Poor body condition help

[Baymule]

I use a 16 ounce of bottled water to the 3/4 cup of non iodized table salt.

 

[LindyAcres]

Look what I found!

https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/241/McMaster-Test_Final3.pdf

Awesome I can't wait to read that. Thanks. I got a message from the vet today saying no parasites in the sheep droppings. I moved them onto a rested patch after 48 hours and then moved them again today. I'm thinking smaller paddocks and move them way more frequently than last year. With a 6 week rest time per paddock. I'm glad they don't have worms but I'm really scratching my head now trying to figure out why they are so thin. I upped their feed and added a sheep complete feed. The grass is so fresh right now their feed trough is full most of the day and they are mostly grazing. Maybe it is just the nursing the twins...I guess I'll give it time with the upped feed and hope they start to put some meat on their bones.

p.s. the ONE fecal test was $64.00 after taxes and fees!!

 

[LindyAcres]

Move them approx 48-72 hours after the drench... It takes approx 36 hours to go through the digestive system since sheep also "chew their cud"... so at least 2 days for the worms to die, let go of any attachment to the wall of the stomach and intestines... and pass through. Plus will help to kill some eggs that pass in the manure so they don't hatch... the young larvae will hatch from the worm eggs and crawl up on the stems of the grass so no longer than 5 days or the eggs can have hatched and get on the grass...
We move cattle normally 2 days after worming... although the last 2 groups we wormed and they got moved the next day, due to barn area crowding... but they were going to pastures where there is alot of grass and hoping that they just will not be eating the grass down that far to get the larvae... They are found on most grasses on the lower end of 6" of stem... so grass would have to be eaten short and not had time to regrow much for them to get re-infected with immature larvae off the grass...

ok thanks I moved them at the 48 hour mark. The sample came back negative for any worms but it's the kind of thing I want to know best how to deal with regardless of current egg counts!

 

[farmerjan]

Well, I guess it is a mixed blessing... they don't have worms... so now why so thin. Yes, it could be partly the twins... and realize that early in the season the grass grows fast and is more water... so they are not "retaining it" in their system that long either... just like the cows when they go out on grass, it is young and tender and for heaven's sake don't stand behind them when they poop..... it is thin and green and it is just them getting adjusted to different feed stuffs. You might want to hold them off grass for a bit when you first feed them grain and or high quality hay... to get some fiber in their system which helps to slow down the passage through and they have a chance to extract more nutrients from the feed.
More frequent rotation on smaller pieces of grass is better for the grass and will help to "make them" graze it more evenly too... weeds and grass will be more evenly tender and they ought to not "pick through it" as much... a plus for everything.

Sounds like you are doing most everything right... other than dry lotting them so they have to eat grain and hay, there is no other way to make the animals give up that most wanted spring green grass...

 

[Baymule]

What @farmerjan said. Green spring grass is candy and sheep love it. The poop pellets disappear, replaced by dog logs and miniature cow pies.