tooth issues in young ewe

[RobNMich]

I have a young teeswater ewe (15 months). She's struggled to gain weight, but has never had serious parasite issues, eats ravenously, otherwise a health animal. Just small and boney. Perhaps 90 pounds, tops. I've had someone suggest that perhaps it's her teeth, and they may need to be floated.

I've heard of this with older animals, but I'm not seeing anything about this online with younger animals. Has anyone had any experience with this?

I have a farm visit with the Vet tomorrow for other issues, and will bring it up then, but curious about what the hive mind might know.

 

[Mini Horses]

No sheep here but, any animal can have teeth issues...abscesses, etc. so worth a look!

Let us know what vet says.

 

[Ridgetop]

In the absence of parasites, what are you feeding? Is she on pssture, forage, or purchased hay. What type of hay or grass? Do you supplement with any bagged feed? What is the protein content of her feed? Is this the ony sheep you have or do you have others? If you have other sheep what is their condition? Has this ewe lambed?

Have the vet check her mouth for misalignment. Less likely to need floating at 15 months, more likely to be a bad bite resulting in her not being able to chew her feed properly.

 

[RobNMich]

In the absence of parasites, what are you feeding? Is she on pssture, forage, or purchased hay. What type of hay or grass? Do you supplement with any bagged feed? What is the protein content of her feed? Is this the ony sheep you have or do you have others? If you have other sheep what is their condition? Has this ewe lambed?

Have the vet check her mouth for misalignment. Less likely to need floating at 15 months, more likely to be a bad bite resulting in her not being able to chew her feed properly.

She's been on pasture. No supplemental feed during the summer. Many other sheep- all other sheep are fine. The ewe is too small to breed at this point. Vet will come to check in a few days. Just checking the hive mind on this.

 

[Ridgetop]

Depending on what the vet says, this might be a ewe you decide to cull. Some animals just fail to thrive or grow. If she is too small to breed at 15 months she will probably never grow large enough for use as a breeder. Unless you are a spinnner and her fleece is fabulous why keep her? You could still put her in the freezer as mutton.

 

[RobNMich]

Depending on what the vet says, this might be a ewe you decide to cull. Some animals just fail to thrive or grow. If she is too small to breed at 15 months she will probably never grow large enough for use as a breeder. Unless you are a spinnner and her fleece is fabulous why keep her? You could still put her in the freezer as mutton.

High percentage teeswaters aren't cheap and culling for meat is a poor financial choice if we can figure out why she isn't putting on some weight. Getting her to a fiber flock where she won't be bred is a preferred option, but there's no need to pass on a problem, hence my question about teeth in younger animals.

 

[Baymule]

What did the vet say?