Lambs not doing

[Six Dogs]

Hi guys
We have had our store lambs on stubble Turnips for 8 weeks,average crop
Well on weighing them today for the first time since they went onto it,unfortunately they have lost an average of 3kg!
They were wormed,fluked and bolus as they went onto the crop and a follow up FEC showed clear of worms
We are seasoned root feeders but I have never come across this before,it is on chalky ground and yes we have had a rough few days but nothing major
Thanks in advance

 

[Woolless]

I would FEC again as a precaution. Had some lambs on rape last year carrying a big burden which caught me out. If any die, I would get a very thorough PM done. Weird!

 

[norfolk n sheep]

Are you offering an iodine supplement or was this covered in the bolus?

 

[GTB]

The weather has been atrocious here. Not good for any animal outside.

 

[Six Dogs]

Are you offering an iodine supplement or was this covered in the bolus?

The bolus did have Iodine,however I’m always apprehensive about Iodine

 

[norfolk n sheep]

we have had over 2000 lambs on turnips this year all on free access iodine and salt. I would say iodine is a must for turnips.

 

[Six Dogs]

As in loose free access Iodine minerals

 

[Six Dogs]

They were Agrimin Smarttrace bolus so have Iodine but would try anything right now

 

[DanM]

How many lambs are we talking? If a reasonable number then might be sensible getting some bloods sampled before spending out on mineral drench etc

 

[Six Dogs]

650 lambs,we had bloods sone in the Autumn and were Cobalt deficiencies so we drenched then 3 weeks later bolused,but guess they might not have worked

 

[cheviot53]

Did the FEC look for fluke eggs, cocci ? , I tell all my buyers that I have Triclabendazole resistance and maybe a second blood test

 

[Six Dogs]

Did the FEC look for fluke eggs, cocci ? , I tell all my buyers that I have Triclabendazole resistance and maybe a second blood test

That’s a possibility regarding fluke,although I would have expected dead lambs by now

 

[cheviot53]

Fasinex will still kill some of the fluke but not all

 

[spin cycle]

what wormer did you use?

 

[JD-Kid]

do bloods and another FEC to cover the animal side
one thing is tho are they growing ok now and had even a bigger loss so are now gaining not getting on to the new crop that well

 

[bovine]

Involve your vet, do some testing and find out. Don't guess and throw minerals and drugs at them blindly.

 

[spin cycle]

haemonchus.....doesn't always show up on fec......plus lambs on brassicas....equals anemia?

 

[Six Dogs]

Vet is coming tomorrow,the fact that a FEC showed clear I assumed the wormer had worked,if we do another set of bloods having bolused the lambs I’ll be disappointed if it’s trace element issues

 

[bovine]

Vet is coming tomorrow,the fact that a FEC showed clear I assumed the wormer had worked,if we do another set of bloods having bolused the lambs I’ll be disappointed if it’s trace element issues

Have seen it in cases of severe deficiency at the time of bolusing. Not all boluses are equal.

 

[spin cycle]

Vet is coming tomorrow,the fact that a FEC showed clear I assumed the wormer had worked,if we do another set of bloods having bolused the lambs I’ll be disappointed if it’s trace element issues

i took a lamb to the vet in the autumn along with a poo sample from the field....vet got some poo off the lamb that gave a count of 3500.....the sample from the field showed zero