Ewe with bottle teat

Conmaicne Mara

This ewe is doing my head in. I have her in the shed with her single ram lamb, who is doing very well. I thought he would get the hang of her but no, he will only suck the other side. I've been milking her out two - three times a day. She is on hay only, no ration.

Suggestions?

J.O. Farmer

Could you put something on the teat he's sucking to put him off it and onto the other. I'd be thinking mustard but it might be severe on the ewe.

rancher

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

This ewe is doing my head in. I have her in the shed with her single ram lamb, who is doing very well. I thought he would get the hang of her but no, he will only suck the other side. I've been milking her out two - three times a day. She is on hay only, no ration.

Suggestions?

If he's doing well on the other side why are you bothering, don't really understand the problem, the more you milk her the more she'll milk.
The only way it'll dry off is to stop milking it

Conmaicne Mara

rancher wrote: »

If he's doing well on the other side why are you bothering, don't really understand the problem, the more you milk her the more she'll milk.
The only way it'll dry off is to stop milking it

Was worried if she'd get mastitis if I left her with one big teat, that's why I was milking it. If she won't that's grand, he's flying on one teat.

rancher

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Was worried if she'd get mastitis if I left her with one big teat, that's why I was milking it. If she won't that's grand, he's flying on one teat.

I won't guarantee she won't, but we'd have a few here every year, we couldn't be milking them, we'd let them off with their lamb and a cull mark, nothing more we can do, we only get one two cases of mastitis in ewes a year....and it mightened even be those ones.

Username John

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Was worried if she'd get mastitis if I left her with one big teat, that's why I was milking it. If she won't that's grand, he's flying on one teat.

As you've started now - would she be ok if you just stopped all of a sudden?
You don't want to starve her, as you want her to milk off one side.

Would it be better to cut back on milking her. Maybe go to once a day for a few days, then cut back more over time?

I dunno now - just wouldn't like her to get mastitis like...

EDIT : actually rather than milk once a day, maybe leave her tomorrow. Milk tues, etc... See how she goes...

Conmaicne Mara

She's down as a cull for the big teat anyhow, shame as she's a smasher of a ewe and lots of milk. Will give it some thought and figure out what I'm at in the morning.

rancher

Username John wrote: »

As you've started now - would she be ok if you just stopped all of a sudden?
You don't want to starve her, as you want her to milk off one side.

Would it be better to cut back on milking her. Maybe go to once a day for a few days, then cut back more over time?

I dunno now - just wouldn't like her to get mastitis like...

Probably right, I suppose we'd never start milking her, teat would be still sealed

J.O. Farmer

Could you tube her with dry cow tubes and a teatseal. Obviously you wouldn't use the full tubes. She would probably be alright just yet if she's out in a clean field as there's not many flies about.

Conmaicne Mara

I let her out with the other singles this morning, I think we're both sick and tired of looking at each other day in day out. Will keep a close eye on there and pen her occasionally to check her out.

Conmaicne Mara

Had her in the pen today while tagging the single lambs, turned her up and while she still has the big teat her elder is fine and there's no lameness, may get away with this one

rangler1

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Had her in the pen today while tagging the single lambs, turned her up and while she still has the big teat her elder is fine and there's no lameness, may get away with this one

A week out now, she should be drying off in it now

Conmaicne Mara

rangler1 wrote: »

A week out now, she should be drying off in it now

Yeah that side is significantly smaller than it was when she was in the shed. Will check her again after another few days pass.