Ewe lamb sudden death

[Ridgetop]

I have never had coccidia in sheep. I had it in a litter of puppies once. I did treat some dairy goat kids for it once. I would follow the instructions on the bottle. The medicine should have a warning about feeding pregnant animals if it is not advised. If you are unsure, you can call the drug manufacturer and ask their vets about the vaccine. Most companies will get back to you and answer your questions.

Once the ewes lamb, make sure to worm heavily since the worm load skyrockets after lambing. The mom's hormones seem to cause a giant jump in worm count. When we wormed (before the drought which has lasted for several years) I only wormed after lambing. I haven't had to worm for several years - southern California drought, dry lot feeding but not closely confined. After lambing vaccination and worming are easier, the ewes are in the jugs with their lambs, and easily restrained. I vaccinate the ewes with a booster CDT, worm, and check feet. I give tetanus antitoxin to the ewe lambs when we dock. We don't dock the ram lambs. We give CDT to all lambs. 30 days later the lambs get their CDT booster. My ewes lamb every 9 months so they are getting their CDT more often than annually. This year I held them and didn't breed on schedule because I don't want them lambing and/or heavy bred when we move them to Texas. Instead, we will vaccinate when we separate them and put them with the rams in October. Will trim feet at the same time.

 

[farmerjan]

Is Corid not available there? It is an inexpensive treatment for coccidiosis in any and all breeds. You can use it in all classes and stages as far as I know.

 

[jambi1214]

@farmerjan well I have seen this at store but was not one of the options given by the vet. I will ask tomorrow though.

I need help though. I'm super worried obviously but after deworming and vaccinating all the sheep on the farm last night I kept them in the barn off feed overnight. Let them out this morning and everyone seemed over All okay. They are resting now, not terribly hot outside but one of the ewes is a bit standoffish holding her head down and just not herself I can tell something is wrong. I don't know if it's from stress or everything I gave last night or if there is something underlying. I am realizing there's probably a big dust problem from the dust that comes off from our dirt road that people speed heavily down. I have no local help besides Google please give me some advice is there a way I can send a video for someone to look at? @Baymule @Ridgetop @SageHill @Finnie @Mini Horses

 

[jambi1214]

Can't upload videos and I'm just freaking out. Sheep are so hard to figure out what's going on!!

 

[SageHill]

I'd be in the same boat as you with what you've got.
First - freaking out does not help. BTDT. Usually it's the simplest thing and not the worst - though I get it with losing one. At this point you have done everything you can. Staring at them won't help BTDT (my 'big' problem was acorns last year - scours on one of two of the sheep). The dust issue on your dirt road has been there all along (guessing) so that is probably not the issue (unless it's a build up thing, not sure about that). But I'll admit that's one of the reasons I go sloooooow on the dirt road to our road and drive.
To upload videos and get them to show up here you need to upload to youtube (~maybe vimeo - though I don't know for sure on that one) and then post the link to the youtube video here. When you upload to youtube the link to the video is given to you. Copy and paste.

 

[Baymule]

I have had sheep 8 years, have not had one inexplicably die like that. Could have been the Perilla mint. I found a small patch of that on my place and pulled it up. You might want to consider spraying the field with Grazon or other broad leaf killer, or spot spraying. If it has just been mowed, then you will have to wait for it to leaf back out. If you get a killing frost, then you will have to wait until next year.

A heavy worm load could be the culprit, although I had 2 ewes, both would spike worm counts to the moon and back, after lambing. They suffered no ill effects, but were loaded.

The ewe you have that isn’t feeling good, can you take her to the vet? Keep a close eye on the others. Sometimes very small subtle signs are the only alert you have.

I had 3 lambs with coccidiosis this spring. I treated with 3 ml, undiluted once a day for 7 days, in the mornings. Every other evening I gave probiotics and vitamin B paste. The Corrid shuts down the production of B1 in the liver, so you have to supply it. All 3 survived, but did not grow off well.

 

[Ridgetop]

If one had summer pneumonia, others could also. Listen to lungs and if you hear wheezing, you can give Penicillin or LA 200. Since it will not be available anymore after January 1, 2024, except from a vet ($$$$$) I would lay in a stock now for future use. Wormers are not supposed to be restricted yet.

 

[jambi1214]

Everyone seems overall ok. I actually keep thinking about the perilla. We have these in many spots in the pasture and has been there for years. I know the smell and have been cutting in forever. So I'm just so hesitant to think it was that. Besides the fact that we cut the pasture they were in 2 days prior. But other sheep have been in same area. The other issue is this is the main ram/wether area that I need. Pulled a bunch but there is still a bunch random. I could spot spray round up? Idk but I need to get sheep in area like tomorrow so not sure what to do. I talked to others today about the loss of the ewe and many just don't understand it or think parasite were the killer considering wormed 1 month prior and has bad /bloody lungs. I don't know but still trying to figure it out.

 

[SageHill]

Everyone seems overall ok. I actually keep thinking about the perilla. We have these in many spots in the pasture and has been there for years. I know the smell and have been cutting in forever. So I'm just so hesitant to think it was that. Besides the fact that we cut the pasture they were in 2 days prior. But other sheep have been in same area. The other issue is this is the main ram/wether area that I need. Pulled a bunch but there is still a bunch random. I could spot spray round up? Idk but I need to get sheep in area like tomorrow so not sure what to do. I talked to others today about the loss of the ewe and many just don't understand it or think parasite were the killer considering wormed 1 month prior and has bad /bloody lungs. I don't know but still trying to figure it out.

I am not a fan of Roundup. It causes cancers in dogs --- they say circumstantial, but those I know that DID use it lost their dogs to cancers. Could be a tolerance level??? Whatever.
You've got the perilla, I have oaks (live oaks - variety). I went over the top last year. Just short of removing the trees - they provide the only shade in the fenced pasture. Two of mine got scours, I isolated to the corral for a week, and went an picked up every stinking acorn I could find.
So far it has not happened again . Now learning things from Nan Bray and Fred Provenza about sheep and what they eat --- only two of mine over-dined on the oak, the others were ok. Could be a learning thing - we'll see not to long from now as acorns are dropping. They could learn that eating X makes then feel bad and won't eat it again, or only will in ok amounts.
Hoping that your issue is the perilla - that's the easiest thing to point to that you know exists.
Yeah - it's a huge learning curve.

 

[Baymule]

I had oaks all over the property in Lindale. When I let the sheep in the yard to graze, they ran to their favorite tree to scarf up all the acorns. None had any ill effects. Maybe because they ate a variety of other plants, the acorns didn’t bother them.