Sick ewes

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
I’m sorry if this comes across as moaning but I am abit down at moment with one thing and another and this is getting to me badly this evening. Since 1st March Iv lost 5 ewes to identical symptoms and now Iv found a 6th one this evening. Symptoms are, very very wet dribbly mouth. Either no power at all in legs like twin lamb and face twitching and looks blind. And Also turns around in circles. 3 were inside so thought it was listeriosis at start, then had 2 randomly outside with exact same symptoms and this one this evening is the same. I treat with calcium/magnesium, big dose antibiotic and painkiller anti inflammatory. To me symptoms are listeriosis, but surely they couldn’t be getting it from fields that aren’t grazed tight and good grass?
 

copse

Member
Mixed Farmer
I’m sorry if this comes across as moaning but I am abit down at moment with one thing and another and this is getting to me badly this evening. Since 1st March Iv lost 5 ewes to identical symptoms and now Iv found a 6th one this evening. Symptoms are, very very wet dribbly mouth. Either no power at all in legs like twin lamb and face twitching and looks blind. And Also turns around in circles. 3 were inside so thought it was listeriosis at start, then had 2 randomly outside with exact same symptoms and this one this evening is the same. I treat with calcium/magnesium, big dose antibiotic and painkiller anti inflammatory. To me symptoms are listeriosis, but surely they couldn’t be getting it from fields that aren’t grazed tight and good grass?
Are they grazing grass that has had hen muck on it?
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
Get some blood tubes and sample before you treat them.
Sounds like mag, but going by your posts in the past it sounds like your sheep need some serious looking at by a vet and a plan sorted out.
Vets done bloods last few years and alls been good apart from a outbreak off enzo
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
I gave multi vitamin to just incase

That won’t do much, unfortunately. If they go down with CCN, I give a shot of steroids (to reduce the brain swelling quickly, before more damage is done), as well as repeated, large doses of Vitamin B1 (not B12).
50ml of Vit B1 is about £50, so not a cheap treatment, and very much touch and go as to success rate unless caught very early.

My vet is adamant that listeriosis can show itself many months after exposure & infection.
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
That won’t do much, unfortunately. If they go down with CCN, I give a shot of steroids (to reduce the brain swelling quickly, before more damage is done), as well as repeated, large doses of Vitamin B1 (not B12).
50ml of Vit B1 is about £50, so not a cheap treatment, and very much touch and go as to success rate unless caught very early.

My vet is adamant that listeriosis can show itself many months after exposure & infection.
Yeah listeriosis can kill many months later. There’s something else which can too but i know someone that fed dirty spuds once at lambing and 20% died within a few days and they were still dropping months later
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
That won’t do much, unfortunately. If they go down with CCN, I give a shot of steroids (to reduce the brain swelling quickly, before more damage is done), as well as repeated, large doses of Vitamin B1 (not B12).
50ml of Vit B1 is about £50, so not a cheap treatment, and very much touch and go as to success rate unless caught very early.

My vet is adamant that listeriosis can show itself many months after exposure & infection.
Can’t get any until Monday now anyway unfortunately. I assume it’s multi vitamin I have as it’s a Dutch brand
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
Can’t get any until Monday now anyway unfortunately. I assume it’s multi vitamin I have as it’s a Dutch brand
For the amount of ewes you have I would give the whole lot whatever their short of be it B1/multi vits etc. put a mineral block out and see how fast they go through it? Are they still being trough fed? Might stop more dropping if you keep their energy levels up
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
For the amount of ewes you have I would give the whole lot whatever their short of be it B1/multi vits etc. put a mineral block out and see how fast they go through it? Are they still being trough fed? Might stop more dropping if you keep their energy levels up
Stopped feeding this batch a few weeks now. Theyv nothing but just grass since then. This batch lane getting abit creep feed to just. Have 90 ewes if this one stays alive near enough
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
Stopped feeding this batch a few weeks now. Theyv nothing but just grass since then. This batch lane getting abit creep feed to just. Have 90 ewes if this one stays alive near enough
Did you have many go down with Twin Lamb while inside? Twin lamb/hypocalcaemia can both flair up months later if the ewes hit another sticky patch if they were just on the tipping point but didn’t quite show symptoms at lambing.
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
Did you have many go down with Twin Lamb while inside? Twin lamb/hypocalcaemia can both flair up months later if the ewes hit another sticky patch if they were just on the tipping point but didn’t quite show symptoms at lambing.
None at all from what I remeber. Only time used twin lamb drench was on one of the sick ones
 

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

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