# New baby questions



## nsanywhere (May 14, 2010)

Newbie here! I've got lots of questions, been reading all the books, but would love some real world advice from BHers.

My ram lamb was born on Apr. 26. My yearling ewe is a fantastic mother, nursing and guarding and doing everything just fine without me. 

However......my job is up next. I need to band the bits and dock the tail and give vaccinations. I've talked to people at my local Tractor Supply, bought bands, tool, wound spray, 18 gauge needles, and vaccine (includes tetanus and an over eating thing?).

OK. So what's next? Do I just dive in and do this myself? My own little 4H thing? 

Should I do the tail and castrating now? He's 3 weeks old on Monday and already humping the trees!

Vaccine shot in the shoulder? How many hours/days before the other procedures?

Mama also gets a dose of vaccine, especially for the overeating thing I've never heard about? Any idea on dosages?

I've noticed he's nibbled on a piece of grass and had a bite of his mama's grain. Should I start him on his own already?? It seems to early.

I'm feeding nursing ewe about 2 lbs of grain a day (split between am and pm) plus free feed of alphapa/hay mix and fresh water 2x a day. She also grazes on an acre of grasses and roughage. Is this enough? Too much? 

Oh, and some bread for a treat.....

When should I start weaning the baby? and what exactly does that entail? 

Lordy! Listen to me. You'd think I didn't know a thing! I think all is going well, the baby is growing and healthy and darling, but I'm just nervous about getting it all "right."

PS - trying to post more baby pics but the upload keeps dropping my connection.


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## ksalvagno (May 14, 2010)

What vaccines did you buy? It would help to know which ones. Plus, are they vaccines or antitoxins? Makes a difference. Hopefully someone with more experience with sheep can jump in too.


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## Mea (May 14, 2010)

Tail...now.     The humping everything is normal guy stuff.  That can wait a bit.  But tail...now.

   most meds give a dosing recommendation.   Even the catalogs usually mention dosage.   

  Is sounds as tho Your ewe is getting enough to eat... since she's feeding a single lamb.  Alfalfa  certainly helps.    About 3 to 4 weeks the lamb will start nibbling grain.  we have an area the lambs can get in... and the ewes cannot.  we have a grain tray there and put small helpings of grain thru-out the day.  That way (hopefully) they won't over do.

  Lambs 'can' be weaned at 30 lbs.  But my personal feeling is that is way too soon.  I figure about 3 months.  They are getting big and the ewes are getting tired of them. lol.   Weaning entails a whole lot of noise !   Mama calls... lambie calls back louder !     Basically weaning is separating the Momma from her lamb.  If there are companions for each of them, they ( with any luck) will settle down...in about three days.  ( no promises here )
   If You have him wethered... he can stay with his Mom.   That's what we're trying this year.  That  will give more mouths to work our pasture down a bit.

Sounds as tho You will do just fine.


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## nsanywhere (May 15, 2010)

thank goodness for backyard herds!

Sounds like I will be docking a tail TODAY. I can do this! I know it can't be too short or risk prolapse and other bad stuff. Are there any good websites with pics you recommend? Or is it more a percentage of tail (take of 1/2?)

Any advice on the docking would be awesome.

The vaccine I got is "clostridium perfringens types C & D - tetanus toxoid"

Sheep dose says 2 ml subcutaneously. Repeat in 21-28 days.

So let me see if I get this straight - 2 ml vaccine under the skin (shoulder ok?). Then dock the tail (poor little guy!). Then watch the wound site for infection (hopefully none). 2 ml more vaccine in 3 weeks. Sounds like I also need to do mama's annual vac, too.

Should I also do the castrating band today? Seems like a lot in one day for a little lamby...

Weaning can wait a bit (whew!). I'll work on small grain portions.

OH, and my second ewe started her labor yesterday afternoon!!! Just checked on her, but no baby yet. When it (or they!) arrive, sounds like I should plan on tail docking 3-ish days later, yes?

Again, a thousand thank yous!!


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## ksalvagno (May 15, 2010)

I don't know if you need to do this for sheep but if you are docking the tail, you should have tetanus antitoxin. The vaccine will take 2 weeks to take effect. The antitoxin work immediately. I don't know the dose you would give though. If banding or disbudding is done for goats, tetanus antitoxin is usually what is used unless they have had their vaccine at least 2 weeks prior.


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## Mea (May 15, 2010)

We dock...close to the rump.  Not tight to it,  but close... maybe like a finger's thickness away....approx. an inch or less.  That wat it is short...but not too short.\ where there could be problems.

  Our ewes and does are given their booster shots a month before kidding or lambing.  This 'should' carry immunity to the babies for about a month... when they start their vaccinations.  If she hasn't had her vaccines, i agree with ksalvagno... have the antitoxin.

   Personally i wouldn't do the wethering the same day. But that's me.   Perhaps at this age  doing both would get it over sooner.   the little guy is going to be a bit sore in the rearquarters with either project.         we usually do  it last thing at night...then leave the barn.  By morning they are usually a bit better.  ( call me chicken heart !)
     Sometimes if one seems a bit 'off' the next day,   we will give a vitamin B shot to help perk them back up.      ...  seems as tho we constantly need to poke and prod and do necessary but hurtful things to the little ones !   

   I've found doing the tails early(ish) seems to set them back less than if we wait.   They are also a bit easier to restrain when they are younger.

  More coming ? !  Sounds like fun !!   enjoy.


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## aggieterpkatie (May 15, 2010)

I wrote a blog post about docking.   There's also info on it on where to place the band.  You can castrate now or wait a few weeks.  

As far as shots.  I give the ewes CD/T a month out from lambing.  That covers the lambs until weaning.  At weaning I'll give the lambs a shot and  then the booster 3-4 weeks later.  I usually give the shot sub-q in the arm pit.  It's easiest if you set the lamb on its rump and give it that way instead of having the lamb stand up.  

For weaning, it's not done by weight because some lambs reach 30 lbs in a month's time.  Weaning shouldn't be done before 8 weeks in order to give the lamb's rumen time to develop properly.  They'll start nibbling on grain and hay/pasture early but not really gain the rumen development to live solely off that until at least 8 weeks.  When you wean you should separate the lambs/ewes so they can't see (and ideally, hear) each other.  Usually a separation of 3 weeks is good, but some might need to be separated longer.  When you wean, stop feeding the ewe grain so she stops producing milk.  Feed her only hay (and water).


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## nsanywhere (May 15, 2010)

great blog! I will be reading that a few times.

its the vaccines that are tripping me up. The original advice from old school sheep people is "Naw, we don't bother with any of that!"

Then I was told by 4H-ers to do the CD/T but NOT when the ewes are pregnant. But that the CD/T is enough, at 4 and 6 weeks for lambs, annually for ewes.

And now there's something about anti-toxins....

I'm feeling a bit dense this morning - let's see if I get it...

At ~1 week, lamb gets a tetanus anti-toxin (which is different from CD/T?) and tail dock.

A few weeks later, band the bits and a CD/T vaccination

2 weeks after that, a booster of CD/T 

Correct? I grew up a city girl and never knew about 4H....I am determined to get this!


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## aggieterpkatie (May 15, 2010)

nsanywhere said:
			
		

> great blog! I will be reading that a few times.
> 
> its the vaccines that are tripping me up. The original advice from old school sheep people is "Naw, we don't bother with any of that!"
> 
> ...


This is what I do:

-1 month pre-lambing- vaccine the ewes with CD/T

-when lamb is 7-10 days old, give tetanus antitoxin and dock tails (I also usually castrate ram lambs at the same time)

-wean at 8 weeks and give lambs CD/T 

-3-4 weeks later give CD/T booster



The reason you give the tetanus antitoxin at docking is because you're creating an open wound and it's a direct pathway for tetanus so you give the antitoxin at the same time to prevent tetanus.  The tetanus toxoid (in the CD/T) is more basic and it's generally accepted practice to give the antitoxin when you know you're doing something that might get tetanus a foothold.  Not everyone gives the antitoxin, but it's cheap and an easy measure to prevent tetanus.


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## nsanywhere (May 16, 2010)

Thanks everyone - tail band is on, testicle band is on, tetanus shot is done, and the whole experience wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Well, for me anyway.......!


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