un expected lambs

roosky

went to check ewes today and found two good healthy lams with a ewe!


first things first i have her in at the minute but as im used to march lambing i dont know much about lambs this time of the year.....will the lambs need to be left in long or is it just weather dependent .....maybe let them out during the day and in at night or something.....


second problem as the lambs were unexpected the ewe was never done with the 8 in 1 when can i inject the lambs and with how much ??


thanks fro advice!!

Username John

roosky wrote: »

went to check ewes today and found two good healthy lams with a ewe!


first things first i have her in at the minute but as im used to march lambing i dont know much about lambs this time of the year.....will the lambs need to be left in long or is it just weather dependent .....maybe let them out during the day and in at night or something.....


second problem as the lambs were unexpected the ewe was never done with the 8 in 1 when can i inject the lambs and with how much ??


thanks fro advice!!

Very good - a nice surprise

I lamb start Jan - I normally keep the sheep & lambs in a pen for 2 - 3 days, then start to put em out by day for another day or two - depending on weather. Then out full time after this.
This cold hard weather is grand for lambs, far better than cold rain.

Re the 8 in 1 - for the sake of 2 lambs, I would take the chance of not injecting them. I assume you will be injecting the main flock in mid Jan or Feb for March lambing - so you could inject the lambs then as well.

roosky

ya usually inject bout 2 weeks before they lamb so that means mid February ....im the more cautious type and if i have stuff there id sooner inject them.....would it be a usual dose seems alot for a lamb !!

Username John

roosky wrote: »

ya usually inject bout 2 weeks before they lamb so that means mid February ....im the more cautious type and if i have stuff there id sooner inject them.....would it be a usual dose seems alot for a lamb !!

I asume its Covexin you are referring to.

"Sheep dosage: Inject 5 mL subcutaneously followed by a 2 mL dose in 6 weeks. Revaccinate annually with 2 mL prior to periods of extreme risk or parturition. For Cl. novyi and Cl. haemolyticum, revaccinate every 5 to 6 months. Vaccination should be scheduled so that pregnant ewes receive their second vaccination or annual booster 2 to 6 weeks before lambing commences in the flock. Lambs should be given their primary course beginning at 10 to 12 weeks of age."

Copied from here

So 10 weeks from now would be 3rd week Feb, I imagine if you kept the injection in the fridge for a day or two it would be ok.

Re amount, I would guess its s 5ml. Seems a bit all right, but I guess at 10 - 12 weeks, lambs would be strong enough too...

Highland

If you have not vaccinated the ewes 2-6weeks pre lambing then they will not have passed on passive immunity to the lambs. Dont wait 10 weeks, inject them as soon as you can (the sooner the better) 1ml under the skin and repeat 4 - 6 weeks later. You will not be tying up the maternal recieved antibodies as they havent got any, so there is no point in waiting. If they are not vaccinated and are challanged by a clostradial disease they will kick the bucket.

roosky

Highland wrote: »

If you have not vaccinated the ewes 2-6weeks pre lambing then they will not have passed on passive immunity to the lambs. Dont wait 10 weeks, inject them as soon as you can (the sooner the better) 1ml under the skin and repeat 4 - 6 weeks later. You will not be tying up the maternal recieved antibodies as they havent got any, so there is no point in waiting. If they are not vaccinated and are challanged by a clostradial disease they will kick the bucket.

ya well that was my thinking .....the lad above said its not worth it for 2 lambs but i think only two why not to it to hell 100 gone if they die

rancher

roosky wrote: »

ya well that was my thinking .....the lad above said its not worth it for 2 lambs but i think only two why not to it to hell 100 gone if they die

Lambs are building immunity from the ewes for the first two weeks of their life' so you can imagine the pressure you're putting them under by introducing minute doses of eight more diseases into them, Covexin isn't supposed to be used under 2 weeks either. Below says the same thing in scientific terms.

Heptavac P Plus should not be used in lambs less than 3 weeks of age due to the possible immunological incompetence
of the very young lamb and competition from any maternally derived colostral antibodies.
Do not vaccinate unhealthy animals.

Irish Medicines Board

J______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Highland

lambs are born with virtually no immune system. The colostrum they get from their dams provides them with passive immunity (i.e. antibodies against disease, but not the ability to mount an immediate immune response by themselves). Lambs develope their own active immune response system as they get older and the maternal immunity wears off. This immunity is got by either coming in contact with disease causing organisms or buy being vaccinated against them.

So if the ewes are vaccinated against clostradia pre lambing then they will provide the lambs with the passive immunity for around 12 weeks (in the case of clostradial disease - pasturella is much shorter) so there is no point in vacinating as the maternal antibodies will tie up the vaccine and the lambs own immune system will not mount an immune response resulting in the vaccine being wasted. If however the ewes are not vaccinated before lambing the lambs will not have any maternal antibodies to tie up the vaccine and they will also have no protection against the disease - so vaccination is a good idea as soon as is practical

It is important to remember that clostradial vaccines do not cause disease so don't put the lamb under preasure. Wouldnt worry about the age 1,2 or 3 weeks but certainly wouldnt leave it till they are a couple of months old

roosky

thanks for advice how ever mixed so ill probably leave it now that they can benefit from it !

greysides

If the ewe is four months early lambing then she's four months closer to her previous vaccination than normal too. If she's an older ewe and has been boosted several times, she'll also be better off than a younger ewe, so her colostrum might not be too bad.

Mr.Success

I dont start till march this year but i knew at the back of my mind there was one ewe due in mid Jan. There she is this morning with 2 ewe lambs following her around, and she never got oats or nothing.

roosky

Mr.Success wrote: »

I dont start till march this year but i knew at the back of my mind there was one ewe due in mid Jan. There she is this morning with 2 ewe lambs following her around, and she never got oats or nothing.

ya would make ya think i do use good bit a meal pre and post lambing and have two good lambs with no meal but suppose its just lucky!!!