hypermagnesemia in sheep

[llamedos]

It is simple to you
If you say Tetany most people would I think associate rapid heartbeat, paddling, stiff limbs.
I was taught to be very calm and quiet around a beast with Mag' Tetany - rightly or wrongly??

 

[llamedos]

magneject 9 says subc. only bottle.- im not confident in the vein any way. Would a sheep metabolism be different to cow in connection with this.(staggers) ...any way to treat this...calcium boro (no mag) intravenous and mag sulp under skin that way around?

see explanation post #16

 

[Sheepfog]

Having a bigger problem with hypermagnesemia in ewes this year. Looking back on records in the previous 3 seasons I've had 3 ewes die on average each year (Out of 600+). This year I'm up to 5 dead so far and there's a way to go yet. Weather has been dry and grass hasn't been growing like previous years. Sheep have access to minerals and have tried some high mag buckets this year as well.

I'm considering a bolus for ewes most at risk (on best leys) next year but apparently the bolus only lasts 3 weeks. Could anyone who uses a bolus advise how they get on with it and how often they administer please.

Rarely seem to catch a ewe with staggers and save her - usually find them dead. I can't believe how quickly they go!

Went from having almost finished lambing with no pet lambs to suddenly having 7!

What is their water source? Reason I ask is I put Magnesium Chloride flakes in the water troughs. Not feeding cake as there's enough grass and don't want to bolus because of short cover. Works very well. Touch wood!

 

[Bury the Trash]

see explanation post #16

ok thanks.

 

[GTB]

Try some normal mineral buckets. Sheep don't need much mag and high mag buckets aren't very palatable

 

[Nithsdale]

What have you to suggest it is?

A ewe down with calcium deficiency and not eating may also get low in magnesium - hence the availability of the combination products.

Calcium deficiency make them floppy, magnesium deficiency twitchy and tremors. Clinically very different.

(mag can look a bit like CCN)

The OP suggests he loses what he diagnoses as 'sheep staggers'...

what if his primary diagnosis is wrong - and is treating incorrectly? Giving mag where calcium is needed?

 

[bovine]

First thing is to decide what is wrong. If they are dying from something else you need to know. If you are treating these things yourselves then you need to learn the difference. It's not good enough giving them a bit of everything.

There is no point giving straight calcium IV, needs to be calcium and magnesium. It is vital you handle them quietly. The first thing vets do is sedate the cow. Handling to treat can kill them. I would urge great caution fighting for a vein - it is the sort of stress that really can kill. Subcut magnesium sulphate is what you need. There is stronger concentration of magnesium. Warm the solution to body temperature to aid absorption.

 

[M-J-G]

In situations where K levels are very high, grass can be very low in Mg without the grass growing particularly rapidly.

Paying attention to Mg & K levels in the soil, changes in diet, availability of Mg and method of delivery will save more animals from staggers than worrying about how to treat them once they are down.

 

[bruce9001]

How quickly will staggers kill a ewe??

Fed gimmers eith twins earlier around 8am and all were ok amd came to eat!
They are on a new reseed but it is pretty bare, haylage avaliable but its not the best and there fairly uninterested.
Lick buckets are out also.

Handyman was driving past tge field at 11:30 n saw one lying on the ground so he went over and sadly he tried to lift her up and get her on her feet before calling myself!

He said she was shaking and her teeth were chittering rapidly he said but by the time i got there within a few minutes she was already dead!

All ewes are on the Heptavac P system aswell

 

[yellowbelly]

How quickly will staggers kill a ewe??

Three and a half hours would be plenty of time IMO - I've seen 'em walk into a lush pasture and start dropping like flies

The amazing thing is, if you get some magnesium into them straight away, they'll get up and walk away just as quick.

 

[Green farmer]

might not be appropriate -but we had regular trouble at one stage. Next liming we did we used Mag-lime.

might not be appropriate -but we had regular trouble at one stage. Next liming we did we used Mag-lime.

See this old thread. In the years following Liming, did you notice any reduction in grass tetany ?