Nutritional/Metabolic Problems in Sheep

Nutritional/Metabolic Problems in Sheep Dr. Dan Morrical Iowa State University

Young Lambs • Enterotoxemia • Clostridium perfringens type C • Symptoms • Sudden death in 7-21 day old lambs

Young Lambs....continued • Prevention • Booster dams in late gestation • Vaccinate lambs at 21 days and weaning • Orphan vaccination • Maximum colostrum intake • Misdiagnosed-selenium/Vit. E deficiency

White Muscle/Stiff Lamb Disease • Symptoms • Stiff rear legs and arched back • Sudden death • Aspiration Pneumonia • Poor suckling reflex

White Muscle/Stiff Lamb Disease...continued • Cause • Deficiency of Vit. E and/or Selenium • Note: Selenium is toxic but Vitamin E is not • it is also cheap • High grain rations reduce Vit. E • Newborns only source of E is milk

Results - Serum E ewes • Con E-G E-L E-GL • Pretreatment 1.27 1.26 • Pre-lambing 1.51a 1.91b • Post-lambinga .93a 1.13b • Mid-lactation .97a .95a 1.28b 1.37b • Milk E at 3 days 10.8 15.1 • a,b Row means with different superscripts differ (p<.05).

Results - Serum E lambs • Con E-G E-L E-GL • 3d 1.08 1.08 • 28d .41 .38 1.33 1.33

Goiter • Symptoms • Enlarged thyroid • Poor wool coat at birth • Low vigor/survival

Goiter.....continued • Prevention • Iodized salt • Compensate for goitergens (kale, brassicas, etc.)

Finishing Lambs • Enterotoxemia/Overeating • Symptoms • Best doing lambs • Uncoordinated movement • Rapid death

Finishing Lambs...continued • Prevention • Vaccination - toxoid • Bunk management • Gradual ration changes • Antibiotics • Misdiagnosed-polio and • Vit. E/Se deficiency, pneumonia

Urinary Calculi • •Wether lambs and stud rams • •Several types-phosphate, calcium, silica • •Problem-concentrates are low in calcium and high • in phosphorous

Urinary Calculi...continued • •Prevention • Water intake • Salt • Ammonium chloride or sulfate • Add calcium to achieve 1.5:1 ratio to phosphorous • Never add phosphorous

Polioencephalomacia(brainers) • Thiamine deficiency • Prevention • Maintain rumen health • Gradual ration changes • Feed some long fiber • Sulfur intake

Copper Toxicosis • Breed Susceptibility • Mineral interactions-Mo & Su, • along with high Zn & Ca • Normal copper, low molybdenum

Copper Toxicosis...continued • Prevention • Sheep specific feeds • No additional copper • Feed some Mo • Copper & Molybdenum • are both toxic

Pregnancy Toxemia • Cause - Excess fat catabolism and ketone accumulation • Prevention • Over conditioned ewes • Increased conc. feeding LG • Fetal scans • Pre-lambing shearing

Pregnancy Toxemia...continued • Treatment • Propylene glycol • Induced parturition • Severe cases usually do not recover

Grass Tetany • Hypomagnesia • Cause: excess potassium • Lactating ewes on lush, spring pasture • N fertilization increases risks

Grass Tetany...continued • Magnesium oxide in mineral • poor palatibility. • Sudden death-confirmation by necropsy • Stress induced

Milk Fever • Ewes vs. Dairy Cows • Cause • Calcium deficiency ?? • Stress induced

Milk Fever...continued • Late gestation ewes carrying triplets • Symptoms • Depressed, lethargic, recumbent • Treatment • Calcium gluconate • Rapid response

Wool Pulling • Cause • Inadequate dry matter intake • Small particle size, effective fiber • Low phosphorous intake

Wool Pulling...continued • Prevention • Maximum 50% concentration ration • Improved feeding technique • Offer some low quality, long forage • Evaluate phosphorous level

Vaginal Prolapses • Causes • Overfeeding roughage • Genetics • Short docks • Fat ewes

Vaginal Prolapses...continued • Prevention • Feed higher quality roughage in LG • Restrict roughage in ration esp. for ewe lambs • Adequate bunk space • Prevent obesity in ewes

Summary • Common sense eliminates most disorders • Shepherd mistakes creates a lot of the disorders • Seek advice if not sure of what you are doing

Nutritional/Metabolic Problems in Sheep