# Is my lamb bloated or just fat?



## EvangelineMarie (May 4, 2018)

I got a bottle lamb from my Aunt and Uncle's farm a couple weeks ago. She had been weaned from the bottle 3-4 days prior anf was on grain and alfalfa hay. A few days after I got her I noticed her belly getting bigger. I'm not sure if it's bloat or if shess just getting fat because she doesn't have to compete for food (she was the runt of their bottle lambs). She is on the same grain. My hay is not alfala.. just a grass hay. I had been letting her graze in my yard prior to noticing this and I thought that may be the culprit. She is the calmest lamb I have ever met. I'm not sure if that's because she doesn't feel good, or that's just her personality. But she never jumps around like you see lambs doing. She will trot once in awhile, but never runs. She is eating fine. In fact, she eats like crazy and I've really had to limit her because she'll eat hay all day if I let her. She is peeing and pooping normal. Last weekend I treated her with mylanta, Pepto bismol, buffered water, and vegetable oil per my aunt's recommendations, but I have not seen a significant change in her belly. Her belly is always bigger on the left side. Do I need to be concerned?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

An animal truly suffering from "bloat" will show signs of distress such as rapid shallow breathing and grinding the teeth in pain. Often they will go down due to lack of oxygen.

An animal that is acting normally doesn't have "bloat".



EvangelineMarie said:


> Last weekend I treated her with mylanta, Pepto bismol, buffered water, and vegetable oil per my aunt's recommendations


That alone is enough to cause problems.

Stop treating her until she really needs something.
For bloat, vegetable oil is the best treatment.

Letting her eat all the dry grass hay she wants is a good thing.


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## EvangelineMarie (May 4, 2018)

Thank you for your reply! I am just concerned because of her activity level. I thought that I could hear her grinding her teeth, but it is always when she is laying down looking content and it looks like she is chewing her cud. So I chalked it up to her being a loud cud chewer. I will continue to give her hay. Would you still give her grain? And what about grazing in the yard? She goes crazy over the grass whenever she sees it.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

EvangelineMarie said:


> Would you still give her grain? And what about grazing in the yard? She goes crazy over the grass whenever she sees it.


If you're trying to get maximum growth she needs some grain every day, but it doesn't have to be a lot. A full grown sheep only need 1-1.5 lbs per day. 

I have crappy internet service so your pictures take forever to load.
If she's being raised for meat, you can supplement with grain to get faster growth.
If she's a wool breed, just feed enough to keep her healthy without being overweight.

Letting her graze is fine. Do it later in the mornings after the dew is dry, and let her eat dry hay before grazing so she won't be doing it on an empty stomach.

If there are ornamental plants around the yard you may need to check to make sure none are toxic, and that there are none she can damage. 

Sheep will eat lots of things, even if you don't want them to.


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## EvangelineMarie (May 4, 2018)

She is a wool breed, just being raised as a pet. Her grain is a mixture that my aunt and uncle mix for their lambs that consists of medicated lamb feed, cracked corn, molasses, soybean meal, and some minerals. I will continue to give her a little each day. My son loves her, as do I, so maybe I am being too paranoid about her being sick. Thanks again!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I'd get some powdered minerals and let her have free access to them.
She will only eat as much as she needs.

The lamb feed alone should have all the nutrition she needs, and soon you can substitute whole corn for the cracked and it won't be so dusty.


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## yankeedoodle (Feb 28, 2018)

Is she by her self? I have seen them not be as active alone. Sheep especially do not do well alone.Any animal friends for her to hang out with? goat kids or anything?


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## EvangelineMarie (May 4, 2018)

I got her as a companion for my goat, who I knew was pregnant but I didn't know how far along. Three days after I got her, my goat had her baby.. so now Mama goat doesn't like the lamb. They are all in the same pen, but separated by a fence. My dogs realky love the lamb, so she had them for friends but they are not out there all the time of course. Do I need to get another lamb? That would not be ideal, but I don't I will if that's what she needs. I think my Mama goat will settle down after awhile. Her baby is only 9 days old.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

She'd be better off with another sheep.
Also, goats and sheep need different minerals.
Minerals made for goats have enough copper to kill sheep.


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## EvangelineMarie (May 4, 2018)

I did not know that about the minerals. I purchased a goat and sheep mineral block from our local farm store, so I thought it was safe for both of them. I don't think my lamb has had any of it as it is in the goats' pen and she is very rarely in there.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

If it's labeled for both, it probably really doesn't have all the Copper the goats need.

It's better to use loose powdered minerals because they won't be able to lick a block enough to get the amounts they require, and it can damage their teeth if they try to bite it.


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## Hiro (Feb 14, 2016)

If these are just pets, you can buy general purpose minerals for both. Just slip the goat some goat feed on occasion that has higher copper. They have vastly different mineral requirements, but if you aren't looking for optimum performance I doubt it will matter that much. There are livestock producers around here that don't ever give their livestock any mineral other than salt, run pigs/cattle/goats/sheep/chickens together. I wouldn't do that, but it works for some producers.


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## EvangelineMarie (May 4, 2018)

Thanks for the advice everyone! It's all very helpful. I grew up with sheep, but this is the first time I've had my own as an adult and I don't remember as much as I thought I did. This is what her belly looked like tonight after eating hay, grazing a little, and a little grain. Still nothing to be concerned about?


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## TheShepard (Feb 28, 2018)

We always put baking soda out free choice along with the minerals, it will help prevent bloat.


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