then follow it up with a rumen stimulant?


A quick phone call to your vet should steer you in the right direction.  Definitely don't do nothing.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs

For your ewe, there's some wonderful stuff our vet used to dispense as simply 'pink mixture' for drying up the runs.  It's now sold under a proprietary name, but our bottle's out in the shed and I can't remember the name offhand.....  It's along the lines of 'Kaolin and Morph' for people.


It might be Bimastat, vet has just dispensed some for 3 scouring lambs.  It fits your description.


That's the stuff - pink magic  :D
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

 

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