Got a couple of ewes out of two hundred that are carrying twins . Showing signs of dazed and bit out of it, still standing but probably not eating . Is it twin lamb or toxaemia? I’ve treated them with calcium and twin lamb stuff also covered with antibiotics. Sheep are due to start lambing in a week or so. Anything else I can do for them also prevent others taking it? Been out of ewes for few years so bit rusty . Any advice appreciated
Dazed sheep
- Thread starter valtraman
- Start date
- Location
- Scottsih Borders
Twin lamb and toxaemia( pregnancy toxaemia) are the same things. The other one is calcium deficiency - some times called Lambing Sickness, Mossillness or Mosill.
When a ewe is still standing but dopey and not eating, it is probably pregnancy toxaemia, and should be treated as such, but a Calcium injection as well, won't do any harm.
When a ewe is recumbent, it is probably straight calcium deficiency. Inject it with Calcium (normally with magnesium, phosphorus and glucose added), and if it exhibits the magic response and gets up, you might not need to treat it with Twin-lamb remedy.
The only need for antibiotics is if you suspect she is carrying dead lambs.
When a ewe is still standing but dopey and not eating, it is probably pregnancy toxaemia, and should be treated as such, but a Calcium injection as well, won't do any harm.
When a ewe is recumbent, it is probably straight calcium deficiency. Inject it with Calcium (normally with magnesium, phosphorus and glucose added), and if it exhibits the magic response and gets up, you might not need to treat it with Twin-lamb remedy.
The only need for antibiotics is if you suspect she is carrying dead lambs.
- Location
- Scottsih Borders
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- Location
- West Wales
What diet have they been on? You can get rape blindness/listeria/gid too.
- Location
- N.Lincs
What are you feeding? One or two going 'a bit slow' might be just one of those things or it could be an indication that you need to up the nutrition on the whole lot.
Lili
Member
- Location
- Aberystwyth hinterland
Can you get those 2 to eat? High energy blocks for the others perhaps to give them a boost. Look at the NADIS forum on here (under the Pig's and Poultry one) there's a section on sheep diseases- pregnancy toxaemia/ twin lamb.
They have had energy lick blocks for a while now . Been brought inside for almost a week now on round bale haulage and been getting 1/2 pound of 18% ewe lac plus rolls. They are in great condition hence I haven’t been pushing more feed at them in fear of pro lapse issues. Should I up there feed now?
Mine all just on feed blocks but have had 3 like your describing I treated them for twin lamb and calcium deficiency but haven’t really responded too it... id say mine are more a bit like listeria than twin lamb really as they have a bit of a twitch and seem too reverse rather than walk anywhere
- Location
- sw scotland
Definitely double it. They need penned up as they will not compete with the fit ones for food.
I wonder if listeria could be an issue . I’m feeding rolls into floor rather than have troughs in shed to trip over all the time .bedding is all clean but suppose they could be contracting it that way.haylage is good mould free. Thought they would be more man down if listeria though
- Location
- Scottsih Borders
One classic symptom of Listeriosis is that the ewe looks like it has had a stroke. Can't swallow, head on one side, droopy ear/s, cud spilling, tendency to move in a circle.
The bacteria can enter a tooth cavity in young sheep losing a milk tooth, and in older ewes loosing a permanent tooth.
The bacteria can enter a tooth cavity in young sheep losing a milk tooth, and in older ewes loosing a permanent tooth.
- Location
- West Wales
Very very similar symptoms to gid
- Location
- Shropshire
Are they eating beet? I’ve had one or two drunk ewes this season from one of the farmhands feeding them beet 3 times a day instead of once (now put a stop to this).
No not on beet
- Location
- West Wales
Twins usually no, triplets/quads can need it every other day, which calcium did you use? I’ve only ever used the 40% (red top)
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