Carla,
Just out of curiosity, how did you determine that it was a vit B deficency?
I reread your post, I guess that your lambs succombed to
polyencephalomalacia, due to heavy grain cunsumption?
I always add Diamond V yeast as a top dressing for my alpacas and goats for
the B vitamins, to feed their rumens.. The alpacas get minimal amount of
concentrates just for the vitamins and minerals, and the goats only get
grain on the milk stand and only a small soup canful.
Liz Radi
idar alpacas and nubians
100% ARI and homegrown
Nunn Colorado
970-897-2580
www.alpacanation.com/idaralpacas.asp
----- Original Message -----
From: "Carla Amonson" <chicki...@yahoo.com>
To: <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2010 11:02 AM
Subject: [Blackbelly] Vitamin B defficiency
We had an issue with Vit B deficiency this winter with our ABB as we were
finishing them on grain and they were not eating enough forage. This was
a double edged sword as this year we had a drought, and so we were using
grain to cut down on hay consumption to save hay. (There just wasn't any
to buy, never mind the exorbitant prices!, and grain was cheap.)
Anyhow, we lost a couple of lambs, and they die really fast, so we were
not possitive what it was that was killing them. All were our largest and
healthiest wethers. We first thought pulpy kidney, and vaccinated for
that, then were good for about 2 weeks. Then our young guardian dog mauled
one and we second guessed that that was the problem, but then caught
another wether that was down and rushed him to the vet. A shot of Vit B
and within 12 hours he was good again, so everyone got a shot. Now, we
add vit B to their grain (though I have read that oral consumption is not
as good, but seems to be working). Problem is that it is such a tiny
amount to add! (about an 1/8 of a teaspoon for 20 bushels of rolled
grain). Very tricky to administer. You can get it added to a custom
mineral mix, but they will usually only mix a mini bulk bag at a time.
WAY too much for us!
Anyhow, moral of the story, lesson learned and really, our finishing time
was not faster, so I am thinking ABB do not need rich food except when it
is -40 out! hay should suffice. Hopefully we have some rain this year so
that we can get some hay.
Carla
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