Mastitis in tex ewes

[copse]

Run most mule ewes here but have 100 tex x mule theaves with have smart lambs but are having more bad bags than I would like. Certainly more than in the mule flock . Are the tex ewes more susceptible to mastitis ? As it’s really putting me off having any more.

 

[hally]

In a word yes, that’s the texels main fault

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I’ve had mastitis in most breeds

 

[neilo]

Yes, Texels have a weakness for mastitis. So much so that the breed society is working on trying to address it. No idea if they are showing any sign of getting anywhere though.

 

[copse]

The premium I might get for the lambs over the mule lambs is no way going to be enough to make these tex ewes pay. It’s looking like 10% of them won’t see a second laming the way they are going.

 

[S J H]

The premium I might get for the lambs over the mule lambs is no way going to be enough to make these tex ewes pay. It’s looking like 10% of them won’t see a second laming the way they are going.

I haven't seen the trouble with texel mules, but a friend had more problems with them. Are you feeding them the same as the mules?

 

[copse]

I haven't seen the trouble with texel mules, but a friend had more problems with them. Are you feeding them the same as the mules?

Yes all fed the same. But would say they are producing a lot more milk than the mules.

 

[copse]

They do seem to have bags full of milk even with feeding two lambs. Could they be producing too much milk and causing the problems I’m having?

 

[Farmer 83563]

They do seem to have bags full of milk even with feeding two lambs. Could they be producing too much milk and causing the problems I’m having?

May be worth checking Selenium status via bloods, Se deficiency can predispose them to mastitis

 

[S J H]

They do seem to have bags full of milk even with feeding two lambs. Could they be producing too much milk and causing the problems I’m having?

If they carry more condition than the mules, will they not be putting it all into the milk because they haven't got to build the weight back up?

 

[copse]

They are a good condition score better than the mules and have been all winter. And their lambs are growing at hell of a pace so you could have a point there.

 

[MJT]

Have Aberdales here , (texel x ) which replaced mules and from own personal experience I haven’t had anywhere close to the trouble with mastitis in them compared with what the mules used to be like . Have heard that texels are good at getting mastitis though, certain lines though I guess .

 

[Ciderman8961]

The premium I might get for the lambs over the mule lambs is no way going to be enough to make these tex ewes pay. It’s looking like 10% of them won’t see a second laming the way they are going.

Weve had a hell of a bad year for mastitis in texel x mule ewes this year lot more than normal.

 

[Agrivator]

Texel X Mules are certainly poorer than Mules as far as footrot is concerned. Before we got on top of it with stand-in footbaths, I would guess our Texel crosses were up to ten times worse than the Mules all run together.
Could that be linked to any greater predisposition to mastitis?

 

[Deerehunter]

Weve had a hell of a bad year for mastitis in texel x mule ewes this year lot more than normal.

We had a mastitis problem last year in one field for a week. Put it down to a lapse in lambing pen hygiene during a busy week.
Never found Tex X ewes any better or worse than the mules. Gradually fazing the mules out, find they becoming the “Holstein “ of the sheep world.

 

[firther]

Yes, Texels have a weakness for mastitis. So much so that the breed society is working on trying to address it. No idea if they are showing any sign of getting anywhere though.

yes probably going to encourage an even bigger head on a serious note it will be good if they are trying to address the problem. Should also be encouraging easier births with select breeding etc

 

[gpcwm]

Definately texel more susceptable. Running a texel cross and a romney cross flock last year sorting culls out of ewes took 40 udder problems out of 440 tex x and only 4 out of 350 romneys same sort of age ewes.

 

[Boydvalley]

Yes. Last year nearly put me off the cross. Only one so far this year though. Lambs do look cracking out them this year.

Whats a good alternative though?