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Mike CHS
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Most of our ewes are in the 130 - 160 lb range but we try to trend toward the larger size.
Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal
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Mike CHS
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Pixie has something going on as she has no appetite and won't even take a cracker. We are fairly sure that it's an infection but we talked to our vet about it and she is making up a broad use antibiotic that we will pick up and give to Pixie. We already have a fecal sample that we will process also.
You can't say enough good things about having a working relationship with your vet. They know that we do whatever we can to keep our animals healthy and in most cases we can get by with a discussion rather than having to make an office visit. This vet is available 24/7 and will make a farm call if needed for a reasonable rate. They aren't literally available 24/7 but after hour calls are forwarded to a call center that does have a vet available.
You can't say enough good things about having a working relationship with your vet. They know that we do whatever we can to keep our animals healthy and in most cases we can get by with a discussion rather than having to make an office visit. This vet is available 24/7 and will make a farm call if needed for a reasonable rate. They aren't literally available 24/7 but after hour calls are forwarded to a call center that does have a vet available.
SageHill
Herd Master
You are blest to have that.
Baymule
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I hope Pixie gets better.
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Mike CHS
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We are throwing everything at her so we are hopeful. We thought about pulling her lambs but decided that could cause more harm than good with the added stress. We are helping her feed the lambs so she gets a break there.
Ridgetop
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If possible take a milk sample from each half and have it tested for mastitis to rule it out.
farmerjan
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Are you sure that it was just colostrum in the "large side" of her udder???? Maybe a bad mastitis infection and with the colostrum stage, looked like colostrum and was actually mastitis???
I know you are smart about things... but something like a bad coliform mastitis will make them very sick, very fast, off feed, all that...
The antibiotics should help... but I would try milking her some again and check it... and leaving the lambs will help them to keep her milked out so that any possible problem will not "incubate" in the warm udder.
I know you are smart about things... but something like a bad coliform mastitis will make them very sick, very fast, off feed, all that...
The antibiotics should help... but I would try milking her some again and check it... and leaving the lambs will help them to keep her milked out so that any possible problem will not "incubate" in the warm udder.
farmerjan
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We think alike...
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Mike CHS
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She didn't test positive for mastitis so we just keep building up her energy. We are giving her Nutri-drench and B-12 and she is getting around better plus eating.
Baymule
Herd Master
I think we have all experienced some crazy weather. Weather can affect animals, they can feel bad and be sick just like us.
The severe drought I had last summer spiked the worms and I had higher than normal worm count. I’ve just come through 22” of rain in one month and even though worms are supposed to go dormant in winter, I’m betting that the little demons are fully awake and multiplying. There’s been several days of sunshine, rain seems to have stopped for awhile and the mud is drying out. It’s supposed to be rainy today and tomorrow but for once, it’s only supposed to be drizzling, so no floods. I’ll be working the sheep over the next couple of weeks.
It’s very possible that the wonky weather has found a weak spot in Pixie and she needs help in fighting it off. It sounds like y’all throwing everything but the kitchen sink at her is working.
The severe drought I had last summer spiked the worms and I had higher than normal worm count. I’ve just come through 22” of rain in one month and even though worms are supposed to go dormant in winter, I’m betting that the little demons are fully awake and multiplying. There’s been several days of sunshine, rain seems to have stopped for awhile and the mud is drying out. It’s supposed to be rainy today and tomorrow but for once, it’s only supposed to be drizzling, so no floods. I’ll be working the sheep over the next couple of weeks.
It’s very possible that the wonky weather has found a weak spot in Pixie and she needs help in fighting it off. It sounds like y’all throwing everything but the kitchen sink at her is working.
