[Jacob-list] Hypocalcemia

[iseespots]

Stephanie and all,

I was just talking about alfalfa and the connection to hypocalcemia this
morning with another breeder.  People who feed alfalfa before delivery tend
to have higher incidences of hypocalcemia in certain ewes following
delivery.  I have a ewe now whose history includes two separate episodes of
seizures 2 hours after delivery in 1995 and 1996.  The place where this ewe
was during that period of time feeds alfalfa.

I don't know where to go to get the research on this issue.

I do know that farm vet-oriented manuals and books are an invaluable part of
my "grab for" set of resources.  People are great, but there are precious
few that want to be rocked out of bed at 2 am when your ewe or ram is in
crisis.  You also need to have a full array of "stuff" on hand, because the
local feed store does not deliver on a moment's notice, and they are usually
open during the daytime----your sheep will RARELY have a crisis when it is
convenient all around.  I call this my insurance pack, hoping to pay out for
items I will never NEED to use.  That rarely happens.

We all handle our animals in very different manners.  I happen to have some
sheep with a friend caring for them this winter.  We have experienced one of
my girls acting somewhat different when coming for feed recently.

Their response was pretty much like mine would have been here-----separate
the ewe, check her over for the basics, call in support where needed (they
called me and their vet on this one), and THEN, they were up and out to the
barn for three checks during the night to see if all was progressing as per
schedule or if there was another crisis that needed to be averted.
Proactive management will not make your animals live forever, but it sure
gives you the upper hand in working with them and solving their problems.

The 48 hours that I was dealing with the Shetland ewe that turned out to
have hypocalcemia were LONG.  Until we had the problem decidedly improved, I
worked on that girl with 20-30 minute breaks (I went back and did more
reading up) from about 5 in the evening to well after midnight.  Then, I was
back out with an hour's break, and then I crossed my fingers and let it go a
couple hours, and it wasn't long until it was morning and time to be up and
about with the day's activities.

Mary Ellen
ISeeSpots Farm www.iseespots.com
Home of Jacob Sheep, and German Angora Rabbits,
colored German Angora crosses and a few French.
Renewable fleeces, loving personalities, friends.