Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
introducing outside animals to the fl ock. Every time you bring in a new
animal, you increase the likelihood of disease.
12. Apply appropriate control techniques.
When problems crop up, use the
right medicine, at the right time, and in the right quantity!
13. Ask for a postmortem examination.
If you do have a veterinarian, it is a
good idea to have a postmortem examination (or necropsy) performed on
any animal that dies under any sudden or suspicious circumstances. This
is especially important if the animal was mature and apparently healthy.
The examination must be done quickly, as animal carcasses deteriorate
quickly after death.
You must be able to recognize normal behavior of your sheep, even for each
individual animal, to know when one is acting abnormally. Have some quick
and easy way of catching them when needed, such as a corral where they
can be fed and then enclosed. Signs of abnormality are loss of appetite, not
coming to eat as usual, and standing apart from the group when at rest. Be
concerned if a sheep is lying down most of the time when the others are not.
Any weakness or staggering, unusually labored or fast breathing, change in
bowel movements, change in “personality,” wool slipping, hanging the head
over the water source, and a temperature higher than 104°F (40°C) all indi-
cate possible problems.
The normal temperature of a sheep (except in very hot weather) ranges
from 100.9 to 103.0°F (38.3 to 39.4°C). A veterinary rectal thermometer has
a ring or a hole at the outer end, so you can tie a string for easy removal.
If you need to collect urine for a sample, such as for use with the preg-
nancy toxemia (ketosis) strips or glucose strips for enterotoxemia, try a plastic
cup fastened to the end of a shepherd's crook handle. Impatient? Try hold-
ing the sheep's nostrils closed for a moment. This stress sometimes triggers
urination.
The topic of alternative health practices is controversial in some circles. Many
people scoff at practices such as homeopathy, acupuncture/acupressure, and
use of herbal remedies. Personally, I don't agree — we have had good luck with
alternative practices, and they have been in use in other parts of the world for
considerably longer than our “modern” medicine. I concur that these meth-
