Small ruminants

Question 1

Common lamb illnesses

Answer 1

Hypothermia (don’t have brown adipose tissue for first 5 hrs) and hypoglycaemia

Watery mouth – E.Coli

Joint ill - hot swollen and painful joints – Streptococcus dysgalactiae

Entropian

Question 2

Causes of lameness in small ruminants and prevention

Answer 2

Scald – inflammation between digits – dry environment

Footrot – under running of hoof horn – Vaccination

CODD (contagious ovine digital dermatitis) - lesion starts at coronary band - antibiotics

Question 3

Sheep behaviour

Answer 3

Graze for 10 hours a day
Sleep together in shade
Aggression seen in ewes with lambs
Age dominance in tups
Lambs form play groups at month old

Question 4

Goat behaviour

Answer 4

Friendly
Inquisitive
easily bored
Suffer from separation anxiety
Can develop close affinity with owner
Will stand on fences/gates

Question 5

Goat, deer and camelid behaviour when ill

Answer 5

Illness often hidden (prey animals)

Signs may include:
Moving away from herd
Not eating
Loss of condition
Lameness
Dirty backside

Question 6

How to handle a camelid

Answer 6

Approach slowly
Hand around neck (support, dont scruff) & dont sandwich with other handler (no escape route makes them nervous)
Use halter (tight & high towards eyes as they are obligate nasal breathers)

Question 7

Sheep carcass classification

Answer 7

Weight
Category (new season lamb, old season lamb, mature sheep)
Conformation (E = excellent)
fatness (1 = lean, 5 = very fat)

Question 8

Answer 8

Question 9

Types of sheep flock

Answer 9

Pedigree flock
Commercial flocks
Pet sheep & hobby flocks

Question 10

Sheep, goat, camelid, deer gestation lengths

Answer 10

Sheep = 142-150 days
Goat = 146-156 days
Camelid = 335-365 days
Deer = 228 - 243 days