Loosing sheep

[valtraman]

I’m having a problem with loosing sheep after lambing . I’m mainly putting down to poor condition. I did have small problem with twin lamb disease beginning lambing which soon cleared up in majority . Lost two or three before they lambed though. When ewes were scanned ( all gimmers I may add) they were very fit condition but then they have had so much rain and storms on them they had lost lot of condition before we started feeding them 3-4 week pre lambing. Most that have died couple weeks after lambing are found still alive but unable to get up and just lying kicking. Have tried calcium into them etc but makes no difference they end up dead. It looks like listeria to me in most cases but not sure . They are very poor condition the ones that died although I have been feeding them well post lambing . I’ve lost 15 out of 230 which I think is a lot considering they are just gimmers. Could it just be lack of condition and they can’t go on or am I missing something . I’m ruling fluke out as were done after scanning

 

[Guleesh]

Magnesium?

 

[unlacedgecko]

I’m having a problem with loosing sheep after lambing . I’m mainly putting down to poor condition. I did have small problem with twin lamb disease beginning lambing which soon cleared up in majority . Lost two or three before they lambed though. When ewes were scanned ( all gimmers I may add) they were very fit condition but then they have had so much rain and storms on them they had lost lot of condition before we started feeding them 3-4 week pre lambing. Most that have died couple weeks after lambing are found still alive but unable to get up and just lying kicking. Have tried calcium into them etc but makes no difference they end up dead. It looks like listeria to me in most cases but not sure . They are very poor condition the ones that died although I have been feeding them well post lambing . I’ve lost 15 out of 230 which I think is a lot considering they are just gimmers. Could it just be lack of condition and they can’t go on or am I missing something . I’m ruling fluke out as were done after scanning

What makes you think listeria? Are they being fed silage? Or have they grazed to the soil?

 

[Guleesh]

have they had heptavac / covexin? if they have it could rule a few things out at least

 

[Stewartry hill]

Don't rule out fluke lots of resistant fluke about

 

[Purli R]

Was going to say fluke,have you or local vit opened one up? To check for fluke/pneumonia?

 

[Pistonbroke]

We had similar a few years ago,before any mention of fluke being resistant to anything. They'd been dosed twice with fasinex and looked like sh!t. Gave them a jab of Closamectin and within two days they were different sheep.

 

[Macsky]

Pull down their eyelids and check the colour of the flesh, if it’s white, it could be anaemia caused by chronic fluke.

 

[Guleesh]

It's pretty easy to just open one up, you'll soon see if its liver is destroyed by fluke.

A dead one I mean . don't open a live one.

 

[valtraman]

There not on any vaccinations I’m afraid . I’ve seen listeria in sheep before so was thinking the same but realistically I don’t think it is . They have been on wrapped hay in the shed . No mould . Outside I’m just feeding rolls on ground some fields have more grass than others for sure. It’s just there condition which is so worrying . Basically a bag of bones some of them . I have one tonight just thrashing about I think I will have to get vet out to open up and inspect although I know I’m in for a bashing for not having any vaccinations done. My bad! I just feel a combination of such bad weather dragging them down with big lambs growing inside them and now there not coping with it trying to raise lambs . Personally don’t think fluke is my issue as before they came in for lambing it was a long walk and not one would hang back or lay down as I’ve seen with fluke before

 

[Guleesh]

I agree about the fluke. is it frothing at the mouth?

 

[valtraman]

I agree about the fluke. is it frothing at the mouth?

This one today isn’t really done if others possibly were . Just lying with no sense of balance . Prop them up and they just flick over again thrashing about. I think if it was a clostridial thing they would just be dead fit or thin

 

[Guleesh]

This one today isn’t really done if others possibly were . Just lying with no sense of balance . Prop them up and they just flick over again thrashing about. I think if it was a clostridial thing they would just be dead fit or thin

I think maybe magnesium, it fits with them being poor, are they on fresh grass?

 

[valtraman]

I think maybe magnesium, it fits with them being poor, are they on fresh grass?

Two or three lots are on fresher grass others on older leys.how do I get magnesium into them?

 

[Agrivator]

Do you always wear gloves when lambing them? One of the main benefits of Clostridial Vaccines is that they also help protect the ewes in addition to the lambs.

CCN?

 

[Guleesh]

Two or three lots are on fresher grass others on older leys.how do I get magnesium into them?

If the grass coming through is really rapid growth - fertilized- the grass itself doesn't take up magnesium well as i understand. If the sheep on the older leys aren't dying then i think magnesium is even more likely. I guess there's lick buckets for the job.. but really if was losing gimmers at that rate id get the vet out. i wouldn't worry about not vaccinating i don't think its got anything to do with it.
If condition is still really poor i'd be giving some propylene glycol poured on concentrates in a trough for a spell. its so hard to get condition back on so close to lambing , they put it all into the lamb.

 

[valtraman]

Do you always wear gloves when lambing them? One of the main benefits of Clostridial Vaccines is that they also help protect the ewes in addition to the lambs.

CCN?

I had been trying too but some wouldn’t have had any protection

 

[valtraman]

If the grass coming through is really rapid growth - fertilized- the grass itself doesn't take up magnesium well as i understand. If the sheep on the older leys aren't dying then i think magnesium is even more likely. I guess there's lick buckets for the job.. but really if was losing gimmers at that rate id get the vet out. i wouldn't worry about not vaccinating i don't think its got anything to do with it.
If condition is still really poor i'd be giving some propylene glycol poured on concentrates in a trough for a spell. its so hard to get condition back on so close to lambing , they put it all into the lamb.

Definitely not rapid growth I’m quite an upland place , no fert on yet etc. Had been out of sheep a few years this was my first year trying lambing again it sure is testing me. My figures are not 100% accurate if I’m honest did loose couple to lam beds and one died very early on before lambing .outsude two have died in fresher grass and one on old grass. Rest died whilst inside . Pretty sure at least one was defo listeria as it ear was hanging down and frothing at mouth

 

[Guleesh]

Definitely not rapid growth I’m quite an upland place , no fert on yet etc. Had been out of sheep a few years this was my first year trying lambing again it sure is testing me. My figures are not 100% accurate if I’m honest did loose couple to lam beds and one died very early on before lambing .outsude two have died in fresher grass and one on old grass. Rest died whilst inside . Pretty sure at least one was defo listeria as it ear was hanging down and frothing at mouth

at least the ones that die this year wont be there to die next year. pretty brave taking on 230 gimmers like that, I expect this lambing will be a low point but it can only get better as they settle in more. whilst 15 is a lot to lose its not a complete disaster out of 230, I think its definitely worth getting a vet out to post mortem.

 

[Agrivator]

I had been trying too but some wouldn’t have had any protection

Do you have any with dirty wet arses, suffering from metritis?