[Jacob-list] Hunched ewe.

[dave & katrina]

Thanks for the message, Linda.  
She was indeed uncomfortable since it turns out she had mastitis.  Interesting that her lambs seem so content...I wonder how much nutrition they are getting from grass by now or perhaps stealing from other ewes.  Can't imagine they are getting too much from her.  We are of course following the advice of our vet on how to care for her and also reading up on what "The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable" by Juliette de Bairacli Levy has to say.  Does anyone have this old time book?  I always find it interesting and think it would be helpful to include more of her practices in our sheep care.  She mentions in her book that it was the shepherds that found her approach the most useful.  Could think of a lot of reasons for that statement, but wonder why the sheep people found it most useful.  Not sure Anna thought it was that interesting when we shoved garlic down her thoat. *smiles*
Katrina Lefever
Chicory Lane
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: linda 
  To: oberlef at desupernet.net ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2001 7:22 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Hunched ewe.


  I'm not especially experienced in sheep medical care, but I think that a sheep standing hunched indicates some level of discomfort.  I'm not sure that you can pinpoint the area of discomfort (or pain) just by seeing one hunched up.   I'll see it sometimes when the sheep are out in a hard rain - the lambs don't want to be out there but won't leave their dams. They are not in pain, just miserable.  Once I had a lamb that was standing hunched and turned out to have been in the red ants.  His belly was seriously bitten. My ewe that was tossed by the goat stood hunched for months as she had some hip damage.  
  Hope she gets better!
  Linda

  On Sat, 21 Apr 2001 15:38:47 -0400, dave & katrina wrote:
  >    Question for those out there experienced  in sheep medical care.  Our sheep are all
  >out on pasture now and looking  happy and healthy.  The robustness of the flock makes a two
  >year old ewe  (with twins)  stand out and make me wonder if something is up with  her.  
  >She is walking around kind of hunch-backed, is a  little hollowed in at the sides and walks a
  >little stiffly, but  otherwise is fine..lambs are fine and healthy, seems to be eating well
  >but I  just have a sense there is something funny about her.  She has always  seemed a little
  >bit hunchbacked (arrived at our place last fall) but noticed  before she birthed she was
  >standing distinctly hunched (sorry can't come up with  a better term)... She also limped a
  >bit at that time (that probably was a  pregnacy thing), but it seemed to pass and she birthed
  >her lambs about a month  ago without problem.  Seemed to be doing fine.  Today I was
  >watching her in the pasture and she was off alone with her lambs and again  was standing very
  >hunched.  Something seems amiss, but have no clues from  our prior experience.  She has been
  >tested neg for OPP.  Any ideas? By the way, the rams seemed especially interested in her
  >today. 
  >  
  > Horaks, just curious about the  symptoms of the Lysosomal condition you are following...I
  >realized I have no idea what the symtoms are that you are watching for.   Doubt this is
  >related, of course, but just curious. 
  > Katrina  Lefever 
  >


  Check out our 2001 Jacob Sheep lambs at:
  www.PatchworkFibers.com/lambs.html

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