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SHEEP-fed-barely-sprouting-fodders, page : 147
Entropion:
It is not uncommon that when a lamb of a wooly faced breed is born, its lower or sometimes upper eyelid, or even both may be rolled inward and this is called entropion and is a hereditary defect, it can also occur in other breeds.
Should this occur then the eyelashes chafe the eyeball and cause it to constantly water, and this invites infection and can even cause blindness. Do not keep this lamb for breeding.
If your flock is that of a wooly-faced breed then be diligent in inspecting each lamb at birth, because the good news is that the condition can be corrected, this also applies to other breeds. To correct the problem inject 1 ml of penicillin using a 22 gauge needle, just under the skin beneath the lower eye. The penicillin forms a small bulb of fluid that forces the eyelid down into its correct position, and by the time the body has absorbed the fluid, a small piece of scar tissue has formed that keeps the eyelid in position.
Enterotoxemia:
This disease can turn to be fatal quickly, but the good news is there is a vaccination.
To prevent this disease vaccinate your ewes with a multipurpose vaccine during pregnancy, one that lists clostridium. The vaccine should be given to ewes 6 to 8 weeks before they are due to lamb and given a booster dose 2 weeks before lambing. In the following years the ewe will only need a booster shot. By vaccinating your ewe you are also protecting her lamb because colostral antibodies are passed on to it thereby providing immediate and complete protection against all clostridal diseases, and this includes enterotoxemia and tetanus.
The disease is caused by a multiplying of bacteria called Clostridium perfringens, and if you’re your ewes have not been vaccinated it might well strike your biggest and best lambs. This disease is often referred to as the "overeating disease". When lambs are given too much grain and too little roughage – that is hay – or those who have had an abrupt change in their feed ration are most likely to be affected. If a ewe has an abundance of milk then her lamb may get too much and the problem can arise. Earlier on in the book we mentioned the value of a "creep feeder", and we stress its value again, early creep-feeding of both hay and grain helps cut down on the incidence, and mother is prevented access to this food.
Lambs may develop this disease if grain is composed of more than 60% of their ration, or if they are brought up to full feed of one and a half to 2 pounds (0.7 to 0.9 kg) of grain a day too rapidly.
Older lambs with a heavy load of tapeworms are especially vulnerable. Wet bedding, chills and stress contribute to fluctuating feed intake and this promotes an outbreak.
When a new born lamb suckles for
It is not uncommon that when a lamb of a wooly faced breed is born, its lower or sometimes upper eyelid, or even both may be rolled inward and this is called entropion and is a hereditary defect, it can also occur in other breeds.
Should this occur then the eyelashes chafe the eyeball and cause it to constantly water, and this invites infection and can even cause blindness. Do not keep this lamb for breeding.
If your flock is that of a wooly-faced breed then be diligent in inspecting each lamb at birth, because the good news is that the condition can be corrected, this also applies to other breeds. To correct the problem inject 1 ml of penicillin using a 22 gauge needle, just under the skin beneath the lower eye. The penicillin forms a small bulb of fluid that forces the eyelid down into its correct position, and by the time the body has absorbed the fluid, a small piece of scar tissue has formed that keeps the eyelid in position.
Enterotoxemia:
This disease can turn to be fatal quickly, but the good news is there is a vaccination.
To prevent this disease vaccinate your ewes with a multipurpose vaccine during pregnancy, one that lists clostridium. The vaccine should be given to ewes 6 to 8 weeks before they are due to lamb and given a booster dose 2 weeks before lambing. In the following years the ewe will only need a booster shot. By vaccinating your ewe you are also protecting her lamb because colostral antibodies are passed on to it thereby providing immediate and complete protection against all clostridal diseases, and this includes enterotoxemia and tetanus.
The disease is caused by a multiplying of bacteria called Clostridium perfringens, and if you’re your ewes have not been vaccinated it might well strike your biggest and best lambs. This disease is often referred to as the "overeating disease". When lambs are given too much grain and too little roughage – that is hay – or those who have had an abrupt change in their feed ration are most likely to be affected. If a ewe has an abundance of milk then her lamb may get too much and the problem can arise. Earlier on in the book we mentioned the value of a "creep feeder", and we stress its value again, early creep-feeding of both hay and grain helps cut down on the incidence, and mother is prevented access to this food.
Lambs may develop this disease if grain is composed of more than 60% of their ration, or if they are brought up to full feed of one and a half to 2 pounds (0.7 to 0.9 kg) of grain a day too rapidly.
Older lambs with a heavy load of tapeworms are especially vulnerable. Wet bedding, chills and stress contribute to fluctuating feed intake and this promotes an outbreak.
When a new born lamb suckles for