Sheep Flashcards
Small ruminant production
Becoming very common
Small land-base in comparison to cattle production
6 ewes :1 cow ration
One person can handle production
Lambing season is work intensive
Marking
Sell off farm
Finish market lambs
Feedlots
Sheep production cycle
October
-Flush ewes (1-1.5lbs/hd/day)
November
-Turn rams out with ewes
-Two cycles (one cycle averages 17 days)
December
-Pulling rams
February–March
-Vaccinate ewes, increase nutrition prior to lambing
April
-Lambing starts
May
-Vaccinate lambs
June
-Vaccine booster
July-September
-Marketing lambs
3 reasons for loss of suckle in lambs
Hypoglycemia
Hypothermia
Dehydration
Hypothermia in lambs is caused by
Prolonged delivery, immature (small) lamb, very cold weather
Onset within 5 hours of birth
Not usually hypoglycemic
Failure to ingest colostrum
Low heat production
Onset 12 hours + from birth
Hypoglycemic
Signs of hypothermia in lambs
Dull
Weak
Failure to suck
Separation from wew/flock
Recumbency
Death
Rectal temp <39
Treatment of mild hypothermia in lambs
Mild hypo (37-39)
Give colostrum by tube
Must be able to swallow
Make sure lamb and ewe are mothered up in a draft dree enviro
Treatment of severe hypothermia in lambs
Severe hypo (<37)
5 hours + old
Feed colostrum by tube if can swallow
Give abdominal dextrose if cannot swallow
Move to warming box
Give colostrum by tube when recovered
<5 hours old
Warm first to 37+ then tube with colostrum
Warming boxs for lambs is
Heater with fan
Warms air to 37-40
Warming box above
Check lambs temp >37
Immersion in 38C water
28 mins
How to tube feed a lamb
Sit with lamb on your lap
Use rubber urinary cath
Lub it
Insert into interdental space
Gently advance
Check placement as fo calves
Give colostrum at 50ml/kg
How to preform intraperitoneal injection of dextrose
20g x 1” sterile needle
60mL syringe
50% dextrose
Freshly boiled water
Antiseptic spray
Dose: 10mL/kg of a 2:3 solution of dextrose and H20
Warming box, check temperature
Site:
5 cm caudal and 3 cm lateral to navel
20 ga, 1 inch needle
Insert carefully at 90O
Aftercare of lambs that have had hypothermia
Individual box in a warm environment
Cardboard box is ideal
Dispose after single use
Ewe nearby
Prevention of hypothermia in lambs
Feed pregnant ewes well
Draft free lambing area
Check lambs and ewes frequently
Clostridial diarrhea in lambs is
Obligate anaerobes (oxygen is toxic to them)
Form spores
Very hard and long lived
Common in the envior, particularly in soil contaminated with feces
Some species produce toxins
These are some of the most potent known
Disease: kill rapidly and difficult to treat
Prevented by vaccination
Clostridium perfringens type C is and infects what lambs
Lamb dysentery or type C enterotoxemia
Usually lambs < 3 weeks (Similar disease in calves < 4 weeks)
Produces a toxin that kills the intestinal wall (turns dark red-black)
Signs of clostridial diarrhea in lambs
Sudden death
Diarrhea (often bloody)
Severely toxemic
Difficult to treat
Prevention of clostridial diarrhea in lambs
Easily preventable by vaccinating dam about 6 weeks prior to lambing
Antiserum can be given to lambs born to unvaccinated ewes during an outbreak
Coccidiosis in sheep
Seen in older lambs (2 weeks +) kept in crowded conditions
Not usually bloody in sheep
Treatment as for cattle
Decoquinate (Decox) can be mixed in feed as a preventative
Salmonelosis can infect what lambs
Several problem Salmonella sp
Can infect many different species
Zoonotic
Cause diarrhoea in sheep of all ages
Signs, treatment and prevention of salmonellosis in lambs
Very young lambs get the septicemic form and die without becoming diarrhetic
Ewes can abort
Treatment is supportive
Prevention includes good hygiene
Parasites in lambs signs
Intestinal parasites are a major problem in lambs at grass or kept in crowded conditions
Signs
Poor growth
Diarrhea (may be absent or mild)
Severe anemia of Haemonchus sp. Are the problem parasite
Prevention of parasites in lambs
Routine deworming with a mectin type dewormer at end of june (at a minimum)
Followed by moving to a clean pasture if at all possible
Rotational grazing is key
Refugia
C. perfringens type D enterotoxemia is seen in what
Pulpy kidney disease
Gets this name from the rapid degeneration of kidneys following death in many lambs
Seen in lambs < 2 weeks or weaned lambs in feedlots following switching to a high grain diets
C. perfringens type D produces a toxin in the gut that is absorbed and damages the brain
C. perfringens type D enterotoxemia signs and prevention
Signs
Sudden death of best lambs is often the first sign
Star gazing posture, circling, head pressing are common neurologic signs
Prevention
Vaccination of ewe about 6 weeks prior to lambing
Control amount of grain fed to lambs
Give antiserum to lambs in feedlot prior to change to high grain diet
Polioenchealomalacia in lambs is
A disease of lambs or calves
Usually fed a high starch diet
Cause is unclear but is related to a problem with thiamine (B1)
May be bacterial conversion of ruminal thiamine (Vitamin B1) to an analog that is absorbed and blocks the function of thiamine
Polioenchealomalacia signs and treatment for sheep
Signs
Sudden onset
Star gazing
Extensor rigidity
Initially stand then become recumbent
Treatment and prevention
Responds to very high dose of IV thiamine
Prevention : make dietary changes slowly
What are some causes of sudden death in sheep
Lambs:
Enterotoxemia type B,C, or D (pulpy kidney)
Any age
Blackleg
Lightning
Anthrax
Black legs is caused by what in sheep
Clostridium chauvoei infection of muscle
Clostridium chauveoi can replicate in the GI tract
No disease
Contaminate pasture
Seen in summer and fall
In sheep spores directly contaminate wounds and then replicate
Signs of blackleg in sheep
Sudden death
Lameness
Edema
Crepitant swellings over any major muscle
Treatment and prevention of blackleg in sheep
Treatment
Not usually successful
Prevention
Easily prevented with vaccination
Typically combination vaccines against all common clostridial diseases are given
Anthrax in sheep
Affects sheep and cattle
Caused by Bacillus anthracis
Forms spores when exposed to air
Survive for up to 50 years
Particularly in soils that are:
Alkaline
Rich in nitrogen (organic matter)
Poorly drained
Disturbing the soil (digging or grading it) predisposes to outbreaks
Anthrax outbreaks often follow dry period followed by flooding
Flooding may dislodge and concentrate spores
Cattle/sheep drink standing water in flooded areas
Shorter length of pasture also predisposes
Following ingestion spore develops
Up to a 14 d. incubation period
Signs and prevention of anthrax
Signs:
Die rapidly
Blood oozes from orifices
Prevention:
Do not open carcass
Stain a blood smear for anthrax instead
Move rest of herd
Live avirulent vaccine (killed by antibiotics)
What does anthrax do to people
Wool-sorters Disease
Respiratory anthrax from inhaling spores
Fever, pain, shortness of breath
Often fatal even if treated
Skin form
Starts as small blister
Develops into a painless ulcer with a black center
Fatal in some cases if not treated
Signs of pain in small ruminats
Guarding
Abnormal appearance
Lameness, arched back
Altered behaviour
Shifting weight, circling, pacing, yawning repeatedly
Don’t tend to vocalize
Self mutilation
Inappetance
Pain control in small ruminants
Tail docking
-SQ bupivacaine
-Caudal epidural
-Flunixin
-Meloxicam
Dehorning
-Ring block
-Cornual nerve block
Arthritis
-Gabapentin
-Meloxicam
-Ketoprofen
Pregnancy toxemia in sheep affect who and is caused by
Ewes in late pregnancy
Typically multiple fetuses
Inadequate grain in diet
Result is inadequate glucose to support fetuses
Fat mobilization
Fatty liver
Ketosis
Signs of pregnancy toxemia in sheep
Depression
Off feed
Blind
Weakness
Ketones in urine
Progresses slowly over several days
Death
Treatment of pregnancy toxemia of sheep
Oral propylene glycol (marketed as ketol)
Up to 60mL every 12 hours
IV dextrose
200-250mL IV 50%
Sodium bicarbonate
Baking soda: 15-20 grams/50mL every 24 hours
Remove fetuses
C-section, induction
Prevention od pregnancy toxemia in sheep
Appropriate grain feeding in late pregnancy
Avoid free choice feeding in the first 4 months of gestation
Aim for 3-3.5/5 BCS at breeding and parturition
Supplement concentrates in last 2-4 weeks of gestation
Plan for 3-4 lbs of good quality hay (>10% protein) and 1.5lbs/head/day in late gestation
Screening and monitoring
Urine
Hypocalcemia in sheep
A disease of ewes in late pregnancy or early lactation
Disease is acute and rapidly progressive
Often in outbreaks in a herd (a few % of herd ar typically affected)
Typically triggered by bad weather or some other factor that stops ewes eating
Signs of hypocalcemia in sheeps
May be hyper-excitable at first
Stiff gait
No rumen motility
Involuntary recumbency
Tachycardia
Quiet heart sounds
Death
Treatment and prevention of hypocalcemia in sheep
Treatment
-50-150 ml of calcium borogluconate IV or SC
-Stop of arrhythmia develops
Prevention
-Balance minerals in diet
-Add calcium
-Vitamin D
Urolithiasis risk factors in sheep
Urinary tract stones
Risk factors
Job (pet vs show)
Diet (grain vs pellet)
Water source
Duration of diet
Previous history of stones
Other illness
How to stop urolithiasis from forming in sheep
Encourage grazing
Limit grain and pellets, increase forage
Clean, palatable, temperature appropriate water at all times
Dietary risks for urolithiasis in sheep
High risk of phosphatic
Show animal
Grain, pellets
High risk of calcium carbonate
Pet
Alfalfa, other legumes
Clinical signs of Urolithiasis in sheep
Urinary/urethral obstruction
Tail twitching in males
Restlessness
Anxiety, hunched up posture when strains to urinate
“Constipated”
Bruxism
Vocalization
Distension of abdomen
Urolithiasis stones are normally lodged where for sheep
Develop urinary bladder
Lodge
Distal sigmoid flexure of penis
Verminous appendage/urethral process
Treatment of urolithiasis in sheep
Surgical
Verminous appendage amputation
Tube cystotomy
Urethrostomy
Medical therapy
Increasing urine volume and dilution
Decreasing matrix component
Ammonium chloride
Calcium chloride
Prevention of urolithiasis in sheep
Identify stone or make educated guess
Decrease pellets and grain, encourage grazing
Provide free choice loose mineral in addition to salt
Clean, palatable water at all times
Ca:P ratio of 2:1
Abortion in sheep can be caused by
Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE)
Chlamydophila/Chlamydia abortus
Campylobacter
Q-fever
Coxiella burnetti
Toxoplasma
Salmonella
Listeria
Brucella
Border disease
Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) is and caused by
Late-term abortions with ewes being normal
Stillbirths
Weak lambs
Last 2-3 weeks of gestation
Oral transmission of placenta and birth fluids
Risk of abortion following year if lambs normal
Once ewe aborts she will never abort again but will shed to others
Abortion storms
How to stop EAE
Biosecurity
health status of flock you buy from!
Killed vaccine
Zoonotic
Campylobacter (vibriosis) in lambs can cause and how to stop it
Late term abortion
Stillbirths
Sick ewes then abortion
Diarrhea
Oral transmission
Biosecrutiy
Never mix ewes together while pregnant
Killed vaccine
Zoonotic
Qfever in lambs is caused by
Coxiella burnetti
Late term abortions
Aerosol transmission
Barn dust
Killed vaccine
Qfever is zoonotic through
Milk
Influenza signs
Myocarditis
Toxoplasma in sheep is caused by
Toxoplasma gondii
Primary host is juvenile cats
Rodents
Oral transmission
Toxoplasma in sheep signs and how is it zoonotic
Oral transmission
Early, Mid, Late-term abortions
Naïve flock suddenly exposed to cats
No vaccine
Zoonotic
Birth defects
Abortions
Neuro signs in immunocompromised
ORF (sore mouth infection) in sheep is noticed by
Lesions around mouth, sometimes feet in young lambs
Udders, teats in ewes
Parapoxvirus
Strong immunity
Once on property =, there to stay
Vaccine, live virulent (mild), spreads through herd
Never vaccinate an infected herd
Zoonotic
Loss of dentin in sheep can cause
adults
A common cause of loss of condition in mature ewes
Cannot properly masticate feed
Cul
Caseous lymphadenitis in sheep is
Chronic, contagious bacterial disease
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Purulent material, very thick, non-odorous
Lymph nodes throughout body
Caseous lymphadenitis is noticeable by and treatment in sheep
Chronic weight loss, ill thrift
Isolate
Antibiotic therapy
Cull
Johnes disease in sheep is, c/s, and treatment
MAP same as cattle
Younger adults
> 18 months
Progressive weight loss, diarrhea, good appetite
Feces may be normal or soft
Serology
Fecal PCR
Cull
Ovine progressive pneumonia is caused by and what to do
Lentivirus
Maedi-visna
Chronic progressive pneumonia
Sheep > 4 years
Wasting (weight loss) and respiratory distress
Mastitis
“Hard bag”
MV
Encephalitis signs
Identify and cull
Serology, colostrum management
Small ruminant parasites
Haemonchus contortus
Trichostrongyles
Nematodirus
Coccidia
Trichuris
Parasite control principles of sheep
FAMACHA scoring
Body condition score
Egg per gram counts
Deworm only animals who require it
Use short acting products
Administer proper dose for species, weight, route
Prepare clients for culling genetically susceptible animals
Non-pharmacologic control
Copper oxide, Diatomaceous earth
Fly strike in sheep is
Serious welfare issue of sheep
Eggs of blowflies laid and hatch in moist manure stained wool
Maggots migrate to skin and feed on animal’s flesh
Multiple wounds
Secondary infections, sepsis
Foot rot in sheep
Dichelobacter nodosus
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Infectious!
Contagious, can be introduced by a carrier sheep
Condition involving interdigital space AND overgrown claw tissue
Causes of lameness in sheep
Foot rot
Laminitis
Subsolar abscess
Arthritis
Joint ill
Injury
Foot scald in sheep
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Environmental, anaerobe
Wet, muddy conditions
Disease of skin between claws
Confined to interdigital space only
Vaginal prolapse risk factors in sheep
Ewes too fat
Carrying multiple lambs
Feeding bulky diet in late pregnancy
Inadequate calcium
Lack of exercise
Vaginal prolapse in sheep is and treatment
Last few days to weeks of pregnancy
Red tissue protruding when ewe is laying down, then progresses when standing
Treatment
Ewe retainer spoon
Lambing guidelines dystocia
Ewe has been straining for more than 30-40 minutes without progress
Water bag visible and no progress after 30 minutes
Limb or tail present yet no progress
Head of fetus is visible with no limbs present
Exhausted or weak ewe
Sheeps get dystocia because
Material fetal mismatch
Most common
Malposition
Ringwomb
Pregnancy toxemia
Lambing obstetrics Supplies
Betadine soap
Lubricant
Lamb snare
Sterile syringes and needles
Vitamin E/selenium injections
Clean towels
Clean pail of warm water
OB gloves
Ringwomb in sheep is
Incomplete cervical dilation
More than six hours after fetal membranes first appear at vulva
Older ewes
Hormonal influence?
Can only dilate 3-5 cm in diameter only allowing two or three fingers
Treatment = Caesarean section
Guardian dogs are important for sheep because
Predation risks
Reduce injuries and deaths from attacking predator
Working dogs not pets
Live with flock from young age
Rabies vaccine
Deworm
Tapeworm control!
The major problems for sheep are
Clostridial diseases
Controlled by vaccination
Parasitism
Controlled by strategic deworming and moving to a new pasture
In pregnant ewes
Pregnancy Toxemia
Hypocalcemia
Controlled by appropriate diet
Stop disease from Entering the herd of sheep by
Bio-exclusion
Movement of people, animals, vehicles
Cleaning and disinfection
Good husbandry, vaccination
How to stop disease spreading within the herd
Bio-Management
Good hygiene on the farm
Move from ”cleanest” to “dirtiest” pens
How to stop disease form leaving a sheep herd
Bio-containment
Quarantine
Good hygiene of those leaving the farm
Common disease entry points for sheep
Shared grazing
Wildlife contact with feed or herd
Use shared truck/trailer without cleaning/disinfecting in between
Sharing working horses between farms
Not disinfecting feed trucks
Visitors coming onto farm without new boots/clothing
Using colostrum from another farm
Buy animals from auctions/sales
Comingling of different herds/species
Buying/borrowing nurse cows
Commingling feeder calves from other sources
Fenceline contact/shared water with other herds
Purchased replacement herd animals without quarantine
Purchasing orphaned calves (“bottle babies”)
