Sick ewes

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
Just a shot in the dark, @will6910 , but have you had a soil analysis as well as forage analysis? If there's any combination in surplus and deficiency that causes lock ups in mins and vits, they can be addressed both on the sward and in the sheep.
Got soil sampled for basic soil tests free from rivers agency 4 or 5 years ago. It just said was low on lime and had awful high p and k I think it was at that stage. Didn’t get mineral tests done on grass or soil Thatl affect sheep tho
 
I have spoke to the vet while she’s been here this past lambing but never seems to have any suggestions. There doesn’t be any sheep only experts around this part off the world to hire and if do find one that is good u can bever get hold off them when you want them. I could write a book about the issues that this fsrm is having for years and years and it’s worse and worse. But if I have no control over the money end off things it’s hard to do what’s needed. Grass and soil is one huge issue here. Growth been excellent around here for 2 weeks now. And my paddocks are taking at least 4 to 5 weeks to grow long enough to last 35 ewes longer than 4 days. I know it’s good to have them eat and move fast but when the next paddock and previous paddock hasn’t grown before they are next in there there’s not much I can go but slow them down a few days
Don't you have any neighbours with any knowledge that could pop round and give some ideas, as opposed to a bunch of folks who are hundreds of miles away offering blind advice
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
Don't you have any neighbours with any knowledge that could pop round and give some ideas, as opposed to a bunch of folks who are hundreds of miles away offering blind advice
No neighbours really with just sheep. Spoke few friends that have more sheep but nones come up with anything. Ewes lying on side kicking legs like it’s running now. Exact same as previous ones have done.
 

Al R

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
West Wales
No neighbours really with just sheep. Spoke few friends that have more sheep but nones come up with anything. Ewes lying on side kicking legs like it’s running now. Exact same as previous ones have done.
Listeria or Gid is on the floor kicking usually. What age ewe? It’s uncommon for a ewe over 24 months to get Gid but not impossible - send me a video of her
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
Listeria or Gid is on the floor kicking usually. What age ewe? It’s uncommon for a ewe over 24 months to get Gid but not impossible - send me a video of her
She’s a ewe lamb/hogget now I suppose. Previous one was same age and the rest were all older ewes
 

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Cal/mag doesn't cause kicking when lying down, they tremble and then die. It's listeria :( Just found this:

Typical signs of listeriosis are initially inappetence and depression, followed by circling to one side (Gill, 1937). With unilateral facial paralysis and excessive salivation on the side affected. Individuals will often run into gates or corners and lean up against fences, progressing to recumbency and death. When near death, the animal will lie down and may have convulsions.

Sounds exactly like everything you've described. I would suspect the silage, it can be contaminated even if it looks okay to the human eye.
 

Ceri

Member
It’ll be listeria from that silage. Give them a huge dose of pen strep (10ml) for 3 days and see how they get on but I’m afraid your going to have to take it on the chin & hope you don’t get to many more. Sorry mate it’s frustrating but we all get these disasters in farming.
 

will6910

Member
Location
N.i
It’ll be listeria from that silage. Give them a huge dose of pen strep (10ml) for 3 days and see how they get on but I’m afraid your going to have to take it on the chin & hope you don’t get to many more. Sorry mate it’s frustrating but we all get these disasters in farming.
But would it have affected the ones that’s been outside for past 6 weeks ?
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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