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Case Study 1: APHID ASSAULT

Recently across the central Riverina sheep graziers have reported photosensitisation in sheep grazing lucerne infested with cowpea aphids (Aphis craccivora). Both ewes and lambs are affected, however young lambs at foot which are highly dependent on the ewe for nutrition are significantly set back and are more likely to succumb to the condition. The skin of the lips, eyes and ears swells (Image 1) and becomes itchy and the vulva, udder and teats may also be affected. Affected sheep attempt to seek shade and secondary infection can develop. Livestock grazing on lucerne pastures with high aphid numbers are particularly susceptible.

Laboratory testing and diagnosis

Poddy Potential

On occasion, lambs get rejected, mismothered, orphaned or are a triplet, which can be difficult for the mum to raise adequately. Many get left to the elements, or pass too quickly for raising by hand, and many people see raising poddies as a cumbersome, time consuming and often heartbreaking process.

The correct start and set up BEFORE lambing can help make poddy raising less stressful and more successful.

It is essential to give the lamb the best start possible, meaning colostrum for the first 24-48 hours of life is best. It would be safe to assume, in cases where lambs have been mis-mothered, orphaned or rejected that they have NOT obtained sufficient colostrum.

Colostrum can be supplemented by either frozen sheep/cow colostrum, or dried cow colostrum powders such as Kwik Start, or Wombaroo Impact Colostrum. Although expensive, these supplements are worth the extra immunity provided to give the best start to successful poddy raising. The lamb should receive approximately 125 mL per feed spread out across 5 feeds as evenly as possible (for a 4 kg lamb).

Dipping the navel (umbilical cord) in iodine solution and keeping the lamb warm and dry are also vital to giving it the best start in life. Having a warm dry shelter area/shed with hay and fresh water from day 1, are necessary to continue caring for poddies. Often, old sheds are used – please make sure the lambs have a warm, dry, draught free area to access in these sheds, and lots of soft bedding to snuggle into. Lamb jumpers are a cute, warm addition to the care as well.

YOGHURTISE THE MILK!
 

Approximately 30% of reared lambs die before weaning due to abomasal bloat. This can be heart breaking after so much effort. The main cause of abomasal bloat is believed to be the bacterium Sarcina ventriculi, in the stomach eating the lactose from the milk and producing gas, which builds up in the abomasum, causing bloat and leading to death by rupture of abomasum or from extreme pressure on adjacent organs. This is mostly a result of feeding large amounts of warm milk.

The best way to avoid abomasal bloat is by either feeding 10-15% of their bodyweight divided into small feeds (6+) which is time consuming and cumbersome with everyday life. An alternative to this is buying a self-feeder system (which can be costly) and/or feeding yoghurtised milk.

Yoghurtising milk is adding a probiotic yoghurt to the milk mixture, and setting aside for 12-24 hours, to allow the bacteria (from the yoghurt) to eat the lactose; essentially feeding lambs lactose-free milk. The probiotic (Lactobacillus spp) is a “good” bacterium that helps prevent most pathogens from colonising and multiplying in the gut, while also improving immune function.

It is best to introduce the cold yoghurt milk between days 5-7 with a gradual transition from either colostrum or warm sheep milk replacer to cold yoghurt milk. This can be done a little earlier on robust lambs feeding well.
 

Recipe for yoghurt milk:

1. Put 3L of warm water in a 9L bucket.
2. Add 1kg of calf milk powder and mix well.
3. Add 200mLs of acidophilus yoghurt, mix then cover with a lid or sheet of newspaper.
4. Keep mix warm for 6-12 hours (beside fire, or in a polystyrene box with hot water bottles works well – alternatively a brewers matt works too). If the air temperature is too cold, it will take a longer time to ferment.
5. The yoghurt should set within 8-12 hours, and may have a soft crust, and be quite thick (not as thick as commercial yoghurt).
6. Top up with cold water to 8L mark on bucket and mix to feed directly to lambs.
7. Remove 200mL of liquid yoghurt to use as starter for next batch.

• For smaller numbers (ie. 1-5  lambs): Decant the amount needed into lamb bottles if feeding individually. You may need to dilute with a little water if too thick, or cut teat ends a little larger if its too thick.
• Mix half ordinary milk replacer and half yoghurt milk for the first few days to get lambs onto yoghurt milk.
• Make up an equal volume of milk replacer to what you just removed, again quite warm water, and whisk into existing yoghurt mix. Put back in warm area, ready for next feed.
• You may need to re-charge the mix with extra yoghurt if it gets too thin or doesn’t seem to be fermenting well.

Self/Auto Feeding

For larger numbers of orphan lambs, and or for ease of feeding, a self-feeder can be set up. Automatic feeders are commercially available but can cost thousands of dollars. This allows lambs to drink the yoghurt milk at more regular intervals in smaller, more normal amounts, and reduces the need for your presence to feed at regular timed intervals. 

Ideally, have a bucket that holds TWICE the volume of milk you would normally feed all lambs as regulated, daily feeds in 1 day. Have about 1 teat per 4 lambs. Teats need to be drip proof, or on tubes to prevent a mess. A tube feeder can be made from a 10-20L bucket, with holes cut around the top, and clear plastic tubes (as straws) to reach the bottom of bucket. The feeder should have a cover to stop flies, dirt and other animals getting access.

To feed yoghurt milk in self/auto feeder, mix up as per directions above and add to bucket. Don’t allow bucket to empty totally. After feeding, top up with milk replacer mixed as normal to the amount removed by lambs. This allows the yoghurt to ferment between feeds. Monitor and adjust your volumes, so you can top up once or twice daily.

You can keep making the yoghurt in a separate bucket nearby while learning for easier monitoring, and just keep adding ready made yoghurt to feeder.

Minimal cleaning is needed, and the bucket can be left for 2-3 weeks between cleaning and re-charging with yoghurt milk.

You don’t want the yoghurt milk to separate into curds and whey (it becomes too tart); any sign of splitting and you will need to feed it completely, wash out and start again with a new batch of yoghurt milk. Storing yoghurt milk in fridge can help stop splitting, if outside temp is warming up.

Announcements / Additional Warnings

A reminder to keep an eye on sheep grazing phalaris as a number of cases of phalaris staggers have cropped up recently in the Riverina.
Phalaris staggers occur after grazing flush new growth of Phalaris aquatica after the Autumn break, with increased risk after a prolonged dry period. It is caused by consuming toxic indole alkaloids in the early stages of growth, which accumulate in the central nervous system affecting the neurons of the brain and spinal cord. Alkaloid content of the plant increases with use of nitrogenous fertilisers, heat and cloud cover.

Staggers can appear anywhere between 10 days and one to two months after grazing phalaris, with some cases appearing up to five months after grazing phalaris. Clinical signs of phalaris staggers include head nodding and a bunny hop gait with a wide based stance. Some animals may knuckle at the fetlocks or walk on their knees. Others will become recumbent, and death can occur due to toxic effects on the heart and respiratory system. Signs are generally exacerbated when the animal is startled or stressed. Cattle are less susceptible than sheep but tend to suffer from tongue and swallowing paresis leading to significant weight loss.
 

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