# Rescue Sheep Questions



## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

Please forgive me if these are elementary questions, but this is my first sheep experience.

Local animal control seized 2 ewes that were being starved. These 2 were the only survivors, many were found dead with not a single bite of food found in stomachs or intestines upon necropsy. The 2 survivors, who I adopted 2 days ago & 4 days after the seizure, are emaciated but appear bright & healthy otherwise.

Upon advise from my vet, I am allowing the ewes free choice alfalfa hay, water, sheep mineral block, and two handfuls per day of whole oats & corn. They are eating well but not drinking much. Poops look fine.
(We are in IL - no pasture yet.)

Yesterday I found 4-5 handfuls of cud in their bedding, perfectly mushy bright green hay. I have not seen either spit or vomit this up yet so I'm not sure how they're ejecting it exactly, but this is what worries me at the moment.

Are they simply overeating now after being starved? Could something be wrong? Or is finding cud like that normal?

I am advised not to worm them until body condition improves.

I'm told they are hair sheep but I'm not positive because it seems awfully thick and wooly to me! And if the context helps your advice, these are "pets" - they will not be for food, wool, or other uses.

Thank you so much, if you can help ease my new sheep mother worries!


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## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

Here's a photo of them. 

http://yfrog.com/4a5dfdj


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## ar_wildflower (Jan 2, 2010)

I can't see your pic. I have never had sheep to do that; spite up cud. We have one ram that will whoof his grain too fast and will cough and gag up feed. I tend to agree with you about over eating after a period of starvation. Their instincts tell them the food might not last.


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## WillfulGal (Oct 18, 2007)

They look like Katadhins or St. Croix (hair sheep). They do get very wooly in the winter, then shed their wool in the summer.

I have seen mine cough up cud before when they eat grain or alfafla pellets too fast.


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## ar_wildflower (Jan 2, 2010)

Yea, I saw your picture. They look like really nice sheep you, and they, have been blessed.


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

They look like hair sheep in their winter coats, which will shed. It's not really wool but very kempy. Not useful for anything after it comes off, although birds like it for their nests.

Does their mineral mix include salt? They should be getting a mineral made especially for sheep, not a multi-species one BTW.

You'll enjoy having them. Keep us updated, and thanks for the photo. They are very lucky.

Do you mind sharing more about your location in IL? We are in far SW Wisconsin, 20 miles northeast of Galena if that helps.

Peg


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## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

Thank you all for the information!

I'm sure I'm worrying too much, but I want to do right by them after what they've been through. Their hay is very rich alfalfa right now and I plan to switch to grass hay + pasture when they have gained some weight & spring gets here.

I'm told that grain will put weight on but to be very, very cautious with amount. can anyone advise how much I should give?

Their mineral block says it is for sheep & goats, which did concern me because I know about the differing copper requirements.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

I have heard that wool is being used for weed barrier for gardens. I do not know if wool will let water through after it turns to felt, but you might look it up.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I'm told that grain will put weight on but to be very, very cautious with amount. can anyone advise how much I should give?


 I wouldnt give them more than 1/2 lb per day each.
Once you switch to grass hay you might go up a little, but do it gradually
They dont like sudden changes in their diets


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## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

Bearfootfarm said:


> I wouldnt give them more than 1/2 lb per day each.
> Once you switch to grass hay you might go up a little, but do it gradually
> They dont like sudden changes in their diets


Thank you. I have horses so I'm treating the ewes' diet cautiously, the same way I would with introducing new foods to a horse. I see less cud in the bedding today, so perhaps they just ate too much yesterday - I'm sure a whole bale of alfalfa hay is very exciting to a starving sheep!


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## Shoupie (Mar 21, 2009)

Did you just throw an open bale of alfalfa in their pen? That would defiantly make them overeat. You might want to cut their alfalfa with some grass mix. When an animal is starved over a long time it takes a while for their digestive system to start up again. I would offer free choice grass or oat hay and a flake of alfalfa once a day for a couple weeks. And I wouldn't worry about the grain, a high protein hay will put on more fat in the winter than grain. Also I would recommend giving them both some probios, their gut flora are probably decimated. What are their body scores btw? its impossible to tell under all that fluff.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Alfalfa can cause bloat, especially if they arent used to it


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## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

Yes, they are happily munching on a bale of alfalfa hay. The vet told us that's what we should do to put weight on. I do have grass hay available if you think I should replace the alfalfa.

Vet didn't mention a body score, but they are about 2 years old and maybe 65 pounds. Their ribs and hips are visible, even through the fleece. When animal control arrived to seize them, they ran and fell over within minutes & had to be carried. They are very, very thin. I can post more photos if it would help?

Thank you!


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## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

I should add that this vet from Animal Control was not terribly familiar with sheep. I am waiting on my regular farm vet to come out, who has more experience. She will surely assign a body score as Animal Control is pressing criminal charges against the abuser.


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## FarmerChick (Dec 28, 2009)

So nice you were there to take them and offer them good food and a fine home!


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## Shmoo (Jan 15, 2010)

Ok, I took the alfalfa away & put a bale of grass in. I do believe those ewes gave me the stink eye for it, too!


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

They're lucky to have found you !

I would mix the alfalfa with the grass hay.

I've had a couple older ewes spit out their cud in chunks.
The vet said it was probably due to their teeth.

Perhaps their teeth or lack of, may be the cause, in addition to their rumen adjusting to their feed changes ?

~Deb


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## Critter-Keeper (Oct 9, 2009)

ah.. one small bit of insight-- They need their minerals in bag form not block. it can be placed in an extra feed bucket. tray etc as free choice. I've read that the block mineral can be very hard on their teeth. Also the bag mineral from the feed store is 'sheep' specific... i.e. proper mineral content


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