Ask the Sheep Guy: E. coli

QUESTION: What can you tell me about E. coli?

ANSWER:     

E. coli is a germ that kills your lambs, and that is caused by and originates with dirty barns.

I had full-time help for ten years, but cleaning and disinfecting barns and spreading manure was never a priority for any of them.

As a result, we had manure build-up, dirty barns, bad hygiene and a range of related germs including E. coli.

E. coli infects your lambs, causing lamb scours and wet mouths and, ultimately, lamb death.

How to address?

First, clean and disinfect your barns and spread your manure piles. Good hygiene.

Second, administer Spectam Scour Halt on lambing.

Also, be sure your lambs get adequate colostrum, as within the colostrum is the innoculant against the deadly E. coli.