Ewes going off their feet

[millen87]

Hi folks had a ewe on her side on Sunday morning couldnt stand took her home in trailer and gave her calcium under the skin and jag of terramicin bak on her feet yesterday but still dull. Another ewe in the same field this morning showing similar signs dull and staggering. Dosed with triclafas 1 week ago also moved on to this ground on the same day. Dairy winter grazing. Any ideas

 

[Bury the Trash]

Yeah at a guess hypocalcaemia.

but what sort year have you had for fluke ?

 

[millen87]

Dont think its fluke but not 100% have been dosed regularly. How do you treat hypocalcaemia

 

[tepapa]

Dont think its fluke but not 100% have been dosed regularly. How do you treat hypocalcaemia

Calcium.
Are these old ewes/ thin ewes?

 

[millen87]

One is 3 year other hogget

 

[Wooly]

Acorn poisoning ?

 

[D.S.S18]

could it be mag? Dairy grasses could still be growing.

or as someone else mentioned, Acorns or Crab apples

 

[Bury the Trash]

Dont think its fluke but not 100% have been dosed regularly. How do you treat hypocalcaemia

Calciject 6

 

[Wooly]

gave her calcium under the skin

Dont think its fluke but not 100% have been dosed regularly. How do you treat hypocalcaemia

You have done that with the calcium !!

 

[primmiemoo]

Given how long have they been grazing the dairy grass, as they're recently there, it could be a low grade staggers, and needing calc/mag/dex, or a jab of mag.

Or they could have the poisoning as mentioned already.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Second guess.. would be Pasteurellosis.

 

[millen87]

The 2 ewes that were jagged with calcium are responding well now almost bak to normal have put out mineral buckets with them hopefully this sorts it out

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Usually if it's calcium, they lie on the fronts, and mostly respond well to calcijeject no 6, and are fully back to normal within a few hours.
There is a little magnesium in no 6, could have this be what they are responding to ?

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Can you get CausMag (mag oxide powder) to dust on their grass? Think I've had this discussion before but can't remember if it's available in the UK or not.

It's sometimes used here ahead of sheep, generally just throw some out on a (small) fresh break of grass and move them on, if they want grass then they get mag with it.
Limeflour for Ca, Causmag for Mg, pretty popular for spring-calving cows on grass, they do OK on the mature/autumn saved pasture then crash on the regrowth as it is so watery and too high in protein for them

 

[Bury the Trash]

Can you get CausMag (mag oxide powder) to dust on their grass? Think I've had this discussion before but can't remember if it's available in the UK or not.

It's sometimes used here ahead of sheep, generally just throw some out on a (small) fresh break of grass and move them on, if they want grass then they get mag with it.
Limeflour for Ca, Causmag for Mg, pretty popular for spring-calving cows on grass, they do OK on the mature/autumn saved pasture then crash on the regrowth as it is so watery and too high in protein for them

From the op, I think its short term winter keep taken , so not land he farms

 

[Kiwi Pete]

From the op, I think its short term winter keep taken , so not land he farms

Yep, that's why I was wondering if the dairy farm may have a bit of limeflour or Causmag sitting around? Basically down this far if you use over 50 units of N per year then you need to spread mag at times, especially when it's wet underfoot - or feed heaps of baled sunshine

 

[Bury the Trash]

Yep, that's why I was wondering if the dairy farm may have a bit of limeflour or Causmag sitting around? Basically down this far if you use over 50 units of N per year then you need to spread mag at times, especially when it's wet underfoot - or feed heaps of baled sunshine

I expect it was the jolt of moving them, very wet weather , different type of grass caused it as a one off.
Could be a 'bit of each' problem with low blood suger at the time as well.

As Pure Staggers would show more with a 'twitchy ' manic and then 'she goes down ' type syptoms and likely in spring / when making milk .

 

[Bury the Trash]

Yep, that's why I was wondering if the dairy farm may have a bit of limeflour or Causmag sitting around? Basically down this far if you use over 50 units of N per year then you need to spread mag at times, especially when it's wet underfoot - or feed heaps of baled sunshine

Yeah, especially when youre at home a bale of nice hay put out makes a good mineral bucket.

 

[millen87]

Update ewe laying dead on Friday morning 4 feet straight in the air found 2nd ewe Saturday morning upside down he severe pain struggling to breathe and pressing bad trying to pass dung looked like died soon after. Another ewe down this morning same signs calcium seems to settle it as its still living but dull and cant stand. Vet is also unsure atm

 

[Razor8]

Interesting to know if the dairy farmer had any calcium issues with his cows?