Lame ewes with no visable foot issues.

[Plopper]

Hi chaps, checking a set of ewes and lambs on Sunday and noticed 2 ewes lame on one back leg, the leg is held high up as if a thorn or something in it , still has full range of motion in it just wont put down . caught them up , no visible signs of any foot issues , gave shot of alamycin just as a precaution and moved to separate paddock , went back sunday and there was a ewe who was very wobbly on back end , can stand and keen to eat etc. just a bit uncoordinated and almost looks as if her feet are sore to walk on. all had kitchen sink thrown at them but doesn't seem to be much improvement they have lick blocks in field but they haven't really touched them and these three are slightly leaner than the rest in this mob. any ideas whats causing it?

 

[copse]

Sounds like mv to me.

 

[Plopper]

Sounds like mv to me.
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had crossed my mind but thought it weird they would all go lame in the space of few days .

 

[copse]

I would be inclined to get them blood tested . Good chance it’s not but sounds like it could be.

 

[neilo]

Sounds like mv to me.

Doesn’t Mv show itself as a wasting pneumonia generally?

@Plopper When you say they are leaner, how lean are they?

 

[Plopper]

Doesn’t Mv show itself as a wasting pneumonia generally?

@Plopper When you say they are leaner, how lean are they?

would say 2 of them are 2 / 2.5 BCS one of them is 1.5 all reared twins that are doing well , they are older ewes , I think probably 5 or 6 shear. breathing seems normal no coughing or spluttering.

 

[Plopper]

Vet coming later anyway, will see what he says but not overly optimistic he will have any idea what it is.

 

[copse]

Doesn’t Mv show itself as a wasting pneumonia generally?

@Plopper When you say they are leaner, how lean are they?

The sheep I have had with mv seem to get thinner and start to carry one hind leg with no sign of pneumonia.

 

[Plopper]

The sheep I have had with mv seem to get thinner and start to carry one hind leg with no sign of pneumonia.

How wide spread was it when you discovered you had it ? Is likely to be a large number infected now im seeing symptoms if it is MV .

 

[neilo]

The sheep I have had with mv seem to get thinner and start to carry one hind leg with no sign of pneumonia.

Fair enough. Thankfully, i’ve Never seen it. Someone I know who did (in c.2000 mules) said he had ewes dieing of a wasting pneumonia, as the textbooks/SAC describe. He got the vet (who was my vet too) in to investigate when they lost 50 at the start of lambing.
Further testing showed it had spread right through the flock, no doubt helped by winter housing.

 

[copse]

How wide spread was it when you discovered you had it ? Is likely to be a large number infected now im seeing symptoms if it is MV .

Took 10 to be tested and 7 came back positive. Which with a flock of 1000 is not good, haven’t had them all tested and am now running two separate flocks one dirty and one clean with the hope of gradually culling the dirty flock out over a number of years and expanding the clean flock. But it’s not going to be easy and is making a lot more work.

 

[Plopper]

Took 10 to be tested and 7 came back positive. Which with a flock of 1000 is not good, haven’t had them all tested and am now running two separate flocks one dirty and one clean with the hope of gradually culling the dirty flock out over a number of years and expanding the clean flock. But it’s not going to be easy and is making a lot more work.

What type of problems have you been getting other than thin ewes if you don’t mind me asking , is it mainly the older ewes that show symptoms or can you spot it earlier ? Are lambs born any different to normal ones ? Thanks

 

[Plopper]

Also can anyone tell me how long it takes for clinical signs of MV to appear after infection the last sheep I bought in was October last year and before that it was two years ago and this is the first time I’ve seen anything like this.

 

[copse]

What type of problems have you been getting other than thin ewes if you don’t mind me asking , is it mainly the older ewes that show symptoms or can you spot it earlier ? Are lambs born any different to normal ones ? Thanks

We had more singles at scanning and they had lambs which were triplet size and when sending the dogs round a mob of ewes some would fall behind the other with heds held high and either drop down or dive in to a hedge and refuse to move. Ewes seemed to wear out quickly and be culled younger. Just sort of creeps up on you before you realize what’s happening.

 

[Plopper]

We had more singles at scanning and they had lambs which were triplet size and when sending the dogs round a mob of ewes some would fall behind the other with heds held high and either drop down or dive in to a hedge and refuse to move. Ewes seemed to wear out quickly and be culled younger. Just sort of creeps up on you before you realize what’s happening.

Ok thanks really appreciate the reply’s , looking at my records one of these ewes was brought in last October , so wether this is the bast*rd that’s potentially brought it in who knows.

 

[Plopper]

We had more singles at scanning and they had lambs which were triplet size and when sending the dogs round a mob of ewes some would fall behind the other with heds held high and either drop down or dive in to a hedge and refuse to move. Ewes seemed to wear out quickly and be culled younger. Just sort of creeps up on you before you realize what’s happening.

Once they go lame is that it or does it come and go ?

 

[copse]

They only get worse and will eventually get down with it if you don’t shoot them first.

 

[Plopper]

They only get worse and will eventually get down with it if you don’t shoot them first.

Ok thanks