# HELP - Emergency! Grain overload!



## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

I bought a 70 lb. bag of barley to supplement my new moms and moms to be. I had fed out maybe 10 lb. of that bag so far. This morning, my friend's kid let the sheep out of lock up for me. There is a side gate that goes to the feed storage barn, and he went into the barn to get hay out for them. He did not close the gate latch properly. This evening, when I arrived to lock everyone in, I found the gate wide open, and my entire herd except for one mom and her lamb were in the feed room. They had made a mess of the hay, and had binged on the barley such that there was maybe 15-20 lb left, so around 40 lb. This was shared among 12 adults (Barbs, a Kat ram, and some Kat/Barb crosses. So, each potentially ate 3.75 lb. Of course, I can't know who might have eaten more of it or less. It was raining when I arrived, and the one ewe with her lamb that was in the pasture had probably had her fill, and I worry that she was feeling punky which is why she was away from the rest.

All I could think to do for the moment was drench everyone with bloat drench (for foamy bloat). I had this happen once before where the sheep ended up scouring but were otherwise fine, but I did lose one old ewe two days later and I now think this may have been from the bacteria toxin from over-eating. These sheep have had their CD/T; the new moms were revaccinated just a couple of weeks before they delivered.

What more can I do? I have vitamin B injectable which I've heard can help mitigate the consumption of the body's B vitamins when the bacteria over-grows. I've also heard of giving penicillin injectible by mouth to kill the bacteria that produces the toxin that is so deadly. Should I go ahead and give these things tomorrow morning whether or not there are signs of illness. Everything I read says when they are really sick from this it is too late. But what can I do to mitigate their overeating before they get sick? I've also been told that milk of magnesia would be useful. 

Help!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I'd just keep a close eye on them and only treat any that show signs of bloating.

Throwing a lot of medications at them can cause problems too.

If you HAVE to treat any, I'd give them vegetable oil and baking soda for bloat and acidosis.

NO food other than hay until you see how their stools look


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks, Bearfootfarm - I just panicked because I knew they'd be going overnight without observation since I don't live where they are.

I did have a similar thing happen once before, where the flock got into grain and alfalfa pellets, and everyone scoured but they were okay otherwise....except for one old ewe who died two days later. I didn't recognize that she was having any problems, and maybe she died coincidentally, but I worry that she died from the clostridium bacteria toxins...

I will check everyone tomorrow AM. My friend's goats help themselves to baking soda free-fed, but will sheep do the same if offered baking soda? I've never provided it before.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> will sheep do the same if offered baking soda?


I've never offered it free choice.

I just use it as a drench when needed

In most cases, you'll just get some loose stools for a day or two


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I'd give the B vitamins too as a grain over load can kill off the rumin flora producing thiamin.


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

The only CD antitoxin I see is for goats - I'm assuming it's okay to use on sheep?


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

I did see another CD antitoxin for cows/sheep but it is more expensive, larger volume and requires a higher dose. Would the goat version work? I have to overnight it one way or the other. 

Everyone scoured overnight but most are nibbling hay. The babies didn't scour so probably didn't get any. The worst one is my Kat ram; he's in a bad way. Depressed, not eating, let me catch him easily to drench him with baking soda, and let me inject him with vitamin B without a fuss which is NOT him. He looks very bloated. I'm going to call my horse vet to see if I can get a small stomach tube (foal size) in case I need to release gas. 

Everyone's scours were green from the alfalfa they pigged on along with the grain. The ram's is turning more yellow-green. I think of everyone he had the worst vaccine history, in that his was longer ago than anyone else's.

Is it too late for mineral oil to be of use? I feel very helpless right now!


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## birchtreefarm (Jul 22, 2007)

StockDogLovr said:


> I will check everyone tomorrow AM. My friend's goats help themselves to baking soda free-fed, but will sheep do the same if offered baking soda? I've never provided it before.


Yes, they will.

ETA: Sheep101 suggests "Affected sheep should be drenched with an antacid such as carmalax, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), or products containing magnesium carbonate or magnesium hydroxide."

From http://www.tvsp.org/acidosis.html "Treat as for pneumonia but in addition give 1 pint of water in a pop bottle to which you have added 2 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). Give slowly and give the lamb plenty of time to swallow. You may have to repeat this several times over the rest of the day. The soda water should make him feel better and act perkier. If he begins to act depressed again, give him more soda water. This is a life threatening problem and it is a good idea to call your veterinarian."

Mineral oil would help if you think he is bloating. But the main thing is to combat the rumen acidity so drench him with baking soda. If his whole system goes acidic it will be very hard to save him.


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## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

You could also end up with foundered sheep. The ram that let you catch him. Check if his feet are hot. I once had a ram not get off his front knees for 10 days after breaking in a grain bin. I think I treated with a drug called Recover, I don't remember actually formula.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I did see another CD antitoxin for cows/sheep but it is more expensive, larger volume and requires a higher dose.


The sheep dose is 2 ML no matter what size the sheep.
As far as I know CD&T vaccine is all the same


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Below is a treatment that's worked here for grain overload.

I would be treating the ram with the below mix every couple hours.
Then add probiotic or yogurt with acidophylis after he starts scouring.
Is he still chewing his cud ??
Yes, if you could alleviate the bloat asap with the help of a vet and a tubing that might be the best thing at this time.

The ewes that are scouring, a dose of pepto/probiotic/baking soda would be good.

Hope this helps !


2 T. baking soda
1/2 cup mineral oil (or vegetable).
1/2 cup water
Pepto Bismal 1/4 cup (or based in weight)
If they are scouring you can leave out the oil after a dose.


Vitamin B injections (2x/day)

Anti-bloat formula, can get this at farm store or DSS from the vet.

Encourage mouth movement with stick in mouth like a bit.
Encourage walking.
Flip on behind and rub belly.
Encourage eating hay and drinking water.


~Deb


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

Thanks, everyone.

He got a lot of baking soda this am, and 10 cc of vitamin B complex. According to my friend who checked on him not long ago, he is still scouring and not eating, but he's with the herd, not isolating himself or lying down. He is still very bloated. My next move is to pick up a stomach tube from my vet and try to release some gas. I need to get more baking soda and will drench again. So, if they are scouring, don't bother with the mineral oil? I'll be picking some up anyway!

I believe the CD antitoxin is different than the CD/T vaccine (toxoid?). The antitoxin is like the tetanus antitoxin that you give unvaccinated animals that have gotten punctured etc. It mops up the antigen. The vaccine is for protecting them so that they can respond on their own when exposed. Anyway, I may order some just to have it on hand for babies who haven't had their CD/T yet.


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## eieiomom (Jun 22, 2005)

Gosh, well I was about to finish the post and it went away !!

Here I go again:

The baking soda neutralizes the rumen PH and helps eliminate gas pressure, the pepto will neutralize toxins and help relieve tummy discomfort. The oil lubricates and moves things through and out. So, I do not continue oil if they are already moving along, not sure if it would be helpful or not ?
With the ram, I would continue since he is not doing well and has more to move out.

The longer the acid is brewing in the rumen, the more damage is being done, so time is important. 
DSS solution (from your vet - horse or otherwise), or some sort of bloat guard at your farm store has saved lives here. 

Not easy tubing a full size sheep !

No experience with CD&T antitoxin....


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Vegetable oil works better than mineral oil for bloat.

Bloat will kill them faster than scours, so I'd treat that first.


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

My friend called her goat vet and here's what he said to do:

penicillin: 10 cc orally/100#
milk of magnesia: 1/2 pt/100#
SQ fluids: 2L/100#

The ram was severely bloated when i got to him yesterday evening. I stomach-tubed him but didn't get any real gas release. We drenched him with the MoM and massaged his belly, got lots of noise/burping, softening of the rumen area. Drenched him with the penicillin and got 1L of fluids into him. I'm going back soon to see what's going on, give him more fluids, and will drench with baking soda or MoM if he isn't doing a lot better.

One of my wethers was also looking pretty depressed, wasn't eating like the others, so I gave him more penicillin and MoM. He hadn't been scouring. If he hasn't scoured overnight I'll give him the mineral oil. He didn't seem hugely bloated so not sure why he wasn't feeling well. It makes sense to me that mineral oil, which has no digestive demands, would be good to use. Vets use it for colicing horses to help move things through.

I have Probios paste to give everyone, and I left them with a bucket of electrolyte water, a brand that also had some probiotics in it.


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## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

Update: My ram is still alive and pretty much out of the woods. I've gotten rid of the grain, don't see the benefit of it since the ladies produce plenty of milk on alfalfa, and the dangers of break ins is just too real. 

I repeated the milk of magnesia drenches for a couple of days, and gave SQ fluids while he was still squirting, plus the probiotics and some electrolyte paste. Slow to build up an appetite but I think he'll be fine now. Just wanted to let everyone know that things worked out okay; it isn't always a death sentence!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I can't say a sheep is in much danger if properly attended to. Never heard of the goat vets advice, certainly never from my vets. I really can't stress the importance of having Thiamin available (B complex will do in a pinch) and if possible an injectable antiinflamitory like Dexamethasone if the grain overload causes polio, which is a very real potential problem that kills.


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