There is something wrong here. Very wrong. We have several vets and specialists working on it, we are testing everything we can think of, the prayer list grows and grows. This morning, after yet another long weekend, we had Blizzard put down.
Dear, turned out to be sweet, Blizzard.
We really have no ideas at this point, but if you are dealing with drought anywhere in the country, keep a close eye on your boys. I realize that our farm and real sheep farms are apples and oranges (we have a high percentage of old, fat "pet" wethers rather than working ewes and rams), but just in case it IS drought related...
Give your best friends an extra hug tonight. And some vanilla wafers. I'm so glad Blizzard learned to trust us enough to eat vanilla wafers with Blossom this spring. He was a good patient and trusted us to the end.
Dear, turned out to be sweet, Blizzard.
We really have no ideas at this point, but if you are dealing with drought anywhere in the country, keep a close eye on your boys. I realize that our farm and real sheep farms are apples and oranges (we have a high percentage of old, fat "pet" wethers rather than working ewes and rams), but just in case it IS drought related...
Give your best friends an extra hug tonight. And some vanilla wafers. I'm so glad Blizzard learned to trust us enough to eat vanilla wafers with Blossom this spring. He was a good patient and trusted us to the end.
4 comments:
OH NO SARA!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
I'm sure your heart is breaking. Mine is and they are not my sheep, but I do love them just the same.
My heart and eyes are crying.
I am so, so sorry!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
I'm so sorry to read about your losses. I had pet sheep as a teen (it just started with one bottle lamb) and I can so identify with you. Check with your county agent - I don't know what your pastures are but if they are drought-stressed there are several possibilities. Could be high levels of nitrates or prussic acid (or even something else) depending on what plants you have for forage or how you fertilize. If at all possible, put your sheep in a dry lot with tested hay until you can rule out forage poisoning.
Sara,
I'm so very sorry. It breaks my heart to hear about this. This drought sucks. Farmers around here are dealing with Johnson Grass (in the Sudan family I think) deaths by the dozens (nitrate and prussic acid poison). Both in what grass there is and hay. I worry about my wethers too (I have my share of fat pets :-) because I've had to add some extra protein in, since much of the hay I can find is 'crap' hay, I worry about urinary calculi. Sometimes it seems no win.
Again, just so sorry.
Tammy
Once when I was a teen, and raising a flock of sheep, just because I loved them. We had a horrible drought. The sheep, being sheep would eat any and everything...we had a tiny patch (so small we didn't notice it) on the hill, BEHIND the fence of poison milk weed. Three of the girls found the four plants and each must have eaten one. For I lost the three. We only found the one tiny spot, of which we took care of instantly, but it was too late for my three.
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Listerine
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Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
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