sick sheep

[Ebowhunter]

Hi, hoping someone can give me some insight or advice. Today is day three of my sheep having stool that doesn't look like the normal. It looks like what I would define as dirrehea. But it is more solid than liquid. It greenish yellow then sometimes brown. I have consulted the book I have about sheep and it says worm. But what I am wondering is that they have had a few changes in their diet lately. We got some hay that has mildew/mold in it. And I am wondering if that is a factor in this. They seem to be picking their appetite back up, as of yesterday they didn't want to eat. Then last night they nibbled a while in the pasture. I have pellets in there for them and they were in there all day yesterday with no one eating them. Now today one of them had eaten half the container of them so I filled it again.
They drank a ton of water the night before last and now seem to be back to normal on that. They had gotten quite a bit of corn over the weekend.

So I am wondering if these changes in diet could have caused this. I would think if it were worms that they wouldn't have lost and then picked up their appetites again. The appetite isn't back to usual but its on its way back.

Can someone help me? This is the first year I have had this many sheep (6) and have never encoutnered this problem before.

thanks for your help ! !

[Somerhill]

I think you are right that it is diet related. If I were you, I'd cut out the grain and just feed hay (without mold - hehe) and what pasture they graze. Once their droppings are back to normal, then re-introduce the grain slowly, making sure that no one eats more than their share and they clean it all up in 10-15 minutes. With our lambs, we limit feed, and they all eat until its gone. I'd worry that if it sits around, one sheep would tend to eat it all, and get sick again.
If you have some that don't seem to be improving, try drenching with baking soda in water to neutralize the effects of grain overload. Then later in the day, give Probiotic paste. Repeat the paste the following day. This will help balance the flora in the gut so their digestive system will get back in order.
Hope this helps
Lisa at Somerhill
www.somerhillfarm.com

[Ebowhunter]

lisa- thanks. I will go out now and take the grain away. And will search through the hay to find a clean bale. I am really unhappy that we bought 100 bales from this farmer and they all are on the yucky side. Well off to the barn! Thanks again! !