Why can't a newly born lamb stand up?

Lambs can’t stand up are mainly caused by the improper ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the feed, which leads to lamb’s thyroid function failure, which in turn causes blood calcium dysfunction or increased estrogen levels, which reduces the calcium content absorbed by the digestive tract.

Due to insufficient vitamin content in feed and insufficient light in the breeding environment, there are few vitamins in lambs. Insufficient calcium and phosphorus in feed for pregnant ewes can also cause calcium deficiency in lambs. In addition, the dark and humid environment of the lamb can cause calcium deficiency in lambs and cause other diseases.

Insufficient deworming and single feed, especially the lack of essential multivitamins, trace elements such as iodine, copper, selenium, energy, protein, and serious macro-element ratio imbalances, resulting in nutritional deficiencies in ewes and nutritional deficiencies in milk. Lamb development. Especially in the winter, the sheep's activity is small, the sun exposure is small, and the supplementary feeding cannot keep up, which is the main reason for the high incidence of lambs.

The clinical symptoms are lamb leg weakness or postpartum paralysis, slow growth and development, and often like to lie down for a long time, stand strenuously, and often cannot support the body to stand. Over time, the limbs will swell and the legs will become curved. Although they can be expanded, they are extremely variable. Sometimes they will have difficulty breathing and speed up the heartbeat when walking. In the early stage of calcium deficiency in ewes, pelvic muscle relaxation will occur, and there will be an obvious trend of decreased feed intake. When calcium deficiency is severe, symptoms such as constant screaming, poor urination, and decreased appetite will occur.

Sick sheep can be placed in a spacious and ventilated barn to restrict movement. Then treat as follows:

1. Add oats or barley sprouts to the diet, supplement calcium phosphate, and also mix in vegetable oils rich in vitamin E, such as cottonseed oil and rape oil.

2. Use 0.2% sodium selenite solution once subcutaneously. We have used this method to treat large batches of sick lambs with good results. The dosage is 1.5-2ml. Sodium selenite is irritating to the local area. After medication, some sheep scream and scream, or lose appetite for 1 to 2 times, and a small number of sheep have ulceration and peeling at the injection site. This is a normal phenomenon; do not be afraid.

3. Vitamin E is injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly, the dose is 10-15mg, once a day, continuously applied until healed. If you have sheep in this situation, it is recommended to choose appropriate treatment measures based on the actual condition of the lamb.

To avoid this, we must first strengthen the feed management of the ewes, increase the light transmittance of the shed, keep the ewes properly exercised, and supplement the intensive feed as much as possible, and pay attention to maintaining the calcium chloride level when supplementing calcium. Minerals.

In addition, if the sheep are grazing, they are not prone to lack of calcium and phosphorus, so if they are raised in captivity, it is necessary to supplement legumes as much as possible to ensure the supplement of calcium.

For lambs without or lack of milk, artificial supplementary feeding can be carried out. Fresh eggs, cod liver oil, salt and boiling water can be used to mix and feed evenly. Generally, lambs within one week of birth are supplemented 4-6 times a day, each time 50 Milliliters, then gradually increase the supplementary feed, and start training to eat grass after half a month.

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