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- #51
MMGardens
Overrun with beasties
I need some advice
my ewe that lambed has lost a lot of weight
I’m feeding straight alfalfa hay, and have been letting them on a little pasture with radish, turnips, clover, rape, peas, wheat, and oats twice a day
I also have been milking her as that was one of my main intentions with having sheep
She had a single and I’ve been mindful of not making her produce way too much, so I’ve been getting maybe 4 oz per milking twice a day (once I got 8 oz but only that time) she lambed on 11/16
This morning when I went to milk her I also checked her body condition and famacha and noticed she was shivering and bony (it’s the coldest it’s been here today, but in the 40’s F nothing crazy
Famacha wasn’t terrific but also not pale, but I got them from a herd who doesn’t deworm at all, so they seem to be pretty resistant stock so I didn’t intend on deworming unless there was an issue. (I will bring a fecal on her though)
I’ve also been putting a bowl of alfalfa pellets in front of her when I milk her for her to eat but she’s been to concerned with watching her baby to do much eating
I didn’t milk her today and intend to stop as long as she doesn’t seem overly engorged by this evening, but either way just until she’s got milk for just her baby
She’s a really good mama, and I haven’t seen a ewe as a mom before, but she almost seemed entirely too protective and too vigilant. I don’t think she’s eating because she’s too busy watching for danger constantly. She goes and stomps at and rams my LGD’s that previously always hung out right by the flock and now she won’t tolerate them at all. Everybody else is at the hay rack eating and she’s just staring around at every noise and takes a mouthful every now and then
Currently I’m watching her baaa really loudly for her baby who’s asleep under the hay rack right in front of her
What do I do? Should I separate her with just her baby and lots of hay? I don’t usually do grain, but I’m willing to if she needs it
my ewe that lambed has lost a lot of weight
I’m feeding straight alfalfa hay, and have been letting them on a little pasture with radish, turnips, clover, rape, peas, wheat, and oats twice a day
I also have been milking her as that was one of my main intentions with having sheep
She had a single and I’ve been mindful of not making her produce way too much, so I’ve been getting maybe 4 oz per milking twice a day (once I got 8 oz but only that time) she lambed on 11/16
This morning when I went to milk her I also checked her body condition and famacha and noticed she was shivering and bony (it’s the coldest it’s been here today, but in the 40’s F nothing crazy
Famacha wasn’t terrific but also not pale, but I got them from a herd who doesn’t deworm at all, so they seem to be pretty resistant stock so I didn’t intend on deworming unless there was an issue. (I will bring a fecal on her though)
I’ve also been putting a bowl of alfalfa pellets in front of her when I milk her for her to eat but she’s been to concerned with watching her baby to do much eating
I didn’t milk her today and intend to stop as long as she doesn’t seem overly engorged by this evening, but either way just until she’s got milk for just her baby
She’s a really good mama, and I haven’t seen a ewe as a mom before, but she almost seemed entirely too protective and too vigilant. I don’t think she’s eating because she’s too busy watching for danger constantly. She goes and stomps at and rams my LGD’s that previously always hung out right by the flock and now she won’t tolerate them at all. Everybody else is at the hay rack eating and she’s just staring around at every noise and takes a mouthful every now and then
Currently I’m watching her baaa really loudly for her baby who’s asleep under the hay rack right in front of her
What do I do? Should I separate her with just her baby and lots of hay? I don’t usually do grain, but I’m willing to if she needs it
