Getting lambs off to a fast start

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Getting lambs off to a fast start

• Dan Morrical
• Iowa State University

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Lamb losses and Profit

• Baby lamb losses
• 10-25 per year
• most of the losses are before 72 hrs
• without records you do not know

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Lamb Mortality Study, Rook
1986/3600
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McNay Death Loss by Seasons 1995
Winter Lambs 251/lambs/124 ewes
Fall 148 Lambs/ 81 ewes
Spring Lambs 151 lambs/74 ewes
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Goals of Late Gestation Ration

• 1. Healthy, vigorous ewes
• 2. In condition for heavy milking
• 3. Healthy, vigorous lambs of moderate size.

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Birth Weight on Livability

• Best 11.4 pounds VPI
• 1 pound increase in birth weight
• 4 ? in death loss Texas A M

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Birth Weight Feedlot Performance
Birth Weight Small Medium Large 8.5 8.6-13.3
13.4 Wt. gain/ .69 .75 .82 day of age Feed
eff. 4.8 4.3 3.8
U. of Kentucky
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So what is the right birth weight?

• Depends on
• ewe size
• type of birth
• Singles 7 of dam wt.
• Twins 6.5 of dam wt.
• Triplets 5.5 of dam wt.
• 175 ewe single 12-13
• twin 11-11.5
• triplet 9-10

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Goal of Lambing Season Management

• Maximize Lamb Livability
• Starts before lambing
• What you do can not
• raise number born

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Causes of Death

• Starvation
• Poor ewe condition
• Weak ewe or lamb
• Plugged teats
• Mastitis
• Mis-mothering
• Poor suckling

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Prevention Weak or Starved

• Adequate ewe nutrition (i.e. good condition)
• Energy level of diet
• Crossbreeding
• Exercise
• Weaning management

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Prevention Weak or Starved

• Pre-lambing shearing
• Observation
• Condition score
• Dryer environment
• Lamb indoors
• Easier nursing
• Intake

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Trouble Shooting-Use the Thermometer

• Normal temp. - 101 - 102F
• Elevated temp.-above 103F
• (think infection)
• Cold Lambs
• - mild hypothermia 99-102F
• - severe hypothermia below 99F

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Mild Hypothermia 99-102F

• 1) Remove and dry
• 2) Supplement warm dry heat (100-103F max.
  temp.)
• 3) Tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum (20 mls/lb.)
• 4) Return when rectal temperature is normal
  (1-3 hours)
• 5) Assure future nutrition

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Elevated Temperature-above 103F

• - or animals showing clinical signs
• - assume infectious process
• - probably pneumonia, joint ill or liver abscess
• - LA200 1/2cc/10 lb.
• under the skin given daily for 4-5 days
• - Long acting penicillin 1cc/10-20 lb.
• under the skin given daily for 4-5 days
• - Assure nutrition and hydration

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Severe Hypothermia-below 99F

• Under 6 hours old
• remove and dry
• supplement heat warm dry moving air 100-103F
• tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum
• return when temperature normal
• 1-3 hours
• assure future nutrition

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Severe Hypothermia-below 99F

• Over 6 hours old
• remove and dry
• supplement heat with warm dry moving air
  100-103F max
• tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum CAUTION
• inject 40 ml of 20 dextrose into body cavity
• 1 inch beside and 1 inch behind navel,
• 20 ga 1 inch needle
• return when rectal temp. normal 1-3 hours
• assure future nutrition

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Solution - Observation

• Paint brand
• Cubicles lambing jugs
• Shear pre-lambing
• Stomach tube
• Proper feeding at lambing weaning
• Selenium status

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Stillborns/dystocia

• Symptoms of dystocia
• yellow fleece
• causes - Fat ewes, Poor hybrid vigor
• Was it truly born dead?
• check lungs and feet
• Stillborns Two types
• -infectious
• -hypoxia (observation)

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Solutions

• Condition score
• Observation
• Intercom, video camera
• Feed antibiotics
• Vaccinate against vibrio, EAE
• BoSe ??????
• Assist after 30 minutes in labor

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Abortion Diseases

• Iowa
• Camphylobacter (vibrio)
• Enzootic abortion in ewes (EAE)
• Toxoplasmosis

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Solutions

• Vaccinate vibrio/EAE
• Closed flock
• Late gestation feed antibiotics
• (5 mg/lb. if abortion occurs)
• Sanitation
• Isolation
• Pray

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Pneumonia

• Causes
• Poorly ventilated buildings
• Inadequate space
• Wet bedding

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Solution

• 20 ft.2 area for ewes with lambs
• Sulfa water treatment
• Open up barn
• Use more bedding
• Pre-lambing shearing

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Antibiotics

• 60-65 mg/day
• 6 weeks prior to lambing
• Results
• 65-73 ? in lamb losses
• Univ. of Wyoming
• S.D. State univ.

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Intestinal Disorders - Causes

• Wet bedding
• Stress
• Solutions-
• Lime jugs
• Adequate colostrum (esp. Ecoli)
• Vaccinate ewes
• CI. perfringens C D toxoid
• Increase space and bedding
• Relieve stress

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Equipment Supplies

• Colostrum
• Lamb Reviver i.e. stomach tube
• Thermometer
• Head Snare
• Ropes or dog choke collars

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Equipment...cont.

• Lubricant
• Cubicles
• Gloves
• Intercom
• Bonding Pens

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Equipment...cont.

• Grafting Stanchion
• Hot box / incubator
• Towels
• Biologicals

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Lambing Problems

• How Do You Know?
• 1 - Length of labor
• 2 - Position of feet
• Toes up okay
• Toes down backwards
• Tail first backwards
• One foot first
• Nose first

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Newborn Management

• 1 - Colostrum intake
• - minimum 2 ounces/8 pounds
• - ideal 10 of BW first 24 hrs.
• 2 - Clip - Dip - Strip
• castrate early
• 3 - Lambing Jugs
• 4 x 6, 5 x 6
• 4 - Observe often
• 5 - Check for inverted eyelids

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Weaning

• Wean early
• 60 days or less
• Dry up ewes prior to weaning
• Remove protein
• Remove energy
• Remove water ?

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