What causes stiffness in lambs?

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Summary. The results of the experiments reported here indicate that the lack of vitamin E in the ration of the lambs may be the cause of the stiff-lamb disease.

What causes weakness in lambs?

White muscle disease (WMD) is caused by a deficiency of selenium and/or vitamin E. It is a degenerative muscle disease found in all large animals including sheep and goats.

Why is my lamb staggering?

Staggers is a metabolic disorder caused by low levels of blood magnesium. Magnesium is an essential element for sheep for skeletal and muscle functions as well as enzyme and nervous system functionality. Sheep can not store magnesium, meaning they need a continuous supply of the element.

Can a lamb recover from white muscle disease?

If white muscle disease is diagnosed in a flock, all lambs should be treated at birth. Affected lambs respond positively to injections of selenium, or selenium and vitamin E.

What is white muscle disease in lambs?

Enzootic Muscular Dystrophy, commonly known as White Muscle Disease, is a common syndrome in young calves freshly turned out on pasture in the spring. White Muscle Disease is a depletion of Vitamin E and/or Selenium. Selenium and Vitamin E are essential components of cattle and sheep diets.

What is a selenium deficiency?

Selenium deficiency occurs when there is inadequate dietary intake of selenium, typically due to a scarcity of selenium sources in a given region. Interestingly, many selenium-deficiency diseases are linked with concurrent vitamin E deficiency.

What are signs of selenium deficiency in sheep?

Deficiencies of either or both selenium and vitamin E can cause weaner illthrift, reduced wool production, reduced ewe fertility, reduced immune response and white muscle disease….Signs of deficiency include:

poor growth.
stiff gait.
arched back.
apparent lameness.
reluctance to move.
sudden deaths.

What does selenium deficiency look like in sheep?

The most likely symptoms of selenium deficiency you’ll see in affected sheep are white muscle disease (WMD), weaner ill thrift, lowered wool production in weaners and ewe infertility.

What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency in sheep?

Clinical magnesium deficiency (hypomagnesaemia or grass tetany) can result in ewe deaths, typically when ewes are grazing grass-dominant pastures or cereal crops in winter and early spring. Symptoms include staggering, incoordination and sudden death.

How do you help a weak lamb?

Lamb is weak, depressed, appears empty but can stand. Move lamb into shelter and dry off if wet. Feed colostrum by stomach tube (within the first hour of birth is best). Feed 50 mL/kg of bodyweight slowly over 5-10 minutes.

How can you tell if a lamb is dying?

Lambs can get sick very suddenly and if no action is taken, they can die quickly. Here are some signs to look out for: Bloating. Lethargy, loss of appetite.

What is the treatment for white muscle disease?

Treatment of White Muscle Disease involves administering injectable formulations such as Dystocel or E-SE. All the injectable products provide sufficient Selenium, but minimal Vitamin E. In these products, the Vitamin E acts as a Preservative.