I’ve started lambing some been great others not so much (usual lambing ) but I’ve had a few of what I would say premature early type lambs that are alive . Some require heat lamp others not but there so fine. After a few days some have died just seems there guts can’t take it . Also getting some well 2 just now that have there heads down & just wander round. On the other hand I’ve had some super strong lambs & most are good but I’m just wondering what if anything is causing these little weak ones. Ewes are jagged for nothing ever in their life & been like that for years. Hopefully just the problems at the start
Weak lambs
- Thread starter valtraman
- Start date
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
low level toxo??
Not sure I’ve had odd weak lambs in past but not as much as this . Would you test lambs or the ewe?low level toxo??
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
i don't know......4 yrs ago i had a mummy cat turn up so toxovaxed the ewes and noticed a real difference in the lambs.....i think toxo had been bubbling along at a low level......apparently toxo is undiagnosed on a lot of farms
They generally been quite fine haired/wool
Doesn’t sound like BD
- Location
- Carmarthenshire, West Wales
are you thinking of hairy shakers?
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
have You got to due date yet?
Yeah I’ve been lambing since mid feb slowly now into second cycle & it’s these these ones some been coming few days early but hard to say just how early the lambs are
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
Had two or else three years of bad lambs maybe 50 per year. They were either extremely small or big but skin and bone. Weak or odd decent lamb that couldn’t stand. Changed this and that but pinpointed it to a beltex tup, kept his son and used him on some shearlings and they were all same so they both have become kebabs.
primmiemoo
Member
- Location
- Devon
Worth a chat with the vet. They'll advise on what samples are needed. Weak lambs could point to toxo, though. Are you losing one of a double? Is afterbirth a wrong colour or consistency?
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Iodine deficiency can show as exactly those symptoms IME. Blood testing half a dozen ewes will tell you if that’s your problem.
Blood testing half a dozen ewes will tell you if that’s your problem.
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
Iodine deficiency can show as exactly those symptoms IME.
beat me to it...if it were toxo the ewes will have antibodies
- Location
- Highland
+1 for toxo., especially if you have a good lamb and a weak/dead/mummy twin. The bug can damage one placenta and not the other
But as mentioned elsewhere we are Sel and E deficient in Highland. The lambs get jagged at birth but we've also started jagging the ewes with 1ml at scanning to try to preempt any damage in the fetus.
So it could be a combination of things, do you bolus your ewes?
But as mentioned elsewhere we are Sel and E deficient in Highland. The lambs get jagged at birth but we've also started jagging the ewes with 1ml at scanning to try to preempt any damage in the fetus.
So it could be a combination of things, do you bolus your ewes?