Wales Farmer APRIL 2014


Looking after ewes at lambing


A SUCCESSFUL lambing season is crucial to a pro- ductive and profitable year, ensuring that as many lambs are reared will have a direct impact on


sales and ultimately profit. Disease management is vital


during this period to ensure that all lambs are given the best start in life and there are three key stages to consider: Ewe nutrition, colostrum and environment.


Ewe nutrition


THROUGHOUTpregnancy, it is important that ewe body condi- tion score is monitored regularly. During the last six weeks of preg-


nancy, foetal growth accelerates, and the udder develops, so demands on ewes carrying multi- ple foetuses are very high at this time. It is important that the ewes’


diet is formulated to meet require- ments for both energy and pro- tein. Energy deficiency within the diet may not only lead to preg- nancy toxaemia (twin lamb dis- ease) but also result in lambs born with low reserves of brown fat used specifically for protection against hypothermia. If energy supply is adequate, lamb birth- weight and ewe body condition score may be satisfactory, but a lack of quality protein in the diet may not be immediately obvious. Protein is required for the produc-


tion of antibodies and a lack of protein will result in poor anti- body levels in colostrum.


Health and hygiene checklist


* Are the ewes at the target body condition score throughout pregnancy (2.5 - 3 lambing in March or 2- 2.5 when lambing at grass)?


* Are ewes scanned so that they can be grouped according to their feed requirements?


* Is the late pregnancy diet formulated to meet the ewes’ requirements?


* Are ewes kept clean and tailed if necessary? * Is the bedding kept clean and dry? * Are ewes lambing outside provided with sufficient shelter, and stocked at a rate that minimises the risk of mis-mothering?


* Are the navels of all lambs born indoors dipped in 10% iodine shortly after birth and again 2-4 hours later?


* Are lambs that are at risk of not taking sufficient colostrum (e.g. triplets or lambs that have had a difficult birth) fed colostrum by stomach tube shortly after birth?


* In indoor lambing flocks, is the udder of each ewe checked as ewes are moved to individual pens?


* Is there a hospital area to isolate ewes with sick lambs?


* Are stomach tubes washed in hot water every time they are used?


* Are ewes disturbed as little as possible to encourage them to mother and bond with their lambs?


* Do freshly lambed ewes always have a supply of clean, fresh water and high quality forage?


* Are rubber rings only applied when the lambs are over 24 hours old?


* If newborn lambs are tagged, are the tags and ears swabbed with surgical spirit prior to tag- ging?


* If problems occur, is the vet called in promptly to minimise further losses?


Trace elements, such as copper,


cobalt, selenium and iodine are also important for the birth of strong healthy lambs. Your vet can take blood samples fromewes (usually six or eight twin bearing ewes) to check that the diet is meeting their energy and protein requirements.


Colostrum


WHENlambs are born, they have almost no protective antibodies in their blood. During the first few hours after birth, the lambs’ intes- tines are able to absorb antibodies very well but this absorptive capacity declines rapidly, and is significantly reduced by six hours of age. Lambs also have a very limited supply of energy at birth and an adequate feed of colostrum in the first few hours is vital to provide the lamb with both energy and protective anti- bodies. When flock outbreaks of


neonatal infections such as watery mouth occur, it is useful to check whether neonatal lambs have absorbed sufficient levels of antibodies. This can be done easi- ly and cheaply by your vet. Colostrum requirements of new- born lambs are: • 50ml per kg bodyweight with-


in the first two hours of life • 200ml per kg bodyweight in


the first 24 hours The use of a stomach tube is


invaluable for giving colostrumto at risk lambs- including triplets, small weak lambs, and large lambs that have had a difficult birth.


Environment


AT LAMBINGtime, every effort should be made to ensure lambs are born into a clean environ- ment. The navel of the newborn lamb provides an easy route for infections to enter the body. Infections also gain entry to the


body orally, passing into the gut in the case ofwatery mouth, or through the tonsils to enter the bloodstream. Ensuring that the udder and


fleece of the ewe are clean will help to reduce the risk of lambs ingesting infections when search- ing for the teat. Infections that enter through


the mouth and into the gut include E.coli (resulting in watery mouth), rotavirus and cryp- tosporidia, which both cause scouring. All these infections are most prevalent in environments contaminated with faeces, so keeping pens well bedded with clean dry bedding reduces the risk of infection. Lambs infected with rotavirus


or cryptosporidia will be passing out massive numbers of infective agents in their faeces, increasing the challenge for lambs yet to be born, so isolating sick lambs in a hospital area is an important part of control in a disease outbreak.


SHEEP 21


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