Sheep

Question 1

How long is the sheep gestation period?

Answer 1

143-147 days

Question 2

How many stages of sheep labour are there and How long is each one?

Answer 2

3 stages
1. 2-6 hours
2. 1 hour
3. 2-3 hours

Question 3

What are some indicators that we should intervene during lambing?

Answer 3

• 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

Question 4

What is dystocia?

Answer 4

Difficulty during lambing

Question 5

What are consequences of dystocia for lambs and ewes?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What PPE ensures hygiene and greater ease when assisting lambing?

Answer 6

Wearing arm length disposable gloves that have been lubricated

Question 7

Why is gentle manipulation when moving the lamb essential?

Answer 7

The lambs hooves can easily cause damage to the uterine wall

Question 8

What are the signs that a lamb has hypothermia?

Answer 8

Normal temperature: 39-40 degrees
Moderate hypothermia: 37-39 degrees
Severe hypothermia: <37 degrees

Question 9

Why would lambs become hypothermic?

Answer 9

If the ewe does not clean the lamb after birth it will remain we and become extremely cold very quickly

Question 10

Why would lambs develop hypoglycaemia?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

How is Hypoglycaemia or severe Hypothermia in comatose lambs over 5 hours old treated?

Answer 11

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)

Question 12

What is watery mouth?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What are treatments and prevention measures for watery mouth?

Answer 13

Treatment: antibiotics and inflammatory drugs
Prevention: ensuring good hygiene and adequate colostrum intake

Question 14

What is the volume intake of colostrum required for lambs?

Answer 14

2hrs of life: 50ml/kg OR 200ml for 4kg
24hrs of life: 250ml/kg OR 1L for 4kg

Question 15

What are the signs of joint ill?

Answer 15

Hot, swollen painful joints

Question 16

What is joint ill?

Answer 16

Condition caused by the bacteria streptococcus dysgalactiae that enters orally or via the navel, docking, castrating, or tagging wounds.

Question 17

What are prevention measures of joint ill?

Answer 17

Ensuring good hygiene (like naval dipping) and adequate colostrum intake

Question 18

What is the condition entropian?

Answer 18

It is when the lower eyelid rolls in causing the eyelids to rub against the surface of the eye

Question 19

What are signs of entropian?

Answer 19

Runny eye and cloudy cornea

Question 20

What are treatments for entropian?

Answer 20

Injections of penicillin parallel to eyelid to roll the eyelid out OR application of Michel clips to the eyelid to hold the eyelid out

Question 21

Why is castration performed?

Answer 21

To prevent inbreeding and allow breeding management
Influences carcass composition and growth resulting in more fatty tissue

Question 22

When would castration not be performed?

Answer 22

If lambs are to go to slaughter at a young age

Question 23

When should lambs be castrated or have their tails docked?

Answer 23

Between 24hours old and 7 days

Question 24

Why is tail docking performed?

Answer 24

Reduces faecal contamination in the tail to reduce risk of fly strike

Question 25

When should tail docking not occur?

Answer 25

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)

Question 26

How often should you naval dip or spray a lamb with iodine after birth?

Answer 26

Within first 2 hours of birth and then 4 hours later, it should have dried up within 36 hours

Question 27

Why would you use calcium borogluconate?

Answer 27

For hypocalcemia in ewes, its used warm and 60-80ml is injected under the skin

Question 28

How should more mild cases of hypothermia in lambs be treated?

Answer 28

Dry the lamb, warm the lamb, feed it with a stomach tube

Question 29

If a lamb under 5 hours of age has severe hypothermia how should it be treated and why is it done this way?

Answer 29

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.

Question 30

If a lamb over 5 hours has severe hypothermia but can hold its head up and swallow how should it be treated?

Answer 30

It should be fed with a stomach tube and then warmed

Question 31

What must you ensure when applying a castration band?

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Why do lambs have neutral stomach pHs?

Answer 32

So that antibodies can pass through the stomach unharmed to then be absorbed in the small intestine

Question 33

If a lamb is hypothermic what should you look for in the ewe?

Answer 33

Mastitis, poor mothering, systemic illness

Question 34

Why must a lamb under 5 hours be warmed before feeding and why must a lamb over 5 hours be warmed after feeding?

Answer 34

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

Question 35

What are the 4 methods of introducing foster lambs to the ewe?

Answer 35

1. smearing the orphan lamb with the ewes lambing fluids
2. placing the lamb in an adopter crate or in a pen with the ewe tied up
3. attaching the skin of the ewes dead lamb onto the foster
4. wrapping the dead lamb in stockingnette tubing to absorb the smell and then wrapping it around the foster lamb

Question 36

How can the best match be made for triplets and a single lamb?

Answer 36

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

Question 37

What is the issue with lamb adopter crates?

Answer 37

They require a skilful level of care during and after use

Question 38

What methods can be used to clear fluids from airways?

Answer 38

Use fingers to remove the fluid and then vigorously rub the lambs chest using straw or a towel

Question 39

What method should be used if it is suspected that the lamb has inhaled birth fluids?

Answer 39

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

Question 40

What methods when resuscitating lambs are questionable?

Answer 40

Swinging the lamb around
Putting a drop of doxapram under the tongue (respiratory stimulant)

Question 41

When should NSAIDs be used?

Answer 41

If a lamb has had a significantly traumatic birth but this should never be administered to kids as it can cause toxicity