Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
the fi rst time, though sometimes it doesn't, resulting in constipation (see
Constipation, earlier in this chapter).
2. After the meconium phase, the manure is yellow and pasty for about
2 days.
3. It then starts to take on the color of regular sheep feces and begins to
fi rm up. Lambs usually start passing pelleted manure within a week to
10 days.
Yellow Scours
One kind of scours is called yellow scours, and this can be confusing for a new
shepherd. Yellow scours is the least serious type, though if left unchecked, it
can be deadly. To differentiate yellow scours from normal yellow feces, con-
sider the following:
Normal yellow feces are pasty and a pale yellow.
Normal yellow feces only last for the fi rst day or two.
Feces associated with yellow scours are runny and have
a greenish tinge.
Yellow scours is often associated with overfeeding. It is a common prob-
lem with bottle-fed lambs but can also occur in a strong lamb nursing a ewe
with an excess of milk. If you are using milk replacer to feed lambs, purchase
a good-quality product that is specifi cally labeled for lambs. The fi rst ingredi-
ent listed should be milk! Many cheap milk replacers use soybeans and other
plant matter and are very poor substitutes.
If you are bottle feeding a lamb that has yellow scours, substitute a day's
feeding with oral electrolytes — give no milk. In a pinch, a sport drink that is
sold in convenience stores can be used as an oral electrolyte, or you can make
a homemade electrolyte solution (see recipe on page 257). But ultimately,
it pays to keep some powdered electrolyte on hand that is specifi cally pre-
pared for livestock. These products (the ones labeled for calves work fi ne for
lambs) contain not only electrolytes but also vitamins, minerals, and energy
components.
On the second day, if the fecal matter is returning to a normal consistency,
begin feeding milk again, but dilute the lamb's normal ration by giving 50 per-
cent milk and 50 percent water. Scours that result strictly from overeating
should resolve by the third day, and you can return to full-strength milk or
replacer.
 
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