Ewe with triplets?

Farmer Dan

Morning everyone. I know we're all busy but I'd appreciate any advice. I had a ewe give birth to triplets yesterday morning, she had them herself, no problems. Ewe is 4 years old. Thing is, she's stopped eating except for picking a bit of meal. Not eating hay or drinking much water. Lambs are thriving, ewe not herself. I've given her some chanatol. Any suggestions?
Appreciate your help & thanks.

razor8

Possibly acidosis. Did you give too much meal?

rangler1

Farmer Dan wrote: »

Morning everyone. I know we're all busy but I'd appreciate any advice. I had a ewe give birth to triplets yesterday morning, she had them herself, no problems. Ewe is 4 years old. Thing is, she's stopped eating except for picking a bit of meal. Not eating hay or drinking much water. Lambs are thriving, ewe not herself. I've given her some chanatol. Any suggestions?
Appreciate your help & thanks.

Give her an antibiotic and ivy, I'm not prescribing anything but we use tetracycline

Farmer Dan

Thanks. I wasn't home when she lambed but dad gave her a scoop of oats & she ate it. Not eating since, would that have been enough to cause it?

Farmer Dan

Thanks, I'll try that. Was wondering myself would it be milk fever or acidosis as suggested above

greysides

She would likely be scoury and puffing a little with acidosis. A bit of bread soda would help. Have you checked her for mastitis? Did she lose the placentas?
Milk Fever would be a weakness of limb, unable to stand.

Farmer Dan

Thanks greysides. She wasn't eating or drinking water this morning. At dinner time I dosed her with 2 table spoons of bread soda in a pint of water and there's been a improvement, she's drank a bucket of water & eat some silage.
Thanks for everyone's advice.
Is there a need to give her more bread soda & water tomorrow? I suppose I'd want to ease her back onto the ration!

Farmer Dan

greysides wrote: »

She would likely be scoury and puffing a little with acidosis. A bit of bread soda would help. Have you checked her for mastitis? Did she lose the placentas?
Milk Fever would be a weakness of limb, unable to stand.

Sorry greysides. No sign of mastitis, plenty of milk on both sides. Yes she Lambed & cleaned perfectly with out any assistance. Perhaps the amount of oats dad gave her thinking he was doing good caused the problem.

greysides

Repeat bread soda, tonight, and twice tomorrow (to neutralise acidity in rumen and limit damage to rumen wall). Give antibiotics for a couple of days too (prevent liver abscesses forming due to bacteria arriving in blood having gotten through the devitalised rumen wall). Multivitamin by injection or orally would be a help too boost liver function).

Username John

Farmer Dan wrote: »

Sorry greysides. No sign of mastitis, plenty of milk on both sides. Yes she Lambed & cleaned perfectly with out any assistance. Perhaps the amount of oats dad gave her thinking he was doing good caused the problem.

How much oats?

Usually pats is a very safe feed. Maybe it was coming on before the lambing? What was she being fed before this?

Would definitely give her ivy as well, if you can.

rangler1

Username John wrote: »

How much oats?

Usually pats is a very safe feed. Maybe it was coming on before the lambing? What was she being fed before this?

Would definitely give her ivy as well, if you can.

I'd be surprised if it was the oats as well, she was surely eating oats before lambing,

Willfarman

Along with greysides treatments If she's on her feet put a lamb jacket on hardiest one of her lambs and put both out to grass for a few hours every day. Also 50 mls of glycerine twice a day is a help with ketosis.

Farmer Dan

Username John wrote: »

How much oats?

Usually pats is a very safe feed. Maybe it was coming on before the lambing? What was she being fed before this?

Would definitely give her ivy as well, if you can.

Before lambing she was on ewe and lamb ration & fodder beet. Thanks

Farmer Dan

Username John wrote: »

How much oats?

Usually pats is a very safe feed. Maybe it was coming on before the lambing? What was she being fed before this?

Would definitely give her ivy as well, if you can.

Judging by what dad showed me I say there was over a kilo of oats in the bucket.

razor8

It's acidosis so, as said let her out to grass for a few hours and give her the ration in small amounts