[Jacob-list] RE: Old sheep needs

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

--Cathy wrote:
>For those of you with either good nutrition backgrounds, or experience 
>with geriatric sheep, I would be interested in your comments regarding 
>something we have been watching on her for about a year now. Her new 
>horn growth (that area closest to her head) is now narrowing in 
>diameter, and fairly significantly. The horn material in that area also 
>appears to be dry and flaky rather than smooth and dark as it has been 
>in years past.
===========
I'm on the Jacob-list digest so I don't know if anyone has already answered
this.  I asked on sheep-l and thought there would be someone with knowledge
about sheep geriatrics, no such luck.  I was thinking 'osteoporosis' as in
humans and one of the treatments there is 'weight-bearing exercises'. 
Maybe not good in this case because the horns could break off with the
added weights.  I did finally get a reply that makes more sense, here it is
and I hope it helps.  I will post any additional replies.  Hope the old
girl (ewe) stays in good health, 20 yrs old is really quite amazing!
Cathy Partridge
Has a 10 yr old ram and three 9 yr old ewes and a bunch of younger ones,
'long may they live'.
.......................
>From sheep-l:
>......might look into a horse type supplement that has biotin in it to
stimulate hoof (thus horn) growth. No one in the US really has done any
work with geriatric sheep, not cost effective. I had some friends with an
old (9 year) ram with arthritis that they gave horse glucosamine and MSM
to. Unless the copper is fairly high, could be reasonably safe.
>