Health What are normal vitals? Temperature Respiration Pulse What are visual signs of healthy versus non healthy sheep?

Flock health High producer interest Looking for magic bullet needle oriented Multiple factors Nutrition Genetics Management Biosecurity

Flock health Challenges: Effective vaccines Effective de-wormers Industry size Minor species act

Infectious diseases: Footrot fact sheet in SID Handbook two anaerobic bacteria Dichelobacter nodosus Fusobacterium necrophorum Nasty, Accepted Vaccine Labor Do not buy Quarantine new arrivals

Footrot irradication u u key is clean facility u u organism only survives outside hoof for less than 2 weeks u u ruthless trimming u u foot soaks in 10% Zinc sulfate u u isolate infected sheep u u weekly treatments u u cull not recovering animals

Infectious diseases: Pneumonia: Pasteurella hemolytica Environmental issue crowded wet bedding air quality

Pneumonia: Baby lambs 1-3 days old Many producers use routine prophylactic treatment Sheep farm solutions rapid flow through lots of straw more open ventilation

Improving on Neonatal survival n n Baby lamb losses u u % per year u u most of the losses are before 72 hrs u u without records you do not know n n Huge impact on profit

Lamb Mortality Study, Rook 1986/3600

Winter Lambs 251lambs/124 ewes Spring Lambs 151 lambs/74 ewes Fall 148 Lambs/ 81 ewes McNay Death Loss by Seasons 1995

Birth Weight on Livability Best 11.4 pounds VPI 1 pound increase in birth weight = 4%  in death loss Texas A & M

Birth Weight SmallMediumLarge Wt. gain/ day of age Feed eff U. of Kentucky Birth Weight & Feedlot Performance

Depends on: ewe size type of birth Singles 7% of dam wt. Twins 6% of dam wt. Triplets 5% of dam wt. 175 ewesingle twin triplet So what is the right birth weight?

Causes of Death n n Starvation u u Poor ewe condition u u Weak ewe or lamb u u Plugged teats u u Mastitis u u Mis-mothering u u Poor suckling

Prevention: Weak or Starved n Adequate ewe nutrition (i.e. good condition) n Energy level of diet n Crossbreeding n Exercise n Weaning management

Prevention: Weak or Starved cont. n Pre-lambing shearing u u Observation u u Condition score u u Dryer environment u u Lamb indoors u u Easier nursing u u Intake

Solution - Observation n Paint brand n Cubicles & lambing jugs n Shear pre-lambing n Stomach tube n Proper feeding at lambing & weaning n Selenium &Vitamin E status

Trouble Shooting-Use the Thermometer n Normal temp ° - 102°F n Elevated temp.-above 103°F (think infection) n Cold Lambs - mild hypothermia 99°-102°F - severe hypothermia below 99°F

Mild Hypothermia 99°-102°F 1) Remove and dry 2) Supplement warm dry heat (100°-103°F max. temp.) 3) Tube feed ml colostrum (20 ml/lb.) 4) Return when rectal temperature is normal (1-3 hours) 5) Assure future nutrition

Elevated Temperature-above 103°F - - or animals showing clinical signs - assume infectious process - probably pneumonia, joint ill or liver abscess treat as per VCP relationship-health protocol - Insure nutrition and hydration

Severe Hypothermia-below 99°F n n Under 6 hours old u u remove and dry u u supplement heat F F warm dry moving air °F u u tube feed ml colostrum u u return when temperature normal F F 1-3 hours u u insure future nutrition

Severe Hypothermia-below 99°F n n Over 6 hours old u u remove and dry u u supplement heat with warm dry moving air u u tube feed ml colostrum precaution u u inject 50 ml of 20% dextrose into body cavity 1 inch beside and 1 inch behind navel w/ 20 ga 1/2 inch needle u u return when temperature normal 1-3 hours u u insure future nutrition