THE IMPORTANCE OF COLOSTRUM.

Each year substantial numbers of new born lambs die within the first weeks of life.  The major factors responsible are infections acquired within the first few hours of life such as watery mouth, navel ill, joint ill and scours, in addition to deaths caused by hypothermia and lack of energy.  Colostrum received in the correct quantity can prevent many of these deaths.

PROBLEMS OF INSUFFICIENT COLOSTRUM.

At lambing, ewes produce colostrum which is rich in antibodies and other essential nutrients. The first feed of colostrum is vital to the continued health and early development of the lamb. Should colostrum be unavailable within the first few hours of life the lamb will quickly suffer a setback.  Some of the most common problems affecting colostrum supply include:

• Shortage caused by difficult births,
• Mastitis, inadequate nutrition etc,
• Ewe lambs lambing for the first time,
• Multiple births,
• Death of the ewe at birth.  

BENEFITS OF PROVITA COLOSTRUM CONCENTRATE.

Provita Lamb Colostrum Concentrate is an alternative to natural colostrum for lambs.  It mixes easily and contains a high level of immunoglobulins from both concentrated dried colostrum and added specific polyclonal antibodies, active against the most common farm pathogens. These provide extra protection for a lamb which has had insufficient or no colostrum from the ewe.  Moreover, lambs with low blood sugar levels are often lethargic and lack the will to get up and suckle.  Provita Lamb Colostrum Concentrate will help such lambs by providing a readily available supply of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins.

In Provita Lamb Colostrum Concentrate the carbohydrate is in a form which can rapidly raise the lamb's blood sugar level, giving the lamb energy to maintain body temperature and to suckle.

Remember when using a dosing tube and syringe rinse out after each use and wash with dilute Milton at least once daily. Try to use a separate tube for diseased lambs as you do for newborn lambs.

INFECTIONS OF THE NEWBORN LAMB.

Most cases of joint ill, navel ill and meningitis occur in colostrum deprived lambs following tonsillar, navel or intestinal invasion by opportunistic bacteria from a heavily contaminated environment.  The successful treatment of any of these conditions is difficult and involves high doses of Penicillin and corticosteroids so the emphasis must be placed on preventative management.

Steps to prevent neonatal infections:

• Correct ewe nutrition, control of abortion and the prevention of lambing difficulties.
  
• Attention to detail in the lambing accomodation with the employment of sufficient skilled assistants, good access to lambing pens with good lighting.
  
• A compact lambing period to maximise the use of labour and minimise the potential for build up of disease in the lambing environment.
• Maintenance of strict hygiene in the lambing accomodation.  With housed ewes cleanliness of the lambing courts and individual pens is important to minimise contamination of the udders and the fleece of ewes.  Ewe lambs and long tailed ewes should be dagged prior to entering lambing accommodation. Daily application of Paraformaldehyde granules to the bedding can prove to be helpful.
  
• Do not exceed maximum maximum recommended stocking rate of one ewe per 1.1 square metres and the area of individual lambing pens should be at least 3.0 sq. metres.
  
• Dip all lambs' navels in strong iodine at birth and again 4 hours later.  Dipping is preferable to antibiotic sprays.
  
• Ensure all lambs receive adequate colostrum within 4 hours of birth. If in doubt administer 50ml/kg of colostrum or colostrum substitute by clean stomach tube.
  
• Check all penned lambs regularly for signs of alertness and full stomachs. Navels should be brittle within 36 hours.

EWES, LAMBS AND WORMS.

The sustainable control of worms in sheep revolves around,

• appropriate grazing management to minimise the risk of challenge,
• appropriate choice of product used in the appropriate way,
• appropriate timing of worming,
• appropriate selection of stock to be dosed.

Decisions on who to treat, with what and when will be reached after considering the risk of challenge, the grazing management (past, present and future) and the likely susceptibility to challenge of different ages of stock at different times of year.

It is impossible to provide a worming blue print that would be applicable to all farms, to all stock and to all circumstances. A few seasonal pointers to the decision making are as follows.

A key time in the annual worm control program is the treatment of the ewe at lambing. The worming of the ewe as close to lambing and/or turnout is critical and in most cases non-negotiable.

Where ewes and lambs are turned onto ‘safe' pasture (not grazed by sheep in the previous 12 months) immediately after lambing then a conventional short acting wormer can be used.

Ewes that received a short acting wormer at lambing should be re-dosed 4 weeks post lambing.

Where ewes and lambs are turned onto dirty pasture (grazed by sheep in previous 12 months) a long acting wormer drench (Moxidectin-Cydectin) must be used.

On dirty pasture there will always be more over-wintered worm larvae on the pasture than worms in the ewes. Ewes are highly susceptible to worm challenge at the time of lambing and for the first 6 weeks of lactation - during which time the ewe ingests overwintered infective larvae which develop into egg laying adults which pump out more larvae onto the pasture. Therefore worming ewes with a conventional or even long acting wormer prelambing at the time of Clostridial vaccination will kill larvae in the ewe but will provide no protection in that critical first 6 weeks of lactation when the ewes are worm egg factories.

A ewe that receives Cydectin drench at lambing when turned onto dirty pasture will ingest the overwintered pasture larvae and kill them so cleaning up the pasture and reducing the future risk to the lambs.