[DartmoorLiz]

Found a somewhat round lamb at 12 hours old, checked him out and there was no poo, there was nowhere for it to get out.  Took him to the vet who surgically made an exit (not too expensive at £53).  He is now a week old and doing well. 


Has anyone come across this before, is it inherited? Should I not breed from his mum or sister or dad ?

[Old Shep]

We've seen it once, not sure if its hereditary but I wouldn't the the chance of breeding from that one, but I would breed the mother again.

[shep53]

Had maybe 6 or so  , couple of ewe lambs  who naturally poo'ed and peed out the same hole   and  a few males  , couple operated on by the vets with mixed results ,  couple put to sleep as the blockage was a long way back .  Told it  is random 

[farmershort]

Yeah we've seen it once. I put the lamb out of it's pain.

[sheepandponies]

Yes had one some years ago.  Took it into my vet who performed a procedure.  All went well for quite a few weeks then I realised that the placement of the urethra was also wrong so he was PTS.  Hope you have a better outcome but if it happened to me again I might not have the first procedure performed and just have the lamb PTS.

[Marches Farmer]

Never seen this, but wouldn't breed from that ewe again if I did.

[Tim W]

Seen a few, years back --- was just a thin membrane so pierced it ourselves , much cheaper than £53 and took 30 secs.

Sell fat though ---why keep anything that isn't perfect ?

[DartmoorLiz]

Thanks all.  He is still doing well .

[SallyintNorth]

Yes, saw this several times on the moorland farm in Swales and Mules, and very very rarely on the upland farm with Texel types.

We always had them pts.  I did keep track and we never had any second occurrences from the same mothers, but nonetheless, if the mothers were aged they'd be culled next time, and we didn't keep any of their daughters on for breeding.

[bj_cardiff]

I had a lamb that always seemed a bit odd, always a bit thin and was often found away from the others. It often had a dirty backside and when trimming away the dags it started to strain and groan and I noticed it had no anus. Poor thing must of been in agony. I had her PTS straight away

[Coximus]

Sell fat - and tbh, sell the mother as a cull - any problem like that is a potential welfare issue if you perpetuate the genetics... cull the family and save a good ewe lamb from your best ewes.

[DartmoorLiz]

Thanks guys, mother and sister will go.  He's not doing so well now, seems to have trapped wind.  is drinking about half his usual ration and walking around making the odd groaning sound.  Tried to massage his abdo and got some wind but still uncomfortable.  Will make a final decision at lunch time.

[Louise Gaunt]

He may have other gut strictures higher up causing a partial gut blockage.

[DartmoorLiz]

I think you are right.  Either that or he is constipated through dehydration due to being unable to make formed stools.  I've been offering him warm water in a bottle and he has ad lib water which he dips his lips into.  He's still going because he does not look too uncomfortable too much of the time but he has declined all offers of milk or water since lunchtime so the writing's on the wall.  Final final decision just after breakfast

[mowhaugh]

I remember my grandad sorting this on the odd swale lamb with his pocket knife when I was wee. I an NOT recommending this method, but they always seemed to do fine until they went store.