The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: NewLifeOnTheFarm on May 03, 2018, 05:22:52 pm

Title: 2 placentas, 1 lamb
Post by: NewLifeOnTheFarm on May 03, 2018, 05:22:52 pm
Has anyone had a ewe abort a lamb and then have a healthy lamb a week or so later? Reason I ask is I had one Shetland left to lamb, she was very small compared to others, and we assumed she wasn't in lamb. Others lambed 3 weeks ago. Last week I found part of a skull in field, no signs she had maybe lost a lamb, we wondered if a bird had dropped it.

Today, with no signs at all she went into labour. Another very difficult lambing requiring the vet, thanks to the person I bought them from using a large texel tip.

Anyway, a healthy large lamb delivered, and just been out to check on them and found two separate placentas, both have cords etc, so I wonder if it's possible she lost one previously??

Title: Re: 2 placentas, 1 lamb
Post by: shep53 on May 03, 2018, 08:02:12 pm
I would say no , if she opened her cervix to abort a lamb the second lamb would have died , plus if she had aborted then she would have cleansed as well or it would go rotten and cause blood poisoning  .  Only once in 50+ years with sheep, I had a ewe abort a single lamb in late jan and then she produced a live lamb in late april