Pet Lamb Bloat

[mferg12]

We have had pet lambs for a number of years and every year we lose lambs due to bloat at around 4-6 weeks of age. we have tried adding a little bit of milk of magnesia to the milk which seems to help if caught in time. The lambs are in a field of their own where the grass is very rich we think this may be the key to our problem. We would be very grateful if someone could give us advice on 'bloat' and any we would like to hear from anyone else who has had this problem with their lambs.

[bruno40]

from what i rememeber from my agricultural days bloat is caused at this time of year by nitrogen rich grasing in spring when grass growth is at its highest spring and late summer, aspeciely if your grasing is rich in clover.you may need to consider the timing of frertilising your land before the lambing season. Blacks vetinary dictionery is a bible for livestock keepers and will almost certainly give you a more detailed answer. thanks for the memory test, its nearly 25 years since i studied agriculture!! regards Bruno

[nickmo]

Rich pasture for young lambs can be a cause.

To be honest, although there are articles on the web that you can easily acess, speak to your vet as they will have details of the local area and what may also be a cause - any deficienies or even problems caused by any toxic spores around your neck of the woods that can also be a cause.

There are drenches that can be given to alleviate the problem, but again best to discuss rather than presume.

[mferg12]

Thank you both very much for your advice. it is very distressing when the lambs die. We have been trying for a number of years to find a way to prevent bloat and we are going to buy Blacks veterinary dictionary to have for advice.

[Noweia]

Are the lambs entirely on milk or are they grazing a bit in the field they are in?

And do you make any changes to the feeding regime at around this time?

[mferg12]

The lambs are in the field from the start and have begun grazing when they die and are still on milk.

There are no changes to the feeding regime around the time they die.

[Clanad]

Although we are in cow country here in the western U.S., often the ranch kids will take on 'bum' lambs as a 4-H project. It's been our experience that the feeding of artificial milk formula at near body temeprature has been the main culprit in producing bloat. Our vets indicate that the formula must be cooled after mixing at the manufacturer's direction, to at least 50 degrees F and cooler than that is even better, before feeding. It seems that the introduction of large amounts of the formula at body temperatures vastly increases a bacillius already in the stomach of the lamb and the fermentation causes the production of (usually) fatal bloat. I've seen one vet relieve the gas pressure by inserting a hypodermic needle in the stomach, but event this is usually of little help.

[Noweia]

It seems that the tirgger factor is the labs beginning to graze. As bruno40 mentioned, protein-rich vegetation (especially legumes like clover) growing at this time of year can cause bloat.

Basically the protein degrades very rapidly in the stomach of the lamb, creating a frothy foam that the lamb can't 'burp' out, so the pressure builds. There are also secondary changes - the trapped gas changes the pH of the stomach and allows too much bacterial growth, making the problem worse.

There is a good website here that explains it better and offers some tips at prevention:

http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/pasbloat.html

Hope this helps!

[Emma-Jane]

Last night one of my pet lambs got sick with bloat. Luckily he didn't die, but Im still worried he may get it again. I went and talked to our local vets about it and they told me to put 1 small pottle of yoghurt in to 2L of milk, warm for 8-12 hours, in a warm place like a hot water cupboard. When feeding leave 400-500 ml of milk at the bottom and keep refilling always leaving the same amount at the bottom. My lamb had no change in diet he had been on grass and to feeds of milk a day. They said it has something to do with the way the lambs process the milk, I think. Hope this helps :)