[bplegs]

Hallo all.

Not a very happy person today. We finished lambing with 11 lambs from 6 girls. Quite pleased. All the lambs were vaccinated with Hep P last Sunday and all seemingly fine, this morning the last girl lamb born was dead. She looked in perfect health and to be honest I was really shocked. Feeling quite upset at the loss. I know its "just a lamb" but this was our first year and we were so chuffed at coming through the lambing itself with no real problems. Sad day here :-(

[Coximus]

Happens - ive lost 3 this year - 1 to badger, 1 to unknown (keeled over about 4 hours old) and one just went down hill even on the bottle after the mother was lost (turned out to be struck) - next year you may have 50 without a loss, the year after 20 with 5 - sadly thats the way it can be!

If theirs no reason visible, it could just be she had some problem or issue internally (they can be born with missing organs, defects, weak hearts etc) rather than anything you could of prevented.

Focus your efforts on making sure your surviving stock are all healthy, well fed and happy.

[SallyintNorth]

We all feel the losses, no matter how much experience we've had over the years.   

Sometimes they do just die and there's nothing you could have seen or done.  Grieve, of course, but mostly focus on the lovely lambs that are still alive and making your heart sing.   

[sabrina]

Losing any animal is heart breaking but it is something you have to get used to. You can only do your best for them but there will be losses sad to say. Chin up and look forward.

[Bramblecot]

It's horrible when you lose one, especially in a small flock where they are so easily identified.    All you can do is try to see any obvious cause and treat for it, and make sure the ewe is ok.  Was there any sign of grey runny poo, that could be cocci which can take them quickly at 4 -6 weeks old. 

[Penninehillbilly]

hi bplegs
It's never 'just a lamb', it's a life, and it's upsetting whenever we lose one, even harder when it's your first year as well, but now you just have to look to the others, as said watching for anything messy etc. You've still done well, so be pleased with the ones you have. 

[Kimbo]

Im sorry for your sadness.
Just want to align myself with what everyone else has said.

[Hellybee]

Big hugs.  We started lambing with some unviable twins, who of course we tried our best with, and then you think oh is this a taste of things to come, but these things happen doll, all we can do is our best x

[bplegs]

Thanks all. Much appreciated. I was a mess all day but bagged her to prevent blowfly and she was collected so no problems. Since noticed another of my female lambs has curved front feet. Poor thing isn't in pain and she was initially rejected by her mother on birth. Perhaps nature was trying to tell us then. Even without losses at lambing, it's remarkable how full on this is. Mind you, hasn't put us off. We going to keep on trooping forward. Just amazed at how steep this learning curve is!

[Hellybee]

Do you mean the little lamb is knuckled over?  Daily manipulation can help with that.


I see lambing time like being in an alternate universe, a challenging, tiring but magical time x

[Me]

  Daily manipulation can help with that.

Will showing them news 24 do then?

[Hellybee]

    

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Hallo all.

Not a very happy person today. We finished lambing with 11 lambs from 6 girls. Quite pleased. All the lambs were vaccinated with Hep P last Sunday and all seemingly fine, this morning the last girl lamb born was dead. She looked in perfect health and to be honest I was really shocked. Feeling quite upset at the loss. I know its "just a lamb" but this was our first year and we were so chuffed at coming through the lambing itself with no real problems. Sad day here :-(

Am sorry to hear that I know just how you feel. I have had that and have, yes would you believe it, cried for a good 20 mins. Losing lambs is never easy, but it is the way with farming, nature sometimes takes its course even when the lamb looks in perfect health. The only thing we can do is to look to the other lambs and make sure nothing happens to them. What breed are they by the way? Are they mixed or pure?

[Marches Farmer]

Since noticed another of my female lambs has curved front feet.

I wouldn't breed from her - it will get worse as she gets heavier and much worse when she's pregnant. 

[bplegs]

We have Jacobs.


The lamb with the leg issue won't be bred from. Along with one or two of the others she will be toddling off in the Autumn.