Zingy
23rd Apr 2004, 06:16 PM
Yog has lost loads of weight over winter. He kept it on really well until about 6-8 weeks ago, then it all fell off in the space of about a week! He's done that before - I think he's managing really well, keeping weight on when I don't really expect him to, but when it comes off, it comes off fast!
Anyway, before when he did this, he put it back on over a fairly short space of time, but it was summer and he I moved him from the field with no grass in (hence the weight loss), to one with loads in, plus gave him conditioning feed and alfalfa. Halfway through the bags I started to wonder what to do with the rest of it, cos he certainly didn't need it!
This time though, 6-8 weeks later he looks just as bad. He's been on conditioning cubes (same as before) and alfalfa pellets, plus haylage. The grass isn't great (coming though now) - annoying as I've got 2 acres of grass doing nothing but he can only go in there when I'm at the field and it's dry, due to large chunks of fencing missing and some very dodgy holes in the field (still waiting for the persons responsible to fix it - 4 months now and counting :rolleyes: ). Can't do ad lib haylage either - partly because he's not that interested in it (would rather eat grass), and partly because of said mess with field means I can't split him & Benj and I can't afford Benj to put on much weight! He's been wormed twice in the last 8 weeks, just in case it was that (though shouldn't have been cos he was up to date anyway). He also seems a bit lethargic, but it's difficult to tell with the ground as it is - he hates it if the ground it too wet/ too hard etc etc! He doesn't seem to have the stamina he did though (understandable given his weight and the fact he's not been exercised much over winter because of the ground). He's eating well though and seems his usual self apart from that.
Question is, should I be worried yet?! How long do I carry on putting it down to feed, and assume his condition will improve as the grass comes through more? When do I start getting the vet out for blood tests etc? Help!
Anyway, before when he did this, he put it back on over a fairly short space of time, but it was summer and he I moved him from the field with no grass in (hence the weight loss), to one with loads in, plus gave him conditioning feed and alfalfa. Halfway through the bags I started to wonder what to do with the rest of it, cos he certainly didn't need it!
This time though, 6-8 weeks later he looks just as bad. He's been on conditioning cubes (same as before) and alfalfa pellets, plus haylage. The grass isn't great (coming though now) - annoying as I've got 2 acres of grass doing nothing but he can only go in there when I'm at the field and it's dry, due to large chunks of fencing missing and some very dodgy holes in the field (still waiting for the persons responsible to fix it - 4 months now and counting :rolleyes: ). Can't do ad lib haylage either - partly because he's not that interested in it (would rather eat grass), and partly because of said mess with field means I can't split him & Benj and I can't afford Benj to put on much weight! He's been wormed twice in the last 8 weeks, just in case it was that (though shouldn't have been cos he was up to date anyway). He also seems a bit lethargic, but it's difficult to tell with the ground as it is - he hates it if the ground it too wet/ too hard etc etc! He doesn't seem to have the stamina he did though (understandable given his weight and the fact he's not been exercised much over winter because of the ground). He's eating well though and seems his usual self apart from that.
Question is, should I be worried yet?! How long do I carry on putting it down to feed, and assume his condition will improve as the grass comes through more? When do I start getting the vet out for blood tests etc? Help!