Problems with lambs on ad-lib machine

focussed

Member
Hi all

This year for the first time we have used a Volac machine supplying the lambs with totally ad-lib milk.

This year I have had a few die on me. Big, healthy lambs they appear to get very bloated and get very listless and then die.

They are clean behind and have been ovivac’d, once they are weaned they thin down a bit and seem more energetic.

Any advice?

I am following Volac recommendation on weaning at 5 weeks old and approx 20kg.
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
lambs need to be on cold milk asap before they eat any creep , personally i give ad lib milk with just rolled barley / maize / SBP its the protein in the creep that gives issues , wean abruptly at 5 weeks , then best creep you can find .
Google redgut , or intestinal torsion in lambs, ,
 

focussed

Member
They are on cold milk before they eat creep. We have never had the issue with the rest of the flock which also have creep. Just the indoor triplet lambs on ad-lib milk.

May be a combination of the milk and the creep?

Wean earlier?
 

focussed

Member
Have you vaccinated for clostridials? I take it they have free access to water, pellets and some hay or straw?

Yes.

We were advised not to give a rack of hay as they fill up on forage instead of creep. They are littered with straw.

Could a lack of forage be a cause?
 

primmiemoo

Member
Location
Devon
I wouldn't let them be without something good to nibble, whether good barley straw, or best hay/haylage to supplement their creep. Same with calves, to prime their rumens.

Little bells ring about the triplet element. Have they had enough colostrum before going onto the feeder, or have they had a clostridial jab?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Yes.

We were advised not to give a rack of hay as they fill up on forage instead of creep. They are littered with straw.

Could a lack of forage be a cause?

I haven’t given mine hay until after weaning for several years, as it will reduce creep intake. I always make a point of littering with fresh straw every day, even if it’s only a couple of handfuls, so they have fibre to nibble.

Your problem sounds like textbook redgut to me.:( I have tried all sorts of creep, etc, and settled on a few bags of good ‘ram coarse’ to provide a very palatable ration to get them going early, then change to a normal (cheaper) lamb pellet after weaning.
Age of weaning seems to be the only critical thing for avoiding redgut in lambs that are doing well IME. 5 weeks and wean abruptly.
 

focussed

Member
@neilo so do you use a coarse mix rather than creep until you wean? Then switch to creep.

Did you find switching away from creep during the milk phase helped reduce red gut?

I have found 17-20kg in 5 weeks is fairly common. I am not going to worry so much about their weights and just wean at 5 weeks.

This was my first year with the machine = lessons learnt!!
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I give coarse ration if I can find some (otherwise ordinary lamb creep) for the extra palatibilty to encourage early intakes.
I haven’t found any difference to redgut at all from using different creep feeds. It always seems to strike from 5 weeks of age and seemingly at random.:(
 

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