Small Ruminant Neonatal Care

Question 1

How much colostrum should lambs/kids receive in this first 2 hours of life?

Answer 1

20 ml/lb (0.75 oz/lb)

then, over the next 24 hrs, they should receive 100-125 mL/lb (3.5oz/lb)

Question 2

how much on avg do kids and limbs weigh at birth?

Answer 2

kids - 5-8 lbs
lambs - 8-10 lbs

Question 3

T/F: you can use store-bought whole milk to feed kids and lambs that cannot feed from their mothers

Answer 3

false – you should not use this in lambs. their milk composition is different than cows and sheep, therefore you’d essentially starve lambs by giving them cow’s milk.

Question 4

How much milk replacer should be fed to kids or lambs? and how often?

what temp should the milk replacer be?

Answer 4

20% BW daily

first 4 days – 4x/day
days 4-14 – 3x/day
day 14+ – 2x/day

temp = warm (100F) during 1st week, room temp after week 1.

Question 5

what temp is considered hypothermia in lambs/kids?

Answer 5

98 F

Question 6

what can cause hypothermia in lambs and kids?

Answer 6

obviously cold environment, but also hypoglycemia/starvation

Question 7

how do you treat hypothermic and hypoglycemic lambs and kids?

Answer 7

• IV glucose (2-3 mL 50% dextrose)
• IV fluids (warm; 80ml/kg/hr)
• Place lamb/kid into warm water bath (104F), then dry them and warm
• Tube and give 2-4 oz warm milk/colostrum
• if FPT, give antibiotics

Question 8

what are the 3 clinical signs associated with floppy kid syndrome (a disorder that occurs in kids within the first 2 weeks of life)?

bonus for what you would see on blood work

Answer 8

muscle weakness
anorexia
depression

blood work would show a metabolic acidosis with a high anion gap and no dehydration.

Question 9

what are the potential CAUSES of floppy kid syndrome?

Answer 9

• intestinal fermentation of milk (lactic acid and absorption of VFAs)
• lactic acidosis secondary to impairment of CV function

Question 10

if you have just diagnosed floppy kid syndrome in a 1 week old kid. How should you proceed with treatment?

Answer 10

oral baking soda (0.5-1 tsp)

or 1.3% bicarb solution IV or 8.4% bicarb added to saline

Question 11

T/F: the prognosis for floppy kid syndrome is poor

Answer 11

false – its good.

there are no preventative measures.

Question 12

where do uterine tears usually occur in the doe?

Answer 12

near the cervix, which is a tough location to access for repair.
You can give oxytocin to shrink the uterus and hopefully she will wall off the tear with fibrin.
You should also prescribe antibitoics.

Question 13

T/F: you can milk a dead small ruminant to obtain colostrum for the babies

Answer 13

true

but if not, then you can just use stored colostrum or colostrum replacer