Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
“Pinning” is an external kind of stoppage that is fairly common in very
young lambs, usually those younger than 1 week. Since early manure is pasty,
it can collect and dry into a mass under the tail, effectively plugging up the
lamb. If not noticed and corrected, the lamb will die. (These manure plugs
also make a prime target for fl y-strike.) Clean off the mass with a damp rag or
a paper towel, trim off some of the wool if necessary, disinfect the area if it
is irritated, and oil it lightly (cooking oil works fi ne) to prevent further stick-
ing. Check the lamb frequently. This is another good reason to keep mother
and lamb in the pen for the fi rst 3 days, so you can inspect for this and other
problems easily.
Occasionally, a lamb has a rare birth defect in which it is born without an
anus. This condition often goes undetected for the fi rst few days, until the dis-
tended abdomen and discomfort are observed. Quick detection and surgery
are the only treatment.
Entropion
Frequently, when a lamb is born, the lower or
sometimes the upper eyelid, or both, may be rolled
inward; this disorder is called entropion. When it
happens, the eyelashes chafe the eyeball, causing
the eye to water constantly, inviting infection and
even blindness. Entropion is a hereditary defect
that is more prevalent in woolly-faced breeds. Do
not keep such a lamb for breeding; mark it with an
ear tag or notch for slaughter.
Inspect each lamb at birth so that the condition
can be found at once and corrected. The easiest
method for correcting entropian is to inject 1 mL
of penicillin just under the skin of the lower eye-
lid. The penicillin forms a small bulb of fl uid that
forces the eyelid down into its correct position, and
by the time the body has absorbed the fl uid, a small
piece of scar tissue has formed that keeps the eyelid
in position. Use a 22-gauge needle.
eyeball
lower
eyelid
Entropion, showing lower
eyelid turned in. Eyelashes
will irritate the eyeball. The
pocket behind the eyeball
becomes infected if the
condition is not remedied.
