Hi everybody,
Is anyone aware of harmful effects of colostrum feeding to newborn lambs? Some of our clients are claiming that if they properly feed their pregnant ewes during the last month of gestation, most of those lambs would face with undigested and coagulated colostrum in abomasum, resulting in bloat, feebleness, and finally death in 2-3 days. Do you have any similar experience? Is it because of high fat or energy colostrum? Any comments?
Ehsan
Hi Ehsan, we have no such experience from newborn Lambs. I hope somebody knows more about it. Greetings
Hi dearest Adrian, sheep farmers here call this disorder as "lleus related to colostrum" or something like that.
Hi Ehsan,
Theoretically yes! Having epitheliochorial placentathey receive the first batch of Igs fro mother in the colostrum. Like horses that get isoerythrolysis, ruminants can potentially be afflicted.
I suggest sectioning the gut of a couple of lambs and staining it with anti-IgG antibody. Also, doing a CBC and measuring free haemoglobin a couple of hours after feeding colostrum can confirm the diagnosis if there is red cell lysis.
Some fungal/plant toxins can also be secreted in the dam's milk colostrum. Genetic susceptibilities of particular breeds of sheep should also be considered. However, the first step would be determining which organ(s) are involved most in the lambs. If it is isoerythrolysis it could be a great case report. Once again a general necropsy and macro- and microscopic pathology can confirm and reject a lot of probable causes.
Dear Ebrahim,
Thank you so very much for your instructive comments. As you may know, the big problem is the farmer per se! We are not able to collect the samples by farmers because they are culturally different from pioneer dairymen! I noticed this disorders in 3 different provinces in Iran and most of the farmers believe their ewes should have exercise (or walking through pasture) right before lambing otherwise they would face this problem if they fed with 300-500 g of concentrate (mainly barley grain). To sum up, I think there should be a relationship between the energy intake and the colostrum nutrient content instead of bacteria infections. Look forward to seeing more comments.
My experience in that área is not enough. Fortunately others with knowledge are answering your question
Dear Ehsan
Long time ago, I saw calves dying because of their mothers eating ammonia-treated grass, which as a result produced 4-metylimidazole in the milk... as far as I remember. Maybe the same issue here?
Kind regards Lene
Dear Lene,
Merry Christmas to you and thanks for your comment. That might be an issue but I doubt it since they face this problem when they are fed with concentrate. Any other comment.
Thanks,
Ehsan
Dear Ehsan
In natural cases, the consumption of colostrum by the progeny of ruminant has a fundamental role in a passive immune transfer and in the survival rate of newborns, this represents the main direction referred by many papers, and the reverse situation may represent abnormal case.
Good Luck
Dear Khalid,
I completely agree with you and because of that I was shocked with this observation. We have the similar reports from 3 different province. So, something should be wrong!
Ehsan
Happy New Year to all. I just realized one of our clients claims that when he feed ewes barley (instead of corn grain) he would this problem. Do you think there is any relationship between barley and colostrum harmful effects?
Ehsan
Dear Monyer,
Thanks for your email. But that paper was about the human lactase resistance. Do yu think the same situation for lambs?
Ehsan
Hey guys,
Somebody told me that enterotoxemia vaccination in late gestation can some how decrease this problem. Anybody has similar experience?
As your problem seems to be infrequent and mainly of local appearance, I sugest checking feedstuffs for toxins and toxic components. Other reasons should cause the same or similar problems anywhere
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