>I was wondering if other grazers have had a problem with enterotoxemia
>(overeating disease) with ewes and lambs grazing grass-clover pastures.
We lost a few sheep when we were only vaccinating with CD&T. We
switched to Covexin 8 and no more deaths. We feed no grain at all.
Ewes get a booster shot about 2-3 weeks before lambing is due to
start. Lambs get their first shot at 10-12 weeks and a second 6 weeks
later per label directions. What we do differently, per vet
prescription, is give a much smaller dose to our sheep because they
are smaller and we give all shots SQ in the bare skin under the arm.
We had many problems with shot abscesses so the location is one that
will drain more easily and the dose is small enough that we don't
have any reactions. We also have not lost any sheep to any of the
clostridial diseases since we started this. Oh and I always use a
clean needle and syringe for each shot, every sheep or lamb gets a
fresh one. I also use the small insulin syringes. The smaller needle
size works well and is less traumatic. Cost for all the extra needles
and syringes is minimal compared to the cost of treating even one
abscess and before this protocol we'd have half or more of the sheep
develop significant shot abscesses. This last year (shots for all
ewes prior to lambing and first shot for all lambs) no abscesses at
all.
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Oogie McGuire - oogiem@desertweyr.com
Weyr Associates - Multimedia and Web Authoring Services & Consulting
Desert Weyr - CMK Arabian horses and Black Welsh Mountain Sheep
http://www.desertweyr.com/
Paonia, CO USA
