Calcium Deficiency

[De ja]

My mates had 3 big..strong ewes go down with calcium deficiency...lost 1 and another looks dodgy.... any idea how to get the calcium levels up in the flock to try and avoid any further problems ?

 

[CopperBeech]

My mates had 3 big..strong ewes go down with calcium deficiency...lost 1 and another looks dodgy.... any idea how to get the calcium levels up in the flock to try and avoid any further problems ?

better feed.

 

[De ja]

They are in very good condition...been on turnips...+ haylage and on trough

 

[Al R]

They are in very good condition...been on turnips...+ haylage and on trough

Triplets? Mineral block too, are they bolused at all? How far off lambing?

 

[De ja]

Think they are on crystalix.... 3 weeks or so off lambing.... but they did vaccinate them the day before the problem....stress.? Told him to give them some free access minerals....

 

[neilo]

Think they are on crystalix.... 3 weeks or so off lambing.... but they did vaccinate them the day before the problem....stress.? Told him to give them some free access minerals....

I was going to say to give them some free access minerals, if only for a few days. Always seems to nip it in the bud if I ever get any.

Stress of handling for vaccinating could easily have tipped a few over the edge, if they were borderline already.

 

[Agrivator]

There is no known prevention as far as I know. feeding high levels of Calcium pre-lambing is not advised, because, as with Diary cows, it can make their calcium mobilisation sluggish and make them more likely to suffer from low blood levels in times of stress.

All you can do is be vigilant, inject quickly with Calcium, and if need be, treat for twin-lamb disease (TLD). A P Supplies have a very cheap Glycol drench which is very effective in treating ewes that have lost their appetite and are showing signs of TLD.

 

[M-J-G]

Not overdoing calcium in earlier pregnancy is as much a of preventative as any.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Think they are on crystalix.... 3 weeks or so off lambing.... but they did vaccinate them the day before the problem....stress.? Told him to give them some free access minerals....

Had the same here last year, gave the ewes there Heptevac booster 4 weeks pre lambing, next time they had there cake a few didn't come up and feed and then one or two went down with calcium. This year they will get it 6 weeks pre lambing and be wormed on a different day. Thankfully they usually respond well to calcium injections when they go down.

 

[De ja]

Interesting.....

 

[Princess Pooper]

Is it definitely low calcium, nitrate poisoning from grazing brassicae can give same symptoms.

 

[De ja]

Worth knowing...but they have had a blood test confining calcium deficiency.

 

[neilo]

Is it definitely low calcium, nitrate poisoning from grazing brassicae can give same symptoms.

Unlikely Iwould have thought, given they are on haylage and trough feed too. Only really a problem with young crops that are growing like the clappers and taking up N, which would be unusual in January?