Twin Lamb Disease / Hypocalcaemia
Came home this evening to find one of our ewes very poorly. After a quick "phone a friend" session with farmers Will & Harry it seems likely she has Twin Lamb Disease +/- hypocalcaemia. They are apparently hard to tell apart and often a ewe with one condition will develop the other.
Twin-lamb disease (pregnancy toxaemia) occurs in the last month of pregnancy. Affects thin ewes and, rarely, over-fat ewes. Underlying problem is a lack of food intake, particularly concentrate. Affected ewes won't eat and are often blind and trembling. If not treated, worsen over days and die.
Hypocalcaemia normally occurs in late pregnancy but can occur just after lambing. Can affect ewes in any condition, often after a change of housing (as occurred with ours) or feeding. Ewes are often lying unable to rise, with their heads down. If not treated, worsen over hours and die.
Because the two conditions often go hand-in-hand in ewes we treated for both. Farmer Calum provided the essentials at 10pm tonight in the middle of her lambing round.
-100ml calcium (20%) under the skin along with a twin lamb drench.
We have left her good hay and high-energy concentrate. Fingers crossed!!!
The key to recovery is to get the ewes eating again.
Will report on progress tomorrow.
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