Practical Lambing and Lamb Care: A Veterinary Guide, 3rd Edition

Practical Lambing and Lamb Care: A Veterinary Guide, 3rd Edition
Author: Andrew Eales, John Small, Colin Macaldowie

 
Millions of lambs and ewes die each year during the lambing season. The reasons behind this high level of perinatal mortality are not easily explained and problems that do arise may be difficult to predict.

This fully revised new edition of Practical Lambing and Lamb Care attempts to unravel this complex subject by providing practical guidance and information on all aspects of lambing and lamb care. It covers the major diseases and problems in lambs, from poisoning to foot and mouth disease, and includes chapters on the health of the ewe (including abortion issues), preventative methods, lambing techniques and also considers animal welfare issues.

Table of Contents

Preface to the first edition.

Preface to the second edition.

Preface to the third edition.

Acknowledgements.

1. The newborn lamb;
Problems facing the 'perfect' lamb;
Constraints on lamb viability;
Summary.

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2. Lambing the ewe;
The normal lambing;
Approach to assistance;
Specific problems;
Resuscitation of the newborn;
After an assisted lambing.

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3. Problems in lambs;
Abscess;
Acidosis;
Arthritis;
Atresia ani;
Atypical pneumonia;
Bladder stones;
Bloat;
Blowfly strike (myiasis);
Bone abnormalities;
Border disease;
Broken leg;
Castration (incorrect);
Cerebrocortical necrosis (Polioencephalomalacia, CCN);
Chilling;
Cleft palate;
Cobalt deficiency;
Coccidiosis;
Constipation;
Copper deficiency;
Copper poisoning;
Cripples;
Daft lamb disease;
Diarrhoea;
Enteritis;
Entropion;
Erysipelothrix infection;
Exposure;
Eye infections;
Eyelid (turned in);
Faecal spoiling;
Foot and mouth disease;
Fractures;
Hairy shaker;
Hernia;
Husk;
Hyperthermia;
Hypothermia;
Inhalation pneumonia;
Iodine deficiency;
Jaw defects;
Joint defects;
Joint ill;
Lamb dysentery;
Legs (broken);
Listeriosis;
Liver abscess (Liver necrosis);
Lockjaw;
Louping ill;
Lungworm;
Muscular dystrophy;
Navel hernia;
Navel ill;
Neonatal ataxia;
Nephrosis;
Open mouth;
Orf;
Overshot jaw;
Paralysis;
Parasitic gastroenteritis;
Pasteurellosis (enzootic pneumonia);
Photosensitization (Yellowses);
Pine (cobalt deficiency);
Poisoning;
Premature birth;
Pulpy kidney;
Rattle belly;
Redfoot;
Redgut;
Ribs (fractured);
Rickets;
Roundworm infection;
Ruminal acidosis;
Scad (scald);
Scour;
Selenium deficiency;
Sheep scab;
Slavers (Slavery mouth);
Spinal abscess;
Starvation;
Stiff lamb disease (Muscular dystrophy, White muscle disease);
Stones;
Strike;
Swayback;
Tetanus (Lockjaw);
Tick-borne fever;
Tick infestation;
Tick pyaemia;
Trembling;
Umbilical hernia;
Undershot jaw;
Urinary calculi (Stones);
Vitamin E deficiency;
Watery mouth (Rattle belly, Slavers, Slavery mouth);
White muscle disease;
Wounds;
Yellowses.

4. Problems in ewes;
Abdominal hernia (ruptures);
Hypocalcaemia (Lambing sickness, Milk fever, Parturient paresis);
Hypomagnesaemia (Grass staggers, Lactation tetany);
Mastitis (Udderclap);
Metritis;
Pneumonia;
Pregnancy toxaemia (Twin lamb disease);
Prolapsed vagina;
Prolapsed uterus.

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5. Abortion in ewes;
Non-infectious abortion;
Infectious abortion.

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6. Prevention of problems;
Prevention of problems in ewes;
Prevention of problems in lambs;
Assessment of losses;
Ewe body-conditioning scoring;
Vaccination;
Vitamin supplementation;
Mineral supplementation;
Prevention of problems in organic management systems.

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7. Techniques for treating newborn lambs;
Diagnosis of problems;
Feeding the newborn lamb;
Administration of drugs;
Warming hypothermic lambs;
Care of the weak lamb;
Artificial rearing;
Fostering;
Castration;
Navel dressing;
Ear tagging and electronic identification;
Giving an enema.

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8. Welfare at lambing;
Welfare codes;
Relevant United Kingdom legislation;
Problems in lambs;
Problems in ewes;
Humane destruction;
Shepherd welfare.

Lambing equipment checklist.

Further reading.

Useful internet addresses.

Glossary.

Index