Limping ewe, hoof looks fine

[Sheepshape]

Your ewe could easily be losing weight due to her greedy lambs. Ewes usually have a good/huge appetite if the lambs 'draining' her. I would have wormed her,too (and even the lambs if you are in a worm-prone area.....using an appropriate wormer for their young age).

Losing fleece often occurs after a severe illness, and also if there was a difficult birth.

Those lambs should be fine on pasture. Over here we would give them 'lamb creep'.....pellets much like ewe pellets, but smaller, with 18% protein to ensure that they continue to grow well (Our climate means that the grass is poor for the first half of Spring).

Your ewe may have twisted her 'knee' or injured the ligaments. This will sort itself out over the course of a few weeks.

Good Luck.

 

[trampledbygeese]

Now that I've got the lambs off her, I see some bites on her udder that don't look good. I'm taking her to the vet for an exam tomorrow.

I think it's a bunch of little things tumbling along, big lambs, twisted ankle, possibly leaving her open to parasites, bite marks from the lambs...

Lambs and mum are pretty upset about being separated now. The whole neighbourhood knows it is weaning time. Can't wait to explain to the noise bylaw people that it falls under 'normal farming practices' and isn't legal grounds for a noise complaint. These sheep aren't just bread to look like cows, they sound like cows as well - so much noisier than any other sheep I've met.

 

[trampledbygeese]

Took her to the vet today.

Sprain is most likely, he agrees the hoof looks perfect. Slight clogging of the between the toe goo factory, but obviously not the cause of the limp.

Udder is infected where the lambs bit, but caught it early. Ewe is running a fever. Antibiotics for the infection, anti inflammatory for the leg. Leg should heal up in a few weeks, especially now the lambs are off her.

He seconded the worming and weaning. Recommended a follow up wormer dose in 10 days.

Apparently he's not use to seeing an infection at the early stage in a sheep - most people wait till the udder turns blue before calling him. Glad I took her in before we got that far.