Ewes blowing guts out

Al R · Jan 19, 2022

Electricfencer said:
I think you are right there, when we have had a bad run it’s because they where fat in mid winter and been running on turnips.

Last year my ewes were ridiculously fat, you couldn’t feel bones inside them when lambing as their was so much internal fat. I had zero prolapses, turnips pre lambing and then on lush grass for 2 weeks pre lambing is all the twins and triplets had.

Meanwhile giving some ewes at point of lambing now 0.5 lb/day of oats each at the moment and 1 was running to the trough this morning and prolapses

Nothing major and all back in within minutes but I’m sure ewes running after food be it troughs or snackers causes prolapses, we used to have 30/800 ewes would prolapse when snacking in 20acre fields pre lambing, since moving to turnips and grass their fatter but near zero prolapses.

Last ewe I had with the full sausages (intestines) out was a ewe lamb in 2018

Estate fencing. · Jan 19, 2022

Al R said:
Last year my ewes were ridiculously fat, you couldn’t feel bones inside them when lambing as their was so much internal fat. I had zero prolapses, turnips pre lambing and then on lush grass for 2 weeks pre lambing is all the twins and triplets had.

Meanwhile giving some ewes at point of lambing now 0.5 lb/day of oats each at the moment and 1 was running to the trough this morning and prolapses Nothing major and all back in within minutes but I’m sure ewes running after food be it troughs or snackers causes prolapses, we used to have 30/800 ewes would prolapse when snacking in 20acre fields pre lambing, since moving to turnips and grass their fatter but near zero prolapses.

Last ewe I had with the full sausages (intestines) out was a ewe lamb in 2018

My ewes that seem to push the guts out are a bunch that come of turnips (now beet) and run on just grass from march, so no running for food.

Al R · Jan 19, 2022

Electricfencer said:
My ewes that seem to push the guts out are a bunch that come of turnips (now beet) and run on just grass from march, so no running for food.

Fair enough, I have heard that beet is worse than turnips for it from a sheep expert that I would actually take advice off (not many I would….)

BAF · Jan 19, 2022

Had a lot of TLD last year and 4 or 5 that had to be strapped up in some snazzy bondage gear to keep their insides inside. No actual prolapses but some bulging and contemplating it. I could only put it down to them being too fat early on in pregnancy. This year I've scanned and fed them a little bit, not huge amounts probably around 200g per lamb per day per ewe which is possibly a bit on the mean side. I'm only feeding really to prevent TLD. I've kept the ewes fitter this year and they've had access to high energy licks for the last couple of month which they eat like bloody sweets! So fingers crossed no TLD, prolapses or massive bloody lambs!!

Bury the Trash · Jan 19, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
I've had this in the past - the couple years after we restocked from F&M in '01 ewes were chronic for it... you go round them and everything would be laid out on the ground behind them no warning and nothing you can do.

It's definitely prolapse and not coming out the arse. They push to the point of bursting which sends the intestines out onto the ground.

Probably too late now, but be harder on the ewes next year.

(Edit; my experience is in outdoor lambing situation. I'd say if indoors they need checked more often/keep a better eye on them)

yes youre right its a type of prolapse
i had the very similar experience here after fm restock also at a few other times , not recently tho.
goggled word meanings " Prolapse means "to fall out of place" in medical terms in this instance its internal organs
there's Four or five types of Prolapse that can happen before or after lambing in ewes are
1.of Cervix and vagina (before lambing)
2.of Intestine through rupture of the vagina ( before lambing ) (that' s what this one will be i expect)
(and a bit different than constant straining pushing the rectum out that can happen as well mind you )

Working with the vets help The only thing i could really do was back right off the concentrate (which was actually replaced with a lessor amount of beet pulp .
only thing and main i can say is that i over fed ewes that were in good condition anyway , on well grassed clean ground (better than were they had come from ) and the ones affected being maiden shearlings as
well.
had a few at other times as well but nothing like that 'storm' at that time , a lot of those were related but not all,
that's because one part of the reason was over fat
3.of Uterus after lambing
4. of the Cervix after lambing

Bury the Trash · Jan 19, 2022

I forgot to say ours was LLeyn put to A Texel Ram as well. now im not saying thats anything to do with the ops but thats why these days i comment put a lleyn over lleyn ..ewe lambs or unlambed shearlings .
not saying thats right or wrong but you can see where im coming from depends on what the rams genetics are regardless of his breed name as well of course .

edit : just checked the op .....and btw its not eating too much hay , nice clean hay is a good fibre source and they will self regulate .......

Global ovine · Jan 19, 2022

Uterine prolapse and the occasional associated rupture (as described by the OP) is a complex symptom associated with the following:

Ewes carrying excessive internal fat which is an indication of insufficient nutritional stress applied during the 2nd trimester that adjusts the ewes' metabolism to become more efficient at mobilising calcium from the huge storage in the skeleton. Winter did this naturally in the wild.
When poor mobilisation occurs the ewe is less able to maintain good muscle control preventing minor contractions (eg. Braxton hicks) becoming excessive, hence fatal in this situation.
One of the main triggers causing susceptible ewes prolapse is excessive potassium in the diet that further prevents calcium mobilisation. In late pregnancy, magnesium levels need to be high, as Mg assists the process to release Ca. Feeds, including "good" hay or silage that are high in K work against this.
Often the problem begins when the hay/silage fields were shut up to grow. If they were boosted with a potassium fertiliser to guarantee a good crop, the K levels may end up being excessive to the ewe in late pregnancy. Therefore on higher K soils apply the K fertiliser after the hay/silage harvest to restore the soil fertility.
Farms where history has shown that uterine prolapse is a risk, or worse, is now happening; dust the feeds with a magnesium additive such as Causmag. High K feeds such as beet pulp should be avoided.
Best wishes in getting this nutritional imbalance corrected.

Al R · Jan 19, 2022

Global ovine said:
Uterine prolapse and the occasional associated rupture (as described by the OP) is a complex symptom associated with the following:

Ewes carrying excessive internal fat which is an indication of insufficient nutritional stress applied during the 2nd trimester that adjusts the ewes' metabolism to become more efficient at mobilising calcium from the huge storage in the skeleton. Winter did this naturally in the wild.

When poor mobilisation occurs the ewe is less able to maintain good muscle control preventing minor contractions (eg. Braxton hicks) becoming excessive, hence fatal in this situation.

One of the main triggers causing susceptible ewes prolapse is excessive potassium in the diet that further prevents calcium mobilisation. In late pregnancy, magnesium levels need to be high, as Mg assists the process to release Ca. Feeds, including "good" hay or silage that are high in K work against this.

Often the problem begins when the hay/silage fields were shut up to grow. If they were boosted with a potassium fertiliser to guarantee a good crop, the K levels may end up being excessive to the ewe in late pregnancy. Therefore on higher K soils apply the K fertiliser after the hay/silage harvest to restore the soil fertility.

Farms where history has shown that uterine prolapse is a risk, or worse, is now happening; dust the feeds with a magnesium additive such as Causmag. High K feeds such as beet pulp should be avoided.

Best wishes in getting this nutritional imbalance corrected.

Is exercise a factor @Global ovine ? From what I hear locally indoor flocks have huge amounts of prolapses yet outdoor very few? I don’t know the diets used indoors but know of multiple where 10% prolapse isn’t uncommon

Sir loin · Jan 19, 2022

Al R said:
Is exercise a factor @Global ovine ? From what I hear locally indoor flocks have huge amounts of prolapses yet outdoor very few? I don’t know the diets used indoors but know of multiple where 10% prolapse isn’t uncommon

I am a novice at sheep really but we only house ours when the first one lambs (weather dependant of course)

Pistonbroke · Jan 19, 2022

Al R said:
Is exercise a factor @Global ovine ? From what I hear locally indoor flocks have huge amounts of prolapses yet outdoor very few? I don’t know the diets used indoors but know of multiple where 10% prolapse isn’t uncommon

The more texel blood in our ewes,the the more prolapses, calcium shortage doesn't help,lack of exercise in housed ewes,the list is endless. Having said that,with about 1250 lambing we only own three trusses so it isn't a massive concern. TMR helps I think

Real Straight shooter · Jan 19, 2022

A cupple of years ago we really struggled with mule ewes prolapsing on fodder beat around 3 weeks onwards before lambing, tried lots of things like reducing feed, eventually we found out they were low in iodine, we drenched them with KI home mix (thanks to help from the farming forum) now we jab the ewes with flexidine, and it has dramatically reduceded prolapses, our thoughts were that the ewes were eating so much bulk to fine more iodine hence the prolapse......... the KI also reduced twin lamb and has raised our lambing % form 180 to 200% continuously

sherg · Jan 19, 2022

We always had a lot more prolapse when they were on hay than haylage, I'd take the hay out and just leave them with some straw and nuts

glasshouse · Jan 19, 2022

Housed sheep defo have more probs due to lack of exercise

Agrivator · Jan 19, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Don't add anything, just hunger the whures - let their backs melt... difficult part is stopping them going too far and burning all the condition off

And end up with a lot of Twin-lamb disease!!!!!!!!

But the OP could certainly cut back the concentrate feeding to about 550gms daily, at least for the twin-bearing ewes

Nithsdale · Jan 19, 2022

You'll not get TLD if the forage is any good. Overfat ewes can and will do fine off their own backs if you cut the feed.

I stop feeding all ewes as soon as the first lambs drop. It has never caused any issues (outdoor lambing), despite your exclamation

Global ovine · Jan 19, 2022

Al R said:
Is exercise a factor @Global ovine ? From what I hear locally indoor flocks have huge amounts of prolapses yet outdoor very few? I don’t know the diets used indoors but know of multiple where 10% prolapse isn’t uncommon

Exercise is just another underlying factor, but not a trigger. Ewes on hills can be more severely affected than their contemporaries on the flat under tight rotational grazing leading to some farmers incorrectly claiming it is due to terrain steepness. The difference in prolapse incidence where the cation : anion balance has been measured has always been in what goes down the throat.

Ben Lockey said:
A cupple of years ago we really struggled with mule ewes prolapsing on fodder beat around 3 weeks onwards before lambing, tried lots of things like reducing feed, eventually we found out they were low in iodine, we drenched them with KI home mix (thanks to help from the farming forum) now we jab the ewes with flexidine, and it has dramatically reduceded prolapses, our thoughts were that the ewes were eating so much bulk to fine more iodine hence the prolapse......... the KI also reduced twin lamb and has raised our lambing % form 180 to 200% continuously

Correcting any deficiency will help as such measures reduces the underlying nutritional problems the flock suffers from. A shot of Vitamin B12 in a cobalt deficient situation will also help, as this too simulates appetite and metabolism. However the trigger remains if high K and low Mg in feed exists to severely limit Calcium mobilisation in ewes.
In such a situation where under-feeding exists (inside or outside) the problem manifests as Milk fever.

Northeastfarmer · Jan 20, 2022

Whenever I house in lambers they always start prolapsing

Man_in_black · Jan 20, 2022

Badshot said:
so they're prolapsing out the arse? Not the fanny?
Something very strange there if thats right.

Apparently yeah, I'll find out in half hour.

Man_in_black · Jan 20, 2022

Thanks for all replies. They get checked plenty, it's just happening so fast to ewes that look right as ten minutes earlier. Proper walk in amongst them 4 times a day, walking through middle of shed several times a day & have camera in there linked to phone .

Al R · Jan 20, 2022

Man_in_black said:
Thanks for all replies. They get checked plenty, it's just happening so fast to ewes that look right as ten minutes earlier. Proper walk in amongst them 4 times a day, walking through middle of shed several times a day & have camera in there linked to phone .

I’d say there being checked to often but that wouldn’t cause the prolapsing

Ewes blowing guts out

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

Share this page