Clostridial issues with lambs

[scatterbrainedlass]

Having a really bad do with lambs this year. We have been dosing with Covexin for the past 2 years (cheaper than hep p), but got hit with pasteurella early June. On vet advice we revaccinated the entire flock with hep p. We are now experiencing random deaths all down to various clostridial diseases. Pasteurella, big head (one with a head massively swollen, caught in time and recovered, another dead, pm'd and body was swollen). Took 4 lambs to abattoir this morning and asked them to let us know the state of organs. Healthy looking lambs, 42kg+, vet reported abcesses on liver and pneumonia on lungs.

We are also battling wormer resistance which isn't helping as their immune response is probably affected, but we're pretty fed up that we've spent £100's on clostridial vaccines and we're still losing way too many.

Anyone else having these issues, is it possibly just a bad year for it or are we just really unlucky?

 

[Wooly]

It sounds there may be an underlying problem that exacerbates the clostridial immunity.

I gave up heptavacing my sheep a few years ago and so far, touch wood, I have actually lost fewer sheep than when I used to jab them religiously.

It sounds like you may have a worm problem that because the sheeps health and immunity is impaired, losses occur as a clostridial disease.

Not sure what the answer is though....... different wormer group (purple or orange)........ less stress on the sheep !?!

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

We've just done them with Zolvix, so we're working on the worm issue, but it's a slow process and we're still losing them. I honestly wonder if we'd have lost about the same if we hadn't bothered vaccinating. Feels like we're just chucking money at them right now!

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

I would check TE status. Much less of these sort of problems here since we found out there was a cobalt deficiency and started bolussing to correct.

 

[neilo]

I would check TE status. Much less of these sort of problems here since we found out there was a cobalt deficiency and started bolussing to correct.

^this. TE deficiency certainly compromises the immune system, which will allow worms and diseases to have more effect.
My vet and I are convinced that some of the problems we’ve been having here (I lost 10 vaccinated ewe lambs with pasteurella in a week last Autumn ), will be partly down to the ongoing issues we’ve been having with Iodine deficiency, even with bolusing.
Lambs have been clobbered again pre-weaning, despite trying several different supplementation methods, but everything is flying now bolused and topped up with an Iodine drench. Hopefully their thrive will help improve their ability to combat diseases like pasteurella, and for the clostridal vaccine (all Bravoxin now) to be more effective.

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

See, our vets are treating the individual problems, telling us we have worm resistance, questioning our vaccination technique, not looking further down the line. What has been said here mirrors exactly what a friend told us yesterday, make sure the minerals are right and everything else should fall into place. Being on short term rented land, we've never tested the ground, but have tested and bolused the ewes. Going forward it looks like we need to test and treat lambs too and get a good system going on.

 

[Green farmer]

^this. TE deficiency certainly compromises the immune system, which will allow worms and diseases
My vet and I are convinced that some of the problems we’ve been having here (I lost 10 vaccinated ewe lambs with pasteurella in a week last Autumn ),

I hear you, experienced the same last autumn as well. I put it down to the drought knocking the stuffing out of them and all the other things taking hold. I’m more on top of the vaccinations this year, so fingers crossed.

 

[HarryB97]

We vaccinate all ewes and lambs with Hep p+ and this year have lost near enough nothing but last year was horrendous had lambs dying at a week old and was picking them up everyday, ended up having to inject every lamb with AB and anit inflammetry which saved they day but they were still slow growing and stunted all year, was very depressing. Get some bloods done then can bolus if needs be. I would be most concerned about the worm issue as having to use Zolvix already and renting lots of ground is just spreading the problem around and only going to make things worse for you and others who take on that land. I'd look at breeding worm resistant sheep, lowering the stocking rate, rotational grazing and getting cattle in the mix

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

We vaccinate all ewes and lambs with Hep p+ and this year have lost near enough nothing but last year was horrendous had lambs dying at a week old and was picking them up everyday, ended up having to inject every lamb with AB and anit inflammetry which saved they day but they were still slow growing and stunted all year, was very depressing. Get some bloods done then can bolus if needs be. I would be most concerned about the worm issue as having to use Zolvix already and renting lots of ground is just spreading the problem around and only going to make things worse for you and others who take on that land. I'd look at breeding worm resistant sheep, lowering the stocking rate, rotational grazing and getting cattle in the mix

Thanks Harry, we are actually losing the land we are currently on some time in the next 12 months due to our landlord selling it for rewilding (don't get me.started!)

As we're on it for a limited and unknown period of time, we haven't wanted to spend more than absolutely necessary on fencing which means our rotational grazing has gone to pot. We will re-implement it properly when we move. We are also raising a few cattle and so are introducing them into the mix. It's all about learning from our mistakes and moving on!