Sheep Flashcards
How long is the sheep gestation period?
143-147 days
How many stages of sheep labour are there and How long is each one?
3 stages
1. 2-6 hours
2. 1 hour
3. 2-3 hours
What are some indicators that we should intervene during lambing?
- trying to lamb >1hr no success
- 20mins no progress with lamb visible
- ewe starts and then stops
- head visible with no limbs
- head and 1 limb visible
- only tail visible
- large swollen lamb at vulva
- pats of 2 lambs visible
- brown smelly discharge
- vaginal prolapse
What is dystocia?
Difficulty during lambing
What are consequences of dystocia for lambs and ewes?
Lamb
- increased mortality rate
- increase in neonatal infections
- slow weight gain
- higher care/medication cost
Ewe
- reduced colostrum/milk let down
- poor mothering
- higher care/medication cost
- reduce in future fertility
What PPE ensures hygiene and greater ease when assisting lambing?
Wearing arm length disposable gloves that have been lubricated
Why is gentle manipulation when moving the lamb essential?
The lambs hooves can easily cause damage to the uterine wall
What are the signs that a lamb has hypothermia?
Normal temperature: 39-40 degrees
Moderate hypothermia: 37-39 degrees
Severe hypothermia: <37 degrees
Why would lambs become hypothermic?
If the ewe does not clean the lamb after birth it will remain we and become extremely cold very quickly
Why would lambs develop hypoglycaemia?
After 5 hours from birth lambs will no longer have adipose tissue anymore and if they have not had enough of their mothers milk they will develop hypoglycaemia
How is Hypoglycaemia or severe Hypothermia in comatose lambs over 5 hours old treated?
An intraperitoneal injection of 20% glucose
(glucose come in 40% dextrose solution so 50/50 solution with cooled boiled water injected 1 inch below and 1 inch lateral to the naval at a 40 degree angle into the abdomen with no blood or urine in drawback)
Then place in a warming box
Once warm and dry insert stomach tubing
(measure tube from mouth to shoulder and then insert through side of mouth is any gasping occurs or air comes out tube it is in trachea and should be removed)
What is watery mouth?
Condition caused by the bacteria E. coli that affects lambs from 12-36 hours old as their stomach pH is neutral which allows it to pass into the system. It can be identified by execs salivation from mouth and a distended abdomen
What are treatments and prevention measures for watery mouth?
Treatment: antibiotics and inflammatory drugs
Prevention: ensuring good hygiene and adequate colostrum intake
What is the volume intake of colostrum required for lambs?
2hrs of life: 50ml/kg OR 200ml for 4kg
24hrs of life: 250ml/kg OR 1L for 4kg
What are the signs of joint ill?
Hot, swollen painful joints
What is joint ill?
Condition caused by the bacteria streptococcus dysgalactiae that enters orally or via the navel, docking, castrating, or tagging wounds.
What are prevention measures of joint ill?
Ensuring good hygiene (like naval dipping) and adequate colostrum intake
What is the condition entropian?
It is when the lower eyelid rolls in causing the eyelids to rub against the surface of the eye
What are signs of entropian?
Runny eye and cloudy cornea
What are treatments for entropian?
Injections of penicillin parallel to eyelid to roll the eyelid out OR application of Michel clips to the eyelid to hold the eyelid out
Why is castration performed?
To prevent inbreeding and allow breeding management
Influences carcass composition and growth resulting in more fatty tissue
When would castration not be performed?
If lambs are to go to slaughter at a young age
When should lambs be castrated or have their tails docked?
Between 24hours old and 7 days
Why is tail docking performed?
Reduces faecal contamination in the tail to reduce risk of fly strike
When should tail docking not occur?
If fly strike is not an issue in the area or there are other methods that work like good fly control and tagging (removing fleece around the tail)
How often should you naval dip or spray a lamb with iodine after birth?
Within first 2 hours of birth and then 4 hours later, it should have dried up within 36 hours
Why would you use calcium borogluconate?
For hypocalcemia in ewes, its used warm and 60-80ml is injected under the skin
How should more mild cases of hypothermia in lambs be treated?
Dry the lamb, warm the lamb, feed it with a stomach tube
If a lamb under 5 hours of age has severe hypothermia how should it be treated and why is it done this way?
Dry the lamb, warm the lamb, feed it with a stomach tube. While the lamb is being warmed it us able to use up its own brown fat supply before being fed.
If a lamb over 5 hours has severe hypothermia but can hold its head up and swallow how should it be treated?
It should be fed with a stomach tube and then warmed
What must you ensure when applying a castration band?
That both testicles are in the scrotum, that you have not included the two teats on either side of the scrotum, that you don’t catch the urethra
Why do lambs have neutral stomach pHs?
So that antibodies can pass through the stomach unharmed to then be absorbed in the small intestine
If a lamb is hypothermic what should you look for in the ewe?
Mastitis, poor mothering, systemic illness
Why must a lamb under 5 hours be warmed before feeding and why must a lamb over 5 hours be warmed after feeding?
Under 5 hours: If not warm the lamb could regurgitate the colostrum or it could overfill into the lambs lungs.
Over 5 hours: If the lamb was warmed before feeding it could cause fitting and death as its metabolic requirements of the brain for energy cannot be met
What are the 4 methods of introducing foster lambs to the ewe?
- smearing the orphan lamb with the ewes lambing fluids
- placing the lamb in an adopter crate or in a pen with the ewe tied up
- attaching the skin of the ewes dead lamb onto the foster
- wrapping the dead lamb in stockingnette tubing to absorb the smell and then wrapping it around the foster lamb
How can the best match be made for triplets and a single lamb?
Using ultrasound to see which ewes are singles or triplets to pair them up pre birth to get them as close as possible in age and therefore size
What is the issue with lamb adopter crates?
They require a skilful level of care during and after use
What methods can be used to clear fluids from airways?
Use fingers to remove the fluid and then vigorously rub the lambs chest using straw or a towel
What method should be used if it is suspected that the lamb has inhaled birth fluids?
Hold the lambs back legs up so its head hangs in the air and massage the chest to encourage fluid drainage however the effects of this are dubious
What methods when resuscitating lambs are questionable?
Swinging the lamb around
Putting a drop of doxapram under the tongue (respiratory stimulant)
When should NSAIDs be used?
If a lamb has had a significantly traumatic birth but this should never be administered to kids as it can cause toxicity
