sheep aborting

masterblaster2

In the last few days two aborted,weren't due for another 3 weeks.Vet said toxomasplosis,don't keep cats.Can they be put back to the ram this year?

Box09

In short yes you can run them with the ram next year as they are now immune to it.

5live

They can be back in a few weeks and no problem with them going back in lamb next year. Just keep them away from any ewes in lamb or you can get an abortion storm. And any infected cats around your land can soil the grass/hay/straw/silage and start the cycle again

snowman707

there are number of causes, best way to build up immunity is to run any bought in stock or your own replacements with your flock for a good 6 weeks before going to the ram


cats and bird sh1t are a big no no where sheep are feeding , make sure the birds aren't soiling the feed and take care of the cats any way you choose

masterblaster2

Thanks for replies,lost single and double already.Was going to stop feeding square bales of hay as it was bought in,no access for cats where I stored it.Is it better to stick with bales of silage in future.

kay 9

I feel your pain. This happened about 90% of all our ewes in 1999. Was a devastating year. We had it down to cats also. Silage is not great for sheep either unless it's compltely mold free. Always something new with feckin sheep. Glad we are out of them. Trying to up cattle numbers again, seem to be much luckier for us.

rancher

We use toxovax and enzovax in our ewes, good insurance, expensive at 8 euro at least, but only once in their lifetime

benjydagg

If it's any consolation, when I had a lot of sheep, we would always have a few abort at the 3 week out stage. Keep the chin up, we used toxovax and enzovax in later years, and had to vaccinaate for e-coli aswell. The live ones will pay well this year.

Birdnuts

Can cats be innoculated against this to minimize the threat

benjydagg

Eh... I wouldn't think so.

Birdnuts

benjydagg wrote: »

Eh... I wouldn't think so.

http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/toxo.html

It would appear your right - though according to the link above it can be treated but as yet there are no vaccines to prevent them(cats) getting infected in the first place

snowman707

touch wood we haven't a sheep abort in over 15 years we lamb down circa 340 ewes each year

we don't vaccinate as mentioned ^ we run all bought in and replacements with aged ewes just before the breeding season to build up self immunity

Username John

snowman707 wrote: »

there are number of causes, best way to build up immunity is to run any bought in stock or your own replacements with your flock for a good 6 weeks before going to the ram

Interesting snowman, I didnt know they would build up immunity like this.

brownswiss

Username John wrote: »

Interesting snowman, I didnt know they would build up immunity like this.

'''


http://farmingforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=561103

" Its not a sheep to sheep disease - so mixing sheep that have aborted with others will not confer any immunity. "

charityboy

Birdnuts wrote: »

Can cats be innoculated against this to minimize the threat

they sure can ,a small dose of lead innoculates cats against all disease and minimizes your problem

brownswiss

charityboy wrote: »

they sure can ,a small dose of lead innoculates cats against all disease and minimizes your problem

Tempting but I do not think that will solve the problem unless you deal with your neighbour's cats etc.

I wonder do young lambs build up immunity if they eat with the ewes in or around the sheds. ?

Do all farms have the same strain of the disease ? If my sheep build up immunity here are they safe from the disease on other farms ?

brownswiss

I know i should not stick this in here but I did not get a response in another section.

Has anyone used the EID tag supplied by a Limerick company ?. They are not much bigger than a factory tag.

The shaft bends if you try to put them in a ewe's ear..

reilig

brownswiss wrote: »

I know i should not stick this in here but I did not get a response in another section.

Has anyone used the EID tag supplied by a Limerick company ?. They are not much bigger than a factory tag.

The shaft bends if you try to put them in a ewe's ear..

I haven't used them. But if I was you, I'd be going back to them and demanding my money back!!