The animals may abruptly go off of feed and become lethargic. Affected animals may show signs of stomach pain, such as kicking at their belly, repeatedly laying down and getting up, laying on their sides, panting, and crying out. Diarrhea may develop; in some cases, there is blood visible in the loose stool.
Aim to feed 200-300mls per feed. Do not be tempted to overfeed! It is best to keep the lambs a little hungry especially in the first few days. Overfeeding can lead to scours or bloating.
This is the disease most commonly referred to as the “Overeating Disease”. Typically, it affects young lambs under two weeks of age or the weaned lambs that are consuming a high-carbohydrate diet (grain). However, lambs grazing lush pastures are also susceptible.
Enterotoxemia is caused by the C and D strains of the gastrointestinal bacteria Clostridium perfringens. These normally harmless bacteria can experience explosive growth when an un-vaccinated lamb or sheep's diet suddenly changes. This can be the result of a sudden surplus of available creep feed, milk or grasses.
Abomasal bloat can occur when lambs are fed cow's milk or milk replacer.
Always follow the feeding instructions on the bag. If lambs are weak and unable to suck, they should be fed colostrum and/or a lamb milk replacer using a tube feeder. Do not increase recommended volumes as lambs are susceptible to bloating and/or scouring from overfeeding.
Bloat is typically caused by two culprits in mature sheep: excess grain or overeating fresh, lush grass in the spring. When sheep eat too much grain too fast or consume the lush legumes like clover or alfalfa, the gases build up in the rumen and cannot escape fast enough, causing bloat.
Animals suffering bloat will in most cases recover if treated quickly and properly. Bloat is most common at the beginning of the rainy season when animals are exposed to fast growing lush pasture after being on a diet of dry feed. Many bloat conditions can be prevented by using proper nutrition and sound management.
Any grain or pellets must be Page 2 introduced gradually into the diet – too much too quickly can make a sheep very sick and even kill it with “grain poisoning”. Pellets, oats or whole lupins are less of a risk for grain poisoning than barley, triticale or wheat, but must still be phased into the diet gradually.
Bloat occurs because the gas cannot escape the abomasum. Sadly, death is rapid and unpleasant. Lambs and kid goats with abomasal bloat will have a swollen belly and will be dull and lethargic. Abdominal pain (colic) and teeth grinding (sign of pain) is common.
Lambs need 10-15% or their body weight of milk daily. Milk should be 35-40 degrees (which feels very warm). Should be fed at least three times a day until around 2 weeks old, then can be reduced to two times a day and once a day from 3 weeks old.
Lambs prefer less volume of milk in more feeds during the day as it is closer to their natural suckling behaviour. If feeding using multi lamb feeders or bottles be prepared to feed lambs 3-4 times a day (depending on your system and age of lambs).
Include limestone at 1.5 per cent of the diet in a feedlot. Alternatively, providing a loose lick of 50 per cent salt and 50 per cent lime ad-lib is an easy option. Salt not only acts as an attractant but can increase water consumption, helping to flush the bladder out.
When the stomach receives large volumes of milk, these bacteria breed quickly, until one day a large milk feed produces so much gas that the stomach stretches irreversible, bloating and killing the lamb. This condition is not seen in naturally reared lambs who drink very small amounts, continuously throughout the day.
Adding an appropriate amount of baking soda to livestock and poultry feed can effectively improve the digestibility of livestock and poultry, accelerate the absorption and utilization of nutrients and the excretion of harmful substances, and have a positive effect on improving the anti-stress ability of livestock and ...
Clinical Signs
Sheep with vestibular disease typically present with a head tilt towards the affected side and loss of balance such that they may fall over when stressed.
Free-gas bloat can usually be relieved by inserting a 3/4" rubber hose into the rumen via the esophagus. If "hosing" does not give immediate relief, a defoaming agent (poloxalene) should be administered through the hose to break the surface tension of the ingesta. A pint of mineral oil is also a defoamer.
Some producers feed calf milk replacer to lambs. Calf milk replacer can contain more lactose, increasing the risk of bloating. Switching to lamb's milk replacer can help with this. Reducing environmental bacteria, especially on buckets and teats by daily cleaning and disinfection.
As compared to cattle, sheep eat a greater variety of plants and select a more nutritious diet, though less so than goats. Sheep will graze for an average of seven hours per day, mostly in the hours around dawn and in the late afternoon, near sunset.
Sheep will eat 2–3% of their bodyweight each day, although younger sheep or ewes with lambs can eat up to 4%.
Abomasal bloat is not likely be a problem if lambs are reared on (antibiotic) treated cow's milk. Waste milk can be fed to lambs successfully, so long as the milk is fortified with fat or oil. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) mixed in water is the common treatment for bloat, as it helps to neutralize acid.
Lamb Shaking after a feed
When heated, the milk should be at room temperature. Test a small amount on the back of your hand to check the temperature. A lamb shaking but not cold following a feed could, however, be a sign of a tummy problem causing pain and discomfort. In this case a vet visit may be required.
As soon as the lambs are eating dry feed well, wean them to a high quality, dry ration and manage them as early weaned feeder lambs. Lambs can be weaned from milk feeding at 25-30 pounds body weight or when they are 30-45 days of age.
Lambs will consume around 20 percent of their body weight in milk per day. It will be beneficial to weigh the lamb to know how much to give. This would equate to about 38 ounces per day for a 12-pound lamb (12 pounds x 16 ounces per pound x .