Pregnancy Toxaemia Vs Milk fever

These two diseases occur in late pregnancy and are often confused. They may occur together. Treatment for one disease will not cause problems if it is the other disease. However, identification of the correct disease is the best way to deal with it.

Symptoms Pregnancy Toxaemia (twin lamb disease)

Occurs in late pregnancy Sheep looks dopy, or blind, and do not react when you approach them Sheep stand alone or lie in a natural position Associated with poor nutrition Fat ewes, on a declining nutrition in late pregnancy, are very susceptible Can be triggered by stress

Milk Fever (hypocalcaemia)

Occurs in late pregnancy and early lactation. Older ewes are more susceptible. Sheep is alert Sheep stagger, or go down often with legs stretched out behind Occurs on any feed. Particularly on standing cereal or sour sobs. Ewes fed a lot of cereal grain during pregnancy and not given calcium supplements are at risk Can be triggered by stress especially by 12 hours off feed

Treatment Pregnancy toxaemia

Individuals Drench daily with 120 to 180 ml of Glycerine mixed with equal volumes of lukewarm water. Ketol, Lectade, Ceton and Vytrate are also used. If sheep are down treatment is rarely successful (unless it was triggered by stress). Dont waste your time on them. Mob Feed 0.5 kg of oats, or lupins, a day for the last month of pregnancy. Other grains can be used if it is introduced carefully.

Milk fever
Individuals Inject 70 ml of Calcium Borogluconate, Cacigol Plus, or Milk fever 4 in 1 injection under the skin. Sheep that are down respond to treatment within 20 minutes. Mob Offer the mob a 75:25 mixture of stocklime and salt. 50 ml of Unimix is a preventative drench.

To complicate things further, if the sheep have not been vaccinated for enterotoxaemia this may also occur at the same time (as sheep go onto green feed).

Brian Ashton

19 June 2012

Sheep Consultancy Service Pty Ltd

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