[moony]

After a bit of advice and suggestions. Had some Wensleydale cross lambs for the first time this year. Was really pleased with them at birth. They were massive at birth, very very dopey to start but grew well. However the last 2 months they have been a bit of a disaster. Had a lot with flystrike despite a lot, and I mean a lot of crovect. Any slight patch the crovect doesn't touch they get swarmed on, but it is a big fly area.
However the biggest problem which has occurred over the last few days is that a large number of them seem to suddenly be going quite weak/lack coordination. They flop on their sides and have no desire to try and get up and no strength to do so if they do try. We are having to go around picking them up on a regular basis. Some alive, some dead. When they are up they potter around grazing happily for a bit then fall and just lie there. A couple have scoured but not all and most have been wormed quite recently. Its seems to be more the tup lambs that are affected but not just them. Only one has made a recovery so far, that was a gimmer and she seems to be doing fine, the rest, including her sister, have died.
We are unsure if it might be something on the land, although we can't find anything, maybe some sort of deficiency in the pasture - we moved here 4 months ago, something genetic or something else. At a complete loss. We have lost more lambs in the last 4 months than we have in the last 5 years and have less than a fifth of our previous stocking numbers.
The strange thing is we had two tups - a father and son combination which we bought that were the sires of these lambs. The father had been used before, the son not. Both of those perished in the same way these lambs are back in the winter. We should have had them analysed after death, but we didn't. We put it down to being stuck on their sides in horrendous weather.   
The other strange thing is that we sold a batch to regular buyer. He has been keeping sheep 30 years to a very high standard and is completely stumped by these. He didn't like them from the start because of their fleeces being too open. He has lost 8 out of 10 and says the other 2 just won't grow or put weight on. Hes tried everything with them he could think of with them. Says they have all got to a certain size and just died. Hes had his vet have a brief look at them but they have no real suggestions. He hasn't had a problem with any of his other lambs.
We are have had a few suggestions from the vet and are ringing again later today to discuss things. We also have 2 on the garden in a weakened state for them to look at.
Does anyone have any suggestions? None of the ewes have had any noticeable problems whatsoever.

[twizzel]

Could it be a copper deficiency?

[ScotsGirl]

It could be a side effect of using too much crovect. If you look at the guidelines.... It will affect their nervous system if you overdose. It would possibly have been better to shear them and I think my sheep farmer relation told me to wash them in carex hand soap. Might need to check exactly which product but it was something like that.


I think if there is something wrong with the animal the flies definitely attack them more. Having read the end of your post it does sound like there is a genetic issue. The question is do you autopsy at expense or cull and start again. Really sorry, it's devastating    Things improve. Only other thing is to try something homeopathic as last resort?

[fsmnutter]

ccn, vitamin b deficiency can cause flopping.
Copper deficiency can also cause 'swayback' with wobbly lambs and back ends that just go.
If only one or two, could be spiinal abscesses from navel ill.
Overdose of drugs wouldn't explain the ones dying on the other farm or the rams in winter.
There could well be something genetic from the fathers.
I would definitely advise getting your vet to post mortem, probably taking samples to check copper particularly.
Hope you get an answer and pull some through it

[Hellybee]

Selenium deficiency/vit e deficiency ?

[Backinwellies]

Can't see that it would be a deficiency as they are dying on the other farm too.

[Anke]

I would investigate towards copper deficiency/delayed swayback. In wet area copper can be locked up in the soil and is not available for the animal, I had problems with really weedy lambs in the wet summer of 2012, although only lost one and that was fluke.

Sounds horrific, and definitely something you need to get a handle on before next tupping season. Have you not had any problem like this before on your land or is this your first crop of lambs? If the lambs you sold are also having these issues on different land than obviously a problem they had from birth and more likely handed down from the ewe/tup. It could of course also be a genetic defect.

[twizzel]

Copper deficiency is passed onto the foetus and manifests itself in the lambs rather than the ewes, I think that this stage you can't rule anything out so I'd test for everything.

[Porterlauren]

I'd say genetic.

Ewes are fine, but sires and lambs all died in same way . . . .

[Hellybee]

Had they been vaccinated ?

[Marches Farmer]

I'd be inclined to find a good sheep vet, choose a floppy lamb and get it tested for everything.  I'd start with selenium deficiency and perhaps CCN.  One or two is unfortunate, so many is something you really need to get a handle on, fast.

[Hellybee]

What are they fed?

[shep53]

PINE cobolt b12 deficiency  lambs starve to death in a field full of grass ??    only a post mortem or 2 and full blood tests are going to solve this .     Can you not speak to the previous owner of the land or your neighbours they should know of any problems

[ScotsGirl]

It wouldn't explain those dying on other farm but a sheep friend did mention if nitrogen (I think) is applied in spring it causes a deficiency which can be serious to lambs. I can't remember if if is magnesium.

[Backinwellies]

Yes ScotsGirl .... too much nitrogen causes magnesium deficiency .... but this doesn't sound like that ... ewes would be more affected too.     

Do they go off back legs first?    Sure sign of copper deficiency or 'swayback' . Some breeds are more susceptible than others so could explain why it has shown its self in your new Wensleydales .


http://www.nadis.org.uk/bulletins/trace-element-deficiencies-in-sheep.aspx