[suziequeue]

We bought three big Kerry ewes with lambs at foot a fortnight ago. They have settled in well and last week we sheared them. One of the ewes was pretty thin after her wooly coat came off but we thought she might fill out once she lost her coat.

Went to check them this morning and the thin one was on her side, moribund and paddling.

Vet came - she was barely responsive, cold and bradycardic.

Fortunately our next door neighbour is the local knacker man so he came around with the bolt and we took her to the kennels for the vet to do a PM.

He couldn't find anything but thinks she may have just been out of condition plus the stress of a move and then being sheared and therefore vulnerable to an opportunistic infection. Most likely staphylococcal meningitis. The rest of the flock are fine.

Vet says to check and make sure none of the others loose condition and if they do then call him ASAP.

Lessons learned?

Need to get in amongst them every day and eyeball them
Don't be afraid to call vet if sheep looses condition for no apparent reason
I know I know - where there's livestock there's deadstock - especially with sheep but.... I still feel guilty that we/I didn't pick up on her sooner  

[Fleecewife]

Sorry about that SQ.  I too have learned that moving a sheep is more stressful for her than we expect, with a shearling ewe we bought in last autumn.  She seems ok now but did loose one of her twins at birth, having been badly stressed by coming here via a sale - stressful in itself (with a stop-off en route for a month, so effectively two moves).  I will be giving any new arrivals extra tlc in future  but like you with your lost ewe, I feel guilty that I didn't pick up on it before she lost the lamb.  All we can do is to learn better for next time