Ewes not dropping milk

Three youngish fit ewes lambed last couple of days,two not opening up for lambing and all three not letting milk drop. Guessing a shortage of something but what?
 

jed

Member
Location
Shropshire
I would second selenium
but we drench ours a much higher concentration than you’ll find in a lick.
Are the lambs slow to get going as this is often a sign of selenium deficiency?
 
I would second selenium
but we drench ours a much higher concentration than you’ll find in a lick.
Are the lambs slow to get going as this is often a sign of selenium deficiency?
Lambs aren't too bad but because the ewes not opening up properly it's a bit of job getting them out which steadies them up and then the ewes are knocked around
 

puppet

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
sw scotland
When you say they did not open up, was it ring womb or just a while to lamb? Do they actually have any milk rather not letting it down as some young sheep take a while to produce, just like a heifer.
I would add that a lot of TFF members seem to attribute problems to mineral and trace element deficiency. Salesmen must appreciate it.
 
When you say they did not open up, was it ring womb or just a while to lamb? Do they actually have any milk rather not letting it down as some young sheep take a while to produce, just like a heifer.
I would add that a lot of TFF members seem to attribute problems to mineral and trace element deficiency. Salesmen must appreciate it.
Ringwomb and no milk at all even though udder seems full and normal. Come into milk twelve to twenty four hours later which doesn't help with watery mouth. Gave them calcium and selenium but whether it helped or just coincidence I don't know
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
Is your cake up to scratch? Had something similar one year when the ingredients kept being changed. Switched to a better product from a different maker who doesn't chop and change the next year, and it hasn't happened since.

Also, are they moving around enough during the day? It's been very mild this week, and I've noticed that ewes are lounging around. They seem to be taking their time to lamb compared with those who lambed during the cold snap.
 
Is your cake up to scratch? Had something similar one year when the ingredients kept being changed. Switched to a better product from a different maker who doesn't chop and change the next year, and it hasn't happened since.

Also, are they moving around enough during the day? It's been very mild this week, and I've noticed that ewes are lounging around. They seem to be taking their time to lamb compared with those who lambed during the cold snap.
They're housed on a mix of silage and barley whole crop with downlamber19%cake some sbp and whole maize. Used the same mix for a few years,never seen it before. Only just getting going lambing and would like to nip it in the bud.
 
Is your cake up to scratch? Had something similar one year when the ingredients kept being changed. Switched to a better product from a different maker who doesn't chop and change the next year, and it hasn't happened since.

Also, are they moving around enough during the day? It's been very mild this week, and I've noticed that ewes are lounging around. They seem to be taking their time to lamb compared with those who lambed during the cold snap.
They're housed on a mix of silage and barley whole crop with downlamber19%cake some sbp and whole maize. Used the same mix for a few years,never seen it before. Only just getting going lambing and would like to nip it in the bud.
 

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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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