[crobertson]

Hi folks,

Just a quick one for ideas really as one of our ewes is definitely not right post lambing. Usually very bright and a complete ganite!

She lambed late Monday night, needed slight assistance with one lamb as a leg was back. Passed placenta fine, two cracking tup lambs and both are still regularly and well fed. Gave her 5ml Alamycin as a precaution for intervening (ewe approx 75-80kg) on the Tuesday. She ate both hay, her food and straw bed well!

On the Wednesday she didn't seem quite right, only ate half her ewe nuts and seemed a bit dull - both lambs fine and well fed. I did hear her cough a bit but she had a/b the day before.

She has continued to not really eat much and last night seemed a bit weak, gave her twin lamb drench and 8ml (higher recommended dose of alamycin), later last night she had perked up a bit and was eating a bit of hay. She now wont eat ewe nuts, sugar beet pellets or her ewe and lamb block lick at all. Has been out for the day today and grazed a bit and her lambs are still full bellied and well fed.

Any ideas? Both lambs feed well from both sides of the udder, she feeds them contently, a lot of the time and no signs of pain when she does.

I'll be ringing the vet in the morning as she again won't eat her food this evening and by the amount these tup lambs are feeding I'm slightly concerned about her and the lambs going down bank as she'd usually eat anything!

[twizzel]

Is she chewing her cud? If not there’s the danger her rumen will stop working, and that’ll make her stop eating completely.


It could be she’s sore from lambing... Anything that needs antibiotic here also gets anti-inflammatory.


I’d ring the vet, it could be anything, but an off feed drench and anti inflammatory would be my 2 first ports of call.

[Womble]

One thing to check - any discharge or smell from her back end that might indicate an infection?

[Scarlet.Dragon]

Concur with the others on possible infection and soreness (some painkiller won't hurt and if that's the issue she should start eating pretty quickly once addressed), I'd also be considering a Pro-Rumen drench (if she's been off her feed it won't hurt and could make the difference if she's heading towards enterotoxaemia); Vet B Complex injection - often kickstarts an appetite; and Calcium.  Fingers crossed the poor girl is feeling better soon.  You might also want to try her on some different appetisers (e.g. willow, ivy etc) as natural painkillers that are easily digested.

[Anke]

enterotoxaemia);

?

[Backinwellies]

what is her temperature?   any infection would give higher temperature.

Also I always give pen strep post lambing .... and alamycin for feet issues ..... not sure the differnece

[twizzel]

what is her temperature?   any infection would give higher temperature.

Also I always give pen strep post lambing .... and alamycin for feet issues ..... not sure the differnece

Pen strep better for soft tissue infections, as is any white antibiotic. Agree I always give pen strep or betamox la to any ewe I’ve messed with.


Alamycin better for feet and pneumonia.