(Lambs generally do not require drenching at marking time – conduct a WEC (worm egg count) to determine the need to drench).
Weaning drenches
Drenching lambs weaned at 12-14 weeks after lambing commenced is recommended because lambs have not developed their natural immunity to worms at this stage.
Using a drench gun, they are applying an anthelmintic dose into the throat of each sheep to kill internal parasites.
Levamisole is a short-acting clear drench. Levamisole is still highly effective against barber's pole worm and Nematodirus on most properties. Nematodirus is often a problem after drought or in lambing paddocks as the egg is resilient and can survive in hot, dry conditions for long periods.
By including all round higher levels of nutrients than similar products and recommending drenching every 4-6 weeks Pre-Tupping may help to maintain the wellbeing of ewes, lambs and tups, thus ensuring optimum performance.
Regarding lambs, they generally will need to be wormed. Traditionally, people have been worming lambs when clinical signs appear (i.e. scouring, wasting, etc.) or just every three weeks.
Cold, wet weather is especially problematic for small, newborn lambs that lose heat quickly. This can be fatal if they don't have enough energy reserves to burn to keep warm. Minimising stress and time off feed is crucial, especially in cold, wet weather.
Orphan lamb health
Ensure lambs always have access to fresh, clean water, clean bedding, short green pasture or hay and a high protein (20%) dry food from 2 weeks. Feed and bedding must be fresh and renewed each day.
A typical sign of a worm problem is unthrifty sheep. An unthrifty sheep is one that is not eating properly, is losing condition, tends to lag behind the mob when moved and, in severe cases, is clearly weak. A worm problem often (but not always) results in sheep scouring and becoming daggy.
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) – This is a long-standing and well-known natural antibiotic with multiple health benefits. You can mix ACV with molasses to improve the taste. Give approximately 5mls a day. Garlic – Use garlic as a worm-preventative and effective dewormer treatment.
FIRST DRENCH contains praziquantel, the only chemical that controls both segments and heads of tapeworm. It makes sense to remove tapeworms to reduce the overall worm burden of your lambs, giving them the best opportunity to achieve peak performance.
Most adult sheep have low worm egg counts in early summer and a drench at that time is not warranted; delaying a drench until late March or April allows some less-resistant worms to survive.
Nematodirus worms are the first parasites that will affect young lambs. Lambs 5 - 10 weeks of age will be affected generally in April/May. The worm infection is carried over on grassland from the previous year and is triggered by cold weather followed by warm spell.
The Dorper sheep is fast becoming a favourable breed in areas of organic production (pastoral areas) as they have characteristics that result in no need for drenching or other treatments.
Water: provide access to fresh, clean water from day one, and at a height which is easily accessible to lambs at all times. Creep feed: top quality creep feed should be introduced from one week of age, and offered fresh at least once a day. Refusals can be fed to the ewes.
In an ideal scenario, it is best practice to let a ewe and her lambs out to grass when it is dry. Lambs that are let out to pasture in wet conditions are susceptible to becoming cold and hypothermic.
Watery mouth is an infectious bacterial disease that can kill newborn lambs usually within the first 3 days of life. Lambs pick up infection from the environment and the bacteria multiply very rapidly in the gut. Affected lambs die within hours.
Lambs less than 30 days of age will need a liquid diet until about 60 days of age. They will start to nibble lamb ration pellets at about 30 days of age. Provide fresh drinking water at all times for the lamb in a clean bucket that the lamb can easily reach.
To maintain its body temperature, the newborn lamb must produce as much heat as it is losing to the environment. If the lamb cannot do this, its body temperature will start to fall, and, if not remedied, lead to death.
Hypothermia can set in quickly during these cold wet conditions, making lambs and shorn or low body condition ewes particularly vulnerable. Prioritise shelter for the most vulnerable.
The biggest risk period is in the 10 days or so following a hatch. Worms are ingested and cause gut damage, which can be fatal.
Sheep and goats that have access to stagnant water are at risk of being infested by these parasites. The eggs and larvae of stomach worms are com- monly found on wet vegetation, like dewy grass. Larvae can move up the grass where they are eaten by sheep or goats.
Mineral Requirements of Sheep. Sheep require the major minerals sodium, chlorine, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, potassium, and trace minerals, including cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, and selenium.