Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
Just a thought, and this has nothing to do with mastitis. I have a friend who has been raising sheep for years. When she has triplets, she always take one away from the mother and gives it to someone else to bottle feed or she does herself. She told me, Liz/ with triplets, they all suffer. One does well, one mediocre and one is runty. Hers were wool sheep, don't know if that makes a difference. Liz Radi Nubian goats Nunn, Colorado --- uncarved_bl...@earthlink.net wrote: From: Jim Isbell uncarved_bl...@earthlink.net To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Subject: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2015 12:06:45 -0500 We seem to have a sheep with mastitis. Susie (from Soggy Top) gave birth to triplets (2 rams and 1 ewe) on 03/18. All was well, lambs were between 4-5 lbs at birth. However, I woke up this morning to find the ewe lamb dead. No visible injuries, she just seemed a bit thinner than I would think is normal. Today, I see that one of the ram lambs is also looking on the thin side. So, after feeding the adult ewes, I worked with Susie and her lambs, noticing she isn't entirely enthusiastic about nursing them. Not running away, just not excited about it. So, I actually put her on the ground to give better access to her teats and put the thin ram lamb on one. I worked her udder/bag to get it started, and I noticed that she is pretty lumpy with some harder spots. Pretty sure she has mild mastitis. She still produces (some) milk. Nothing wrong with it (white, fluid - no blood, lumps or discharge). Seeing as you all are experienced sheep-folk, what is the remedy here? Thanks, Jim Isbell To sin is a human business, to justify sins is a devilish business. - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
One very important preventative measure is to ensure you provide clean and dry bedding. Lactating ewes can be more susceptible to mastitis if they are forced to bed in wet and confined areas. On Mar 23, 2015, at 7:24 AM, Elizabeth Radi lizr...@skybeam.com wrote: Just a thought, and this has nothing to do with mastitis. I have a friend who has been raising sheep for years. When she has triplets, she always take one away from the mother and gives it to someone else to bottle feed or she does herself. She told me, Liz/ with triplets, they all suffer. One does well, one mediocre and one is runty. Hers were wool sheep, don't know if that makes a difference. Liz Radi Nubian goats Nunn, Colorado --- uncarved_bl...@earthlink.net wrote: From: Jim Isbell uncarved_bl...@earthlink.net To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Subject: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2015 12:06:45 -0500 We seem to have a sheep with mastitis. Susie (from Soggy Top) gave birth to triplets (2 rams and 1 ewe) on 03/18. All was well, lambs were between 4-5 lbs at birth. However, I woke up this morning to find the ewe lamb dead. No visible injuries, she just seemed a bit thinner than I would think is normal. Today, I see that one of the ram lambs is also looking on the thin side. So, after feeding the adult ewes, I worked with Susie and her lambs, noticing she isn't entirely enthusiastic about nursing them. Not running away, just not excited about it. So, I actually put her on the ground to give better access to her teats and put the thin ram lamb on one. I worked her udder/bag to get it started, and I noticed that she is pretty lumpy with some harder spots. Pretty sure she has mild mastitis. She still produces (some) milk. Nothing wrong with it (white, fluid - no blood, lumps or discharge). Seeing as you all are experienced sheep-folk, what is the remedy here? Thanks, Jim Isbell To sin is a human business, to justify sins is a devilish business. - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
Depends on the ewe-I have a ewe that for the last 3 years has given birth to triplets and has given them excellent care...I think she can count how many babies she has as 2 will nurse and then when one leaves the other steps up and she waits until the last one is done. She is an exceptional mother and I have never lost any and all grew big strong. -Original Message- From: Blackbelly [mailto:blackbelly-boun...@lists.blackbellysheep.info] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Radi Sent: Monday, March 23, 2015 6:24 AM To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis Just a thought, and this has nothing to do with mastitis. I have a friend who has been raising sheep for years. When she has triplets, she always take one away from the mother and gives it to someone else to bottle feed or she does herself. She told me, Liz/ with triplets, they all suffer. One does well, one mediocre and one is runty. Hers were wool sheep, don't know if that makes a difference. Liz Radi Nubian goats Nunn, Colorado --- uncarved_bl...@earthlink.net wrote: From: Jim Isbell uncarved_bl...@earthlink.net To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info Subject: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2015 12:06:45 -0500 We seem to have a sheep with mastitis. Susie (from Soggy Top) gave birth to triplets (2 rams and 1 ewe) on 03/18. All was well, lambs were between 4-5 lbs at birth. However, I woke up this morning to find the ewe lamb dead. No visible injuries, she just seemed a bit thinner than I would think is normal. Today, I see that one of the ram lambs is also looking on the thin side. So, after feeding the adult ewes, I worked with Susie and her lambs, noticing she isn't entirely enthusiastic about nursing them. Not running away, just not excited about it. So, I actually put her on the ground to give better access to her teats and put the thin ram lamb on one. I worked her udder/bag to get it started, and I noticed that she is pretty lumpy with some harder spots. Pretty sure she has mild mastitis. She still produces (some) milk. Nothing wrong with it (white, fluid - no blood, lumps or discharge). Seeing as you all are experienced sheep-folk, what is the remedy here? Thanks, Jim Isbell To sin is a human business, to justify sins is a devilish business. - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
Hi Jim, We had a ewe several years ago who I believe had mastitis. It was her second birthing, twins, and her udder had become the size of a Dutch oven the day after the twins were born. It was hard and the lambs had trouble nursing. One teat seemed to work better than the other. I tried reading up on the problem, and what I ended up doing was massaging the udder with a warm towel. I did this a few times and it seemed to help her feel better. I also remember reading that it would help the udder go down if the lambs were able to nurse. The massaging is what seemed to loosen everything up for her. I had also read that if a ewe has mastitis that they are more susceptible to it in the future - I guess we got lucky because she never experienced it again. I had read about penicillin treatment too, like Cecil was saying, but I opted to try the less invasive and more user-friendly fix first - and it worked here. Good luck with your ewe! ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
[Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
We seem to have a sheep with mastitis. Susie (from Soggy Top) gave birth to triplets (2 rams and 1 ewe) on 03/18. All was well, lambs were between 4-5 lbs at birth. However, I woke up this morning to find the ewe lamb dead. No visible injuries, she just seemed a bit thinner than I would think is normal. Today, I see that one of the ram lambs is also looking on the thin side. So, after feeding the adult ewes, I worked with Susie and her lambs, noticing she isn't entirely enthusiastic about nursing them. Not running away, just not excited about it. So, I actually put her on the ground to give better access to her teats and put the thin ram lamb on one. I worked her udder/bag to get it started, and I noticed that she is pretty lumpy with some harder spots. Pretty sure she has mild mastitis. She still produces (some) milk. Nothing wrong with it (white, fluid - no blood, lumps or discharge). Seeing as you all are experienced sheep-folk, what is the remedy here? Thanks, Jim Isbell To sin is a human business, to justify sins is a devilish business. - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
Mastitis is a real pain. You need to feed the lambs on a bottle and restrict their access to that udder milk. They can get an infection from it. You can infuse the udder with Penicillin, based mastitis treatment. You will have to use cattle treatments as there are none available for sheep. Also you will need to give her some rather massive amounts of Penicillin to treat that mastitis systemically. I would use Combiotic at the rate of 6cc per day. I forget the dosage, but use the maximum on the bottle for the same weight as for cattle. The udder is like a sponge with warm milk in it. Think how you would disinfect a sponge. Cecil in OKla On 3/21/2015 12:06 PM, Jim Isbell wrote: We seem to have a sheep with mastitis. Susie (from Soggy Top) gave birth to triplets (2 rams and 1 ewe) on 03/18. All was well, lambs were between 4-5 lbs at birth. However, I woke up this morning to find the ewe lamb dead. No visible injuries, she just seemed a bit thinner than I would think is normal. Today, I see that one of the ram lambs is also looking on the thin side. So, after feeding the adult ewes, I worked with Susie and her lambs, noticing she isn't entirely enthusiastic about nursing them. Not running away, just not excited about it. So, I actually put her on the ground to give better access to her teats and put the thin ram lamb on one. I worked her udder/bag to get it started, and I noticed that she is pretty lumpy with some harder spots. Pretty sure she has mild mastitis. She still produces (some) milk. Nothing wrong with it (white, fluid - no blood, lumps or discharge). Seeing as you all are experienced sheep-folk, what is the remedy here? Thanks, Jim Isbell To sin is a human business, to justify sins is a devilish business. - Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
Re: [Blackbelly] Sheep Mastitis
That should have read - massaged her udder with a MOIST warm towel. ___ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
