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Ewes not eating

2K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  LibertyWool  
#1 ·
The ewe I suspected to be toxic (triplets) and the first time mom (twins), both fed and drank well after birth Friday, but now barely touch any food and drink little water.

I have lost one triplet, which may have starved. We chaught it barely alive today but could not save it. The ewes seem attentive, but are not interested in eating. Not sure if the lambs are getting enough milk.

I have been feeding them hay, corn/sweet feed mix.

Suggestions?
 
#2 ·
Probably acidosis. After dropping trip and twins a lot of room opens up in the gut and some just seem to go through a bout of acidosis. Its a bit like a rapod feed change. A 500 ml pop bottle with warm water and as much baking soda as you can reasonably get in twice a day should help. A vit B Complex injection is in order too as its a stomach problem. Do check for other causes like mastitis Esp in your triplet mum) or spoiled feed.
 
#3 ·
My ewe that had triplets spent two days after delivering not eating much. Then, yesterday, it was like she couldn't get enough. I decided she was just bit over exerted from delivering and caring for 3 little ones. Once she got through all that, she was good to go. That's a good warning about their having more space in the gut after lambing.....I'll have to watch that.

I love to see new lambs at 4 days old eating grass and hay!!!
 
#4 ·
Thats why they need better feed in the last couple of months of gestation because they havn't much room to digest what they take in.
I'll even cut the amount of grain a mum gets right after lambing and build it back up.
 
#5 ·
I do the same thing Ross. I cut the grain way back when they are in the jug. I have some that will try to climb out of the jug when I'm feeding the other ewes grain, so I just give them a little, maybe a couple good handfulls (1/4 lb) the first day, and then work up from there. The exception this year has been the ewes that didn't have milk at delivery. I did give them full grain, but split into multiple feedings. And lots and lots of water.

You should be able to tell if the lambs are getting enough milk. Do the stretch when they get up or are they just hunched up. Generally they will cry if they are hungry, but not always. I had one that would not shut up no matter what, he was just fine, so we called him cranky. Do they look sunken in on the sides, or are the starting to fill out and look sleeker?

Triplets can be hard. My first set, I almost lost one too. I saw the tail wagging and thought it was getting milk, but it wasn't. Saved it, only to loose it to a fence accident months later after several vet calls. I also lost the ewe that year to milk fever. It was very sad, she nursed the lambs right up until she died. I recognised the signs tool late to saver her. I thought she had ketosis, but it was actually milk fever. It was a hard lesson to learn, and she paid the price for it...