Sheepshape
Herd Master
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- Oct 19, 2012
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It's something of a nightmare when a ewe with twins loses her milk when her lambs are about 3-5 weeks old. The lambs really still need milk, but won't have a bottle, and their ability to utilise solid foods is not fully developed until about 8 weeks. This year has seen me struggling with this problem, too.
Judy is a 3 year old Blue Faced Leicester who had triplets 6-7 weeks ago. All lambs were ewe lambs and evenly sized, so two stayed with mum and I bottle fed the third (Stacey). Stacey has had her moments....bloody diarrhoea (probably coccidia) and chest infection, but is now looking well-filled out. She is now weaned, lively and seems healthy.
The two lambs who stayed with mum initially looked a lot healthier....bigger, glossier etc. Two weeks ago I thought that they didn't look quite so well, and noted that they were eating some of the ewe food. Judy's udder looked very large, but her lambs didn't appear to be feeding often or reducing the size of her udder.
When they all came up for worming/fluking/vaccinating I noted that the lambs didn't look so well, were a bit thin and listless. Judy's udder felt rather hard, but not hot, and there was VERY little milk to express. From there on I kept them close at hand and noted the lambs really weren't thriving. No, they would not take a bottle, and they seemed tired and depressed. They then both developed severe scours, so I took Judy and the two lambs into the garden. At that stage, the degree of emaciation was apparent. The thinnest had no muscle to feel in the legs, just skin over bone. I am kicking myself that I hadn't tried to intervene earlier.
So 5 days on from moving into the garden (after treating for coccidia and giving selenium, cobalt B12), I think the tide has turned. Initially I was feeding high calorie/protein solids with mum in there, but, typical Leicester fashion, she ate the lot whilst pushing her lambs away. Now I am sending mum into the field whilst her lambs take their fill twice daily, so that I know that they are feeding.
At last I feel I can name the lambs and take pictures of them.....I don't like to do so if I think they won't survive.
Here's Judy with the 'biggest' lamb, Sally
And now for Sita....the most emaciated lamb still on 4 legs (and I'm thinking she looks slightly better)
And from above...... I would have given her a 40% chance of survival at the outset......now I'll give her 60%.
The lambs now run over when I come into the garden to see what I have for them, and the larger Sally managed a little head toss today.
Even when I spoke to the vet., he had little else to suggest....saying "They don't do well". But I'm going to keep on trying......I'll take pics. again (all being well!) in a few days.
What a year....how as many have made it even so far, I do not know.
Judy is a 3 year old Blue Faced Leicester who had triplets 6-7 weeks ago. All lambs were ewe lambs and evenly sized, so two stayed with mum and I bottle fed the third (Stacey). Stacey has had her moments....bloody diarrhoea (probably coccidia) and chest infection, but is now looking well-filled out. She is now weaned, lively and seems healthy.
The two lambs who stayed with mum initially looked a lot healthier....bigger, glossier etc. Two weeks ago I thought that they didn't look quite so well, and noted that they were eating some of the ewe food. Judy's udder looked very large, but her lambs didn't appear to be feeding often or reducing the size of her udder.
When they all came up for worming/fluking/vaccinating I noted that the lambs didn't look so well, were a bit thin and listless. Judy's udder felt rather hard, but not hot, and there was VERY little milk to express. From there on I kept them close at hand and noted the lambs really weren't thriving. No, they would not take a bottle, and they seemed tired and depressed. They then both developed severe scours, so I took Judy and the two lambs into the garden. At that stage, the degree of emaciation was apparent. The thinnest had no muscle to feel in the legs, just skin over bone. I am kicking myself that I hadn't tried to intervene earlier.
So 5 days on from moving into the garden (after treating for coccidia and giving selenium, cobalt B12), I think the tide has turned. Initially I was feeding high calorie/protein solids with mum in there, but, typical Leicester fashion, she ate the lot whilst pushing her lambs away. Now I am sending mum into the field whilst her lambs take their fill twice daily, so that I know that they are feeding.
At last I feel I can name the lambs and take pictures of them.....I don't like to do so if I think they won't survive.
Here's Judy with the 'biggest' lamb, Sally
And now for Sita....the most emaciated lamb still on 4 legs (and I'm thinking she looks slightly better)
And from above...... I would have given her a 40% chance of survival at the outset......now I'll give her 60%.
The lambs now run over when I come into the garden to see what I have for them, and the larger Sally managed a little head toss today.
Even when I spoke to the vet., he had little else to suggest....saying "They don't do well". But I'm going to keep on trying......I'll take pics. again (all being well!) in a few days.
What a year....how as many have made it even so far, I do not know.