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Published byAmberly Wood Modified over 9 years ago
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Health What are normal vitals? Temperature Respiration Pulse What are visual signs of healthy versus non healthy sheep?
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Flock health High producer interest Looking for magic bullet needle oriented Multiple factors Nutrition Genetics Management Biosecurity
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Flock health Challenges: Effective vaccines Effective de-wormers Industry size Minor species act
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Infectious diseases: Footrot fact sheet in SID Handbook two anaerobic bacteria Dichelobacter nodosus Fusobacterium necrophorum Nasty, Accepted Vaccine Labor Do not buy Quarantine new arrivals
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Footrot irradication u u key is clean facility u u organism only survives outside hoof for less than 2 weeks u u ruthless trimming u u foot soaks in 10% Zinc sulfate u u isolate infected sheep u u weekly treatments u u cull not recovering animals
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Infectious diseases: Pneumonia: Pasteurella hemolytica Environmental issue crowded wet bedding air quality
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Pneumonia: Baby lambs 1-3 days old Many producers use routine prophylactic treatment Sheep farm solutions rapid flow through lots of straw more open ventilation
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Improving on Neonatal survival n n Baby lamb losses u u 10-25 % per year u u most of the losses are before 72 hrs u u without records you do not know n n Huge impact on profit
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Lamb Mortality Study, Rook 1986/3600
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Winter Lambs 251lambs/124 ewes Spring Lambs 151 lambs/74 ewes Fall 148 Lambs/ 81 ewes McNay Death Loss by Seasons 1995
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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 SmallMediumLarge 8.58.6-13.313.4 Wt. gain/.69.75.82 day of age Feed eff.4.84.33.8 U. of Kentucky Birth Weight & Feedlot Performance
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Depends on: ewe size type of birth Singles 7% of dam wt. Twins 6% of dam wt. Triplets 5% of dam wt. 175 ewesingle 12-13 twin 10.5-11 triplet 9-9.5 So what is the right birth weight?
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Causes of Death n n Starvation u u Poor ewe condition u u Weak ewe or lamb u u Plugged teats u u Mastitis u u Mis-mothering u u Poor suckling
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Prevention: Weak or Starved n Adequate ewe nutrition (i.e. good condition) n Energy level of diet n Crossbreeding n Exercise n Weaning management
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Prevention: Weak or Starved cont. n Pre-lambing shearing u u Observation u u Condition score u u Dryer environment u u Lamb indoors u u Easier nursing u u Intake
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Solution - Observation n Paint brand n Cubicles & lambing jugs n Shear pre-lambing n Stomach tube n Proper feeding at lambing & weaning n Selenium &Vitamin E status
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Trouble Shooting-Use the Thermometer n Normal temp. - 101° - 102°F n Elevated temp.-above 103°F (think infection) n Cold Lambs - mild hypothermia 99°-102°F - severe hypothermia below 99°F
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Mild Hypothermia 99°-102°F 1) Remove and dry 2) Supplement warm dry heat (100°-103°F max. temp.) 3) Tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum (20 ml/lb.) 4) Return when rectal temperature is normal (1-3 hours) 5) Assure future nutrition
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Elevated Temperature-above 103°F - - or animals showing clinical signs - assume infectious process - probably pneumonia, joint ill or liver abscess treat as per VCP relationship-health protocol - Insure nutrition and hydration
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Severe Hypothermia-below 99°F n n Under 6 hours old u u remove and dry u u supplement heat F F warm dry moving air 100-103°F u u tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum u u return when temperature normal F F 1-3 hours u u insure future nutrition
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Severe Hypothermia-below 99°F n n Over 6 hours old u u remove and dry u u supplement heat with warm dry moving air u u tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum precaution u u inject 50 ml of 20% dextrose into body cavity 1 inch beside and 1 inch behind navel w/ 20 ga 1/2 inch needle u u return when temperature normal 1-3 hours u u insure future nutrition
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