Loosing texel ewe lambs

valtraman

Member
I’ve just lost 4 texel ewe lambs that were destined for keeping for breeding. All sudden death over weekend . Been in same field for over a month . Actually a field that has a lot of grass probably should have cut it again . There is a mix of scotch mules and texels , all home bred. No jabs , never jabbed for years no issues. Just strange these 4 are all texels not the mules . Pulp kidney????
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
It wouldn't surprise, sadly. Sounds like what we had last year. It doesn't respect any particular breed. If you see one that's teetering, then it might respond to antibiotic, although it will depend on any kidney damage whether it's eventually kept for breeding,
Best to have a full PM on a fresh one to be certain. It can take 1 in 8 if you're unlucky.

We're jabbing earlier in the year, now. Touch wood, none this year so far.
 

S J H

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Poison? We had one field, never had a problem before, 2 dead one day, 2 the next and 2 were on the way out, moved them that night and it stopped. I still can’t work out what it was.
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
It wouldn't surprise, sadly. Sounds like what we had last year. It doesn't respect any particular breed. If you see one that's teetering, then it might respond to antibiotic, although it will depend on any kidney damage whether it's eventually kept for breeding,
Best to have a full PM on a fresh one to be certain. It can take 1 in 8 if you're unlucky.

We're jabbing earlier in the year, now. Touch wood, none this year so far.
You don't need a full PM to ID pulpy kidney. Just unzip them on farm and you'll soon see.

Screenshot_20210830-223525.png


Screenshot_20210830-223459.png

Healthy kidney

Screenshot_20210830-223541.png


Pulpy kidney
 
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trev1

Member
Livestock Farmer
If that happened here it would likely be Pasturella. The year we tried using Bravoxin instead of heptavac/ovivac P it happened over a weekend.
 

hendrebc

Member
Livestock Farmer

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
Easy to tell if it's pasteurella as well. The lungs will be dark colour and when you cut a piece of the lung off and drop it in water it will sink healthy lungs will float because they are full of air. Might see fluid in the lungs when is cut and you squeeze them too.
Yeah I'm pretty handy with a knife these days.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I’ve just lost 4 texel ewe lambs that were destined for keeping for breeding. All sudden death over weekend . Been in same field for over a month . Actually a field that has a lot of grass probably should have cut it again . There is a mix of scotch mules and texels , all home bred. No jabs , never jabbed for years no issues. Just strange these 4 are all texels not the mules . Pulp kidney????

As above, could be PK, pasteurella (most likely I suspect), or anything else.

Unfortunately this commonly happens in unvaccinated flocks. Everything trundles along nicely…. until if doesn’t, wiping out all the savings you’ve made in vaccines over the years. Much like any other insurance policy really.:(
 

sheepdogtrail

Member
Livestock Farmer
With losing 4 in a weekend I would suspect the following in this order.

1. Some toxin.
2. Sheep Worrying. Harassment will take them out if it goes unchecked.
3. Parasites. HC in particular.

HC will go into overdrive at the first sign of ill thrift in the host.

Sudden loses by Pasterurella is usually caused by a sudden change in the weather where you have 20+ F degree changes rapidly in less than 24 hours. A sudden switch from a strong high pressure to a strong low pressure in the atmosphere will do it as well.

Sorry about the loss.
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Pasteurella or pulpy kidney, more than likely. As above a PM would tell you. My lambs get a full primary course of heptavac/ovivac-p plus but if they don't get a booster by the end of September, I start losing them to pasteurella.
That very interesting, I do all my lambs at 4 weeks and then 8 weeks (average age for groups) with hep p+, do you think I would be ok to go in with ovivac p in the autumn for the ewe lambs that I'm keeping (got 350 saved lambs), as I have lost 2 lambs this week (one big finished lamb and 1 nice tupping ewe lamb).
 
That very interesting, I do all my lambs at 4 weeks and then 8 weeks (average age for groups) with hep p+, do you think I would be ok to go in with ovivac p in the autumn for the ewe lambs that I'm keeping (got 350 saved lambs), as I have lost 2 lambs this week (one big finished lamb and 1 nice tupping ewe lamb).
Yes. The Pasteurella component apparently only provides good cover for three months. The peak period for it is October, November and December. So a booster in September can save losses, or certainly does here. I even lost two very fit gimmers last autumn to it. They would have had a booster last in March.
 

Estate fencing.

Member
Livestock Farmer
Yes. The Pasteurella component apparently only provides good cover for three months. The peak period for it is October, November and December. So a booster in September can save losses, or certainly does here. I even lost two very fit gimmers last autumn to it. They would have had a booster last in March.
I will get them done tonight then.:)
 

Northern territory

Member
Livestock Farmer
As above, could be PK, pasteurella (most likely I suspect), or anything else.

Unfortunately this commonly happens in unvaccinated flocks. Everything trundles along nicely…. until if doesn’t, wiping out all the savings you’ve made in vaccines over the years. Much like any other insurance policy really.:(
Happens in vaccinated ones as well. Lost two lambs last week after not losing one all summer. We boost ours again in October.
 

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