Electrolytes are responsible for keeping the body hydrated so that the muscles and nerves can function properly. Electrolyte solutions help restore electrolytes lost by the lamb during sickness due to dehydration. Its best to feed electrolytes 30 minutes before or after feeding as electrolytes slow down the digestion of milk. You can purchase electrolyte tablets and solutions from your vet or you can try home made electrolyte. Commercial electrolyte solutions are preferred over homemade. A well made fluid electrolyte will be able to replace the fluid and electrolytes lost during scouring. It will prevent excessive dehydration which is a leading cause of death in sick lambs. A dehydrated lamb is an almost dead lamb. Home Made Electrolyte Recipe 1 Quart Water 2 Ounces of Dextrose(corn syrup) 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda Before you give the lamb the electrolyte ensure that that the lamb is not chilled. Mix the electrolyte with warm w...

The main cause of bloat is thought to be a bacteria sarcina ventriculi. Warm milk entering the stomach creates perfect substrate for fermentation. From the fermentation of the bacteria excess gas is produced causing the expanding of the stomach. This aggressive bacteria lives on lactose. This bug is everywhere and is easily picked up by the lambs. The bloated stomach of the lamb can rupture killing the lamb. The other organs can also be crushed. Abdominal bloat in young lambs is clinically diagnosed by dissension abdomen especially the right side. Bloat can also be caused due to a lack of colostrum and over feeding.   Prevention You should really try to prevent this terrible loss by good farm management. Most farmers seem to loose their bummer lambs to bloat when they are 4 weeks old. Don't feed the lamb too quickly every 10 seconds you should stop and resume feed. The hole in the teat should not be too big. The strong sucking...

    The first feed that your lamb needs is colostrum.This is vital for a new born lamb.It is full of nutrients and antibodies that ensure the survival and health of your lamb.You can purchase powder colostrum from a farm supplies store.The colostrum acts as a laxative to get rid of fecal matter.Once your lamb has had its adequate feed of colostrum you can start to feed it the lamb milk replacer.Under normal conditions the lamb willl suckle the ewe up to 40 times each 24 hours.Hense small frequent feeds for the lamb is best.         It is important that you follow the mixing instructions on the packet of your lamb milk replacer.       Make sure your lamb is warm enough,a cold lamb will not fed.For the first few days feed the lamb the milk warm after its fine at body temperature or cold.The cold milk will also decrease the risk of bloat.   After feeding the lambs sides should be straight from hips to rib,if...

The normal temperature of a lamb is 39-40 ° C 102-104 ° F . The main causes of hypothermia is exposure and starvation. Lambs suffering from starvation hypothermia will have a low blood glucose level.If this glucose level is not corrected before the lamb is warmed up it is likely that the lamb will die from a fit during warming up. It is more common for a lamb to die from hypothermia than disease. Lambs are usually born during the coldest months of the year.If the lamb cannot maintain the correct body temperature it can lead to death. Many of these deaths can be avoided by good farm management. A smaller lamb will chill faster than a larger lamb. Some lambs are born with thicker coats than others these seem to be able to ward of the cold more than the thinner coated lambs. The risk of hypothermia is also increased if a lamb is a twin or triplet or from an inexperienced sheep. The quicker a lamb is licked dry by the mother the less likely it is to get chilled. If a lamb ...

  Powder colostrum Lamb milk replacer 9% tenture of iodine /navel spray/navel dip Stomach tube and syringe Hot box for heating up sick lamb Heat lamp Rectal thermometer Nylon rope Foot trimmer Shearmaster Needles Mineral Oil Drenching syringes Antibiotics Eartags Laxatives Lubricant Bottles and teats Elaster bands Balling guns Electrolytes Burdizzo clamp Dextrose for weak lambs Slaked lime Eye ointment Pepto bismol Scour tablets Aspirin Worming medicine Propylene glyol Uterine boluses for assisted deliveries and retained placentas   feeding weak lamb colostrum with tube and syringe tube and syringe for feeding week lamb colostrum

When the newborn lamb arrives remove the mucus from its nose. You can also gently smack its back.You must ensure that the lamb is breathing immediately after birth.Gently pressing its ribcage can start the breathing.You can also tickle its nose with some straw.If the lamb is still not breathing you can hold the lamb from its hind legs and swing him from side to side. Rubbing the lamb also helps. When you are sure the lamb is breathing encourage the ewe to lick and bond with the lamb. Spray the lambs navel with iodine as soon as possible to ward off infection. Unplug the ewes teat by giving it a tug. Check also that she has milk. It is vital that the lamb gets it first suck of colostrum from the ewe. If the lamb is weak and not able to suck you must milk the ewe and tube feed the lamb.Use the tube and syringe.Ensure that you put the tube into the lambs stomach not its lungs. If you are nervous and not sure if you have put the tube in correctly, put the tube in a gl...

The naval of the newborn lamb is an entry point for infectious diseases. To avoid infections naval stumps should be disinfected directly after birth. Spray or dip the navels with antiseptic solution. Most farmers today use iodine spray found in farm supply shops. When you want to apply the naval spray hold the lamb up by its two front legs and give a generous spray. The naval spray will dry and shrivel up the naval. If the navel after a few hours has not shriveled up reapply the navel spray/dip Clip the naval cord /umbilical cord if it is very long, some lambs are born with very long naval. If the naval is too long the lamb or sheep could step on it causing severe bleeding Navel's longer than 2 inches should be clipped closer to the body.    If the naval is not treated it can cause infections in the brain, liver, joints, spinal cord or elsewhere which can lead to death in the lamb .   Nave ill and joint ill are two common infections lambs get fro...