ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I thought maybe someone here might be able to help me with some advice At the min i am staying at my parents farm, we bought our first flock of sheep in feb (we are all new to the farm scene) anyway one of the ewes was in labour on friday so i kept an eye on it but it just couldnt get this lamb out so i herded it into the holding yard and managed to pull this lamb out (its nose and toes had been out for over an hour by this stage and its bag broken for even longer so i thought it would surely be dead) once i got the lamb out i held him upside down and roused him and to my relief he started to wriggle and breath!!!! but im assuming because of the truma of the birth the ewe wanted nothing to do with him so after hours of trying to get her to bond with him i took him away after a nasty head butt from her, i milked her for the colustrum (sp?) and all up he had about 200mls of this over the rest of the day. we bought Palastart milk replacer for lambs and kids, his first few poo's were fine the normal black/dark tarry ones but since sat morning he has had the runs at first bright yellowy and watery, then a lil firmer and more of a green brown colour, but today he still has it and it is worrying me as i thought his stomach would of settled down and gotten used to the formula. I have raved on more than i planned sorry if you have read this far i was wondering whether any of you knew a home remedy that maybe you use on your new born pups that might work same for a new born lamb? i know dogs and sheep are very different but i thought seeings how they both can only sirvive on milk at the start that maybe someone might be able to help? I really dont want lil timmy to get sick or die he lives inside wears nappies and sleeps in the lounge in my spare dog crate at night. I will of course take him to the vets if he seems unwell which he doesnt at the min. Thanks in advance for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkrai Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 take him to the vet or call the vet? I raised lambs on Di-vetalact, never had a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 I have had a few pm's and now i am confident that he is ok, but will be getting a few extra things for his diet just to make sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakeydoak1 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 (edited) Ash - it is very normal for a lamb to have the runs for quite some time. Be wary lambs can go down hill very quickly, they can be fine one minute and not the next. One thing to learn (and I know it is hard) you cant save them all. I wanted to bring all our orphan lambs home but soon learnt that I couldnt. Good luck ETA - make sure you have some parafin oil on hand as their biggest problem with being hand raised is getting a blockage in their gut. Edited July 20, 2010 by oakeydoak1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cockerlover Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 not really clued up on lambs ,but if my pups get the runs i add a little yogurt with aphidoficus in it, to firm them up ,worth a try but id consolt with a vet if I were u . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 Ash - it is very normal for a lamb to have the runs for quite some time. Be wary lambs can go down hill very quickly, they can be fine one minute and not the next. One thing to learn (and I know it is hard) you cant save them all. I wanted to bring all our orphan lambs home but soon learnt that I couldnt. Good luck ETA - make sure you have some parafin oil on hand as their biggest problem with being hand raised is getting a blockage in their gut. Ok Thanks for that tip i know i am like that i am the hard one out of the family not because i dont love the animals but because i know not to get my hopes up as bad things do happen esp with babies. He is a big boy at 4.7 kilo's and still happy, running, playing and being a pain while i am trying to sort out dogs, kids and tafe work haha, well my mum says "well you said you wanted another kid you got one" i say "mum its a lamb not a kid they are baby goats" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 not really clued up on lambs ,but if my pups get the runs i add a little yogurt with aphidoficus in it, to firm them up ,worth a try but id consolt with a vet if I were u . I thought of the yogurt as i buy it to put in the dogs/puppies food but wasnt sure whether it would be safe, i am taking FEZ in to get his vacc soon so i might ask our vet then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkehre Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Hi, just checking, I am assuming the have the correct teat for your lamb. I have yet to see one survive with the incorrect teat. Good luck with the little un. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Baggins Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Along time ago I used to raise lambs on straight cow's milk. They all had the runs. :rolleyes: :D Now I am a lactation consultant and Maternal and Child health nurse, I know that it was species incorrect. They survied if they where going to survive. Always spent the first few days on the kitchen hearth by the wood stove. By the end of winter we probably would have raised 1 dozen or so. The runs always sorted itsself out. So not much help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilderblu Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I've got 4 orphaned lambs this year for various reasons. I find about 50% of them get the runs but correct themselves within 24hours. If I think it is excessive I put them on hydration fluid (2 part powder made for calves/pigs). This really seems to sort their guts out and you can reintroduce the formula to them. I've raised mine on ProviLac Shepard for lambs and they are all doing great! With raising all animals you must follow making the formula up correctly and not exceed the volume ment for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 Hi, just checking, I am assuming the have the correct teat for your lamb. I have yet to see one survive with the incorrect teat.Good luck with the little un. Yes got the right teat from a feed store Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 Along time ago I used to raise lambs on straight cow's milk. They all had the runs. Now I am a lactation consultant and Maternal and Child health nurse, I know that it was species incorrect. They survied if they where going to survive. Always spent the first few days on the kitchen hearth by the wood stove. By the end of winter we probably would have raised 1 dozen or so. The runs always sorted itsself out. So not much help. when i bought my baby goat last yr the gentle man who i bought her from said just buy normal or powdered cows milk thats all they need..... so i did.... she is fine but i now know better so will not do it again ;) it is getting thicker so getting better??? (the poo i mean) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 I've got 4 orphaned lambs this year for various reasons. I find about 50% of them get the runs but correct themselves within 24hours. If I think it is excessive I put them on hydration fluid (2 part powder made for calves/pigs). This really seems to sort their guts out and you can reintroduce the formula to them. I've raised mine on ProviLac Shepard for lambs and they are all doing great! With raising all animals you must follow making the formula up correctly and not exceed the volume ment for them. My sister is making the formula for me so i will make sure she is doing it exactly right!!! and i will ask the vet i think and see what they say to give him, the poo is thickening up and he seems happy enough i just want to be on the safe side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allerzeit Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Hi, just checking, I am assuming the have the correct teat for your lamb. I have yet to see one survive with the incorrect teat.Good luck with the little un. OOoer - you'd better not tell that to all of the poddy lambs I've raised on a human baby bottle and teat We have yet to have a poddy lamb that will take to a commercial lamb teat! Sounds like he's on the improve, which is good Do watch for constipation as well, as already suggested, and make sure you have parafin oil on hand - we lost our first set of poddy twins to constipation After that event, as suggested by our vet, we always started our poddy lambs on half strength formula and gradually increased the mix to full strength over a number of days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ash&elar Posted July 23, 2010 Author Share Posted July 23, 2010 Hi, just checking, I am assuming the have the correct teat for your lamb. I have yet to see one survive with the incorrect teat.Good luck with the little un. OOoer - you'd better not tell that to all of the poddy lambs I've raised on a human baby bottle and teat We have yet to have a poddy lamb that will take to a commercial lamb teat! Sounds like he's on the improve, which is good Do watch for constipation as well, as already suggested, and make sure you have parafin oil on hand - we lost our first set of poddy twins to constipation After that event, as suggested by our vet, we always started our poddy lambs on half strength formula and gradually increased the mix to full strength over a number of days thanks think i will do this next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 (edited) hope your lamb is now healthy and happy ---- gosh I so love the smell of milky lamb breath, :D We have raised many, many lambs- all on straight cow's milk - either powdered way back when- or UHT in recent years . No problems . They usually have charcoal added for the first little while - charcoal tablets ,crushed , until milk is pretty black. Years ago - a hot coal was always drpped into the bottle ...not sure what it did, but all the lambs survived! We use a normal human bottle/teat at first , then graduate to a black lamb teat. The black teats are often too hard for tiny lambs - so the human baby one works well having browse available all the time is important - nice fresh grass hay or lucerne hay is ideal- hang it up about head ( the lamb's) height ..and just let them pick. Don't forget to have a sturdy water container available as well. being cold may also lead to various ailments - has he a little coat? Edited July 28, 2010 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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