[Daisys Mum]

 
Went out this afternoon and found that one of my lambs had died, I have no idea why there were no obvious signs they are all looking well if a little fat, they are about 10 weeks old and have not been wormed yet, anyone got any idea why?

[Fleecewife]

Impossible to tell without seeing it but some lambs do just drop down dead at that sort of age, usually the biggest and strongest one of the lot

[VSS]

Had the lambs (or their mothers) been done with Heptavac P? If not the most likely cause of a sudden death of a good strong lamb is pulpy kidney.

[Daisys Mum]

Hi vss, no they have not been vaccinated with Heptevac, were meant to be done at shearing but the guy who sheared them had let them out when he brought them back. I will round them up this weekend and get them done then, my problem is that I am on my own most of the time as OH works away and son is a long distance lorry driver, however he is hopeing to go on to 4 nights on then 4 off so I will get a bit more help.

[shrekfeet]

just remind me of the Heptavac routine. Ewes were done whilst in lamb, at what age should the lambs get a booster and do the ewes have one or last years lambs?

[bazzais]

If the ewes were done then any lamb(s) that had colostrum from one of those ewes will not need a two injection starter program, they will only need boosting after a year with one injection.

Your ewes also need to be boosted once a year.  If your ewes were not covered or you had to bottle feed any of your lambs then they will need to start a program with the normal 2 injections within a 6 week period.  I think?

Ta

Baz

[bazzais]

----  Sorry to hear about your lamby, its not nice is it to see one fall, especially when you dont know why.

Its not a nice experience spotting a white clump in the field and making your way over to find something dead, it especially a bummer to see them with missing stuff after birds have had their tea either.  Its such a shame you cant give them a good send off by burring it yourself too.  I can see why you have to have them taken away for big industrial farming units, but when you only have a few it would be much better for the govn to let you safely bury it yourself.

Ta

Baz

[VSS]

If the ewes were done then any lamb(s) that had colostrum from one of those ewes will not need a two injection starter program, they will only need boosting after a year with one injection.

Sorry, thats not correct. Vaccinate lambs at 8 weeks old, with a booster 4 - 6 weeks later. A booster in the spring as yearlings and then annually 4 weeks before lambing.

They need to go through this course whether or not the ewes have been vaccinated. Colostrum from vaccinated ewes will only protect them for a very short period of time.

Probably pulpy kidney. Easily diagnosed by post mortem.

[bazzais]

OK thanks for that information

Ta

Barry