Are the days of lambing inside numbered?

Farmer Keith

Member
Location
North Cumbria
I spent yesterday afternoon updating our flock health plans with the vet and conducting our annual AB review as part of which we discussed the use of prophylactic ABs namely Orojet on the farm here, now over the past 5 years we’ve halved its use from all lambs to only doing lambs with a higher risk of watery mouth ie triplets, ewes with less colostrum etc .

However next year Orojet will be no longer available it seems leaving Spectam as the only licensed AB to be used in the lambing shed. The direction of travel seems quite clear and I’m beginning to wonder if the writing is on the wall for inside lambing, there are undoubtably going to be occasions when the weather at lambing time is not as favourable as 2020 and it’s going to be an absolute nightmare, all of this against a backdrop of the sheep sector being the lowest user of ABs across the livestock sector. :banghead:
 

PhilipB

Member
Use Cubisan or similar disinfectant in the lambing pens, ensure all lambs get adequate colostrum, and make certain that all lambs pass the first meconium - and if necessary give them an enama .

I've never heard about this meconium thing, please could you explain further?
 

Ysgythan

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Ammanford
I spent yesterday afternoon updating our flock health plans with the vet and conducting our annual AB review as part of which we discussed the use of prophylactic ABs namely Orojet on the farm here, now over the past 5 years we’ve halved its use from all lambs to only doing lambs with a higher risk of watery mouth ie triplets, ewes with less colostrum etc .

However next year Orojet will be no longer available it seems leaving Spectam as the only licensed AB to be used in the lambing shed. The direction of travel seems quite clear and I’m beginning to wonder if the writing is on the wall for inside lambing, there are undoubtably going to be occasions when the weather at lambing time is not as favourable as 2020 and it’s going to be an absolute nightmare, all of this against a backdrop of the sheep sector being the lowest user of ABs across the livestock sector. :banghead:

no. Look up Pruex.
 

Mc115reed

Member
Livestock Farmer
Why would it be the end of lambing indoors purely because some farmers are too idol too make sure they maintain a clean environment at lambing time and ensure lambs get a decent amount of colostrum and instead use blindly dosing every lamb with spectam as the solution too the problem..
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Funny enough I lamb 400 inside and 400 outside. And last year had very little watery mouth and no joint ill inside, but outside had several with watery mouth and 10 joint ill lambs. I put it down to lambs not getting enough colostrum because the ewes where wondering off for water and leaving the lambs.
 
I've never heard about this meconium thing, please could you explain further?
One main benefit of colostrum is that it acts as a laxative to shift the black crap already in the gut. If short of colostrum the system backs up giving e coli the chance to multiply and cause watery mouth. Stomach tube of warm soapy water up the backside gets the stuff moving. I do any triplets or quads as routine now
 

PhilipB

Member
One main benefit of colostrum is that it acts as a laxative to shift the black crap already in the gut. If short of colostrum the system backs up giving e coli the chance to multiply and cause watery mouth. Stomach tube of warm soapy water up the backside gets the stuff moving. I do any triplets or quads as routine now
Thanks
 

ISCO

Member
Location
North East
We used to do every lamb with spectam and half ml of Betamox at birth. Last 3 years have used pine shavings and only done triplets or weak lambs without problem.
Considering using Pruex this year for indoor lambs and then be brave enough to stop all AB.
Started lambing outside 3 years ago as well. Ocasionally have a odd joint I'll lamb outside but now much prefer outdoor lambing.
 

Timbo

Member
Location
Gods County
I spent yesterday afternoon updating our flock health plans with the vet and conducting our annual AB review as part of which we discussed the use of prophylactic ABs namely Orojet on the farm here, now over the past 5 years we’ve halved its use from all lambs to only doing lambs with a higher risk of watery mouth ie triplets, ewes with less colostrum etc .

However next year Orojet will be no longer available it seems leaving Spectam as the only licensed AB to be used in the lambing shed. The direction of travel seems quite clear and I’m beginning to wonder if the writing is on the wall for inside lambing, there are undoubtably going to be occasions when the weather at lambing time is not as favourable as 2020 and it’s going to be an absolute nightmare, all of this against a backdrop of the sheep sector being the lowest user of ABs across the livestock sector. :banghead:


Without being rude, or disrespectful in any way at all, if you are relying / using Orojet or Spectam etc as a matter of course you either have a colostrum / ewe nutrition or a hygiene / best practice problem in your shed, where triplets or susceptible lambs are not getting sufficient supplementary colostrum through clean kit or are picking bugs up in the pens.

Those red rubber tubes are about the worst thing ever for spreading disease.
 
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Tim W

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Wiltshire
I spent yesterday afternoon updating our flock health plans with the vet and conducting our annual AB review as part of which we discussed the use of prophylactic ABs namely Orojet on the farm here, now over the past 5 years we’ve halved its use from all lambs to only doing lambs with a higher risk of watery mouth ie triplets, ewes with less colostrum etc .

However next year Orojet will be no longer available it seems leaving Spectam as the only licensed AB to be used in the lambing shed. The direction of travel seems quite clear and I’m beginning to wonder if the writing is on the wall for inside lambing, there are undoubtably going to be occasions when the weather at lambing time is not as favourable as 2020 and it’s going to be an absolute nightmare, all of this against a backdrop of the sheep sector being the lowest user of ABs across the livestock sector. :banghead:
The sheep sector will change a bit in the next decade , emphasis slowly shifting to lowland flocks integrated into arable systems which could lead to fewer indoor Lambers? It should by definition be good for sheep....clean grazing, low worm burdens, good growth rates & a possible further reduction in AB use?
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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