Lambing issues and outdoor lambing:

Ewes in better condition to previous years and the birth of heavier lambs are leading to an increase in difficult lambings. This should be especially borne in mind with outdoor lambing, with supervision stepped up accordingly to identify issues. If not already in place, it is important to have readily available facilities to handle ewes experiencing problems.

Heavier birth weight lambs and those born during a difficult lambing exhibit reduced vigour and are generally slower to suckle. Research has also shown that ewes that experience a prolonged or difficult lambing are slower to lick their lambs, exhibit reduced grooming behaviour and are more likely to reject lambs than those born unassisted. This should also be kept in mind with lambs assisted to suckle or stomach tubed, if required. Some vets also recommend administering an anti-inflammatory or antibiotic injection to ewes that experienced a particularly difficult delivery.

Mastitis:

There has been a rise in cases of mastitis reported in recent weeks, with many farmers linking harsher weather, wind and low temperatures to increased cases. Treatment depends on the type of mastitis. Peracute or gangrenous mastitis is characterised by severe depression, ewes ceasing eating, dehydration and a swollen mammary gland which turns from warm to blue discolouration. Acute mastitis can be identified by a warm, swollen, red gland, with or without abnormal milk. The gland will be painful leading to lameness from the gland touching the leg. Affected cases also show some of the same symptoms as gangrenous mastitis. Another type, chronic mastitis, often goes unnoticed and is characterised by a lump or abscess in the gland. The final form is subclinical, which is also hard to identify. The udder may be firm and hot and is often identified by lambs sucking continuously or performing poorly. It can progress to clinical mastitis or more severe disease if unnoticed and especially if ewes experience stress related to poor nutrition or weather.

Veterinary advice recommends segregating these ewes from the rest of the flock and administering antibiotic treatment. If multiple cases arise, the advice is to collect samples for laboratory analysis to identify the best course of treatment. Where clinical signs are severe, it is important to seek veterinary advice to ensure the most effective drugs are selected. Treatment should be continued for several days with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with pain relieving action linked to improved treatment success in some cases.

Spring lambs:

The greatest activity for spring lambs is likely to be in the coming days for the Easter market. Plants are also active for milk lambs with a carcase weight of 9kg to 13kg and paying €7.50/kg to €8/kg. Be careful to check deductions applied if lambs kill above 13kg carcase weight. Meal fed lambs taken straight of the ewe will kill in the region of 48% to 50% for aged lambs with young and lighter carcase fleshed lambs killing 50% or greater.

Plants are paying to 20kg carcase weight so this needs to be taken into consideration with heavier lambs. A strong butcher or wholesale market may be a better avenue for heavier lambs with buyers very active at present and paying €7/kg for these lambs.