Author Topic: You wonder was it worth it? (Read 3410 times)

lamb_whisperer · « **on:** April 07, 2011, 09:07:22 am »

Got up this morning to find Lucky had died during the night. I just do not understand it.

Lucky was from a set of triplet, very strong set, good mother. When he was about a week old, we noticed he was struggling. Seemed thinner than the others, and weak. So we brought them back into a pen and started to feed him. He kept detoriating for a while. Although he ate well and was putting on wieght, he's only get up if I lifted him and put him on his feet. So I started putting him on his feet out on the yard and so he'd walk around a bit. About a month ago he really turned a corner, and we were happy to let him out again, still feeding him of course. He was now the biggest of the three and to be quite honest, a bit of a bully! Always had to have his milk first, before any others.

Yesterday he was quieter but nothing obviously wrong, had his milk ok, did the racing laps around the hayracks with the other lambs whilst the ewes fed... but this morning I thought he was sleeping, went over to wake him up for his milk and he's died.

what really gets me as I have no idea why. He's not dirty as if he's been scouring or anything. He doesn't look like he's been hurt in anyway. There was even some milk around his mouth, so he'd been at the bucket milk feeder. So so gutting ... my own fault for getting attached I know....

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2011, 10:07:18 am »

Very sorry to hear your sad news, lamb_whisperer. We all get these sudden unexplained deaths but it doesn't make it any easier to understand or come to terms with.

Rosemary · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2011, 10:08:28 am »

Shame, poor boy. At least he got a good chance

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2011, 10:33:36 am »

I am sorry. And its even worse that you had worked hard to get Lucky going, and it seemed as though you had succeeded.

HappyHippy · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2011, 12:31:09 pm »

I'm sorry to hear about your wee guy

I know proper farmers (no offence meant by this, I just mean guys with hundreds of animals and hundreds of acres to run them on) who get upset by the loss of one animal - I don't think it matters how long you've been doing it or how many you've lost before - every one hurts as much

Even worse when there's no apparent reason.
And it's not a bad thing to get attached to an animal - I don't think it's possible not to get attached to some extent to something that you look after on a daily basis. I would have far more respect for someone who was upset by a loss than someone who didn't seem to care at all.
That's the sad thing with livestock, at some point you're going to have deadstock.
Karen x

bazzais · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2011, 12:32:13 pm »

Well said Karen -

Its so sad as you approach something and you know as you approach that something is just not right - frustrating, annoying and you get all the guilty feelings and the 'what have I' or 'what if I's' running through your head.

It never nice to find something dead. period. It never will be.

You've probably done nothing wrong + it was worth it, cos its little bit of life was comfortable and enjoyable + everything else is safe, warm, fed and running around.

Baz

robert waddell · « **Reply #6 on:** April 07, 2011, 01:42:44 pm »

i have been in the same position myself something just does not look right and it usually isn't then there are times that what is just not right is new life you just cant go beating yourself up over a lamb or sheep they have a mission statement in life to die your mission statement is to try and keep them alive even if they die with some other shepherd
callous hard insensitive yes but that is what learning about livestock is all about
look on the bright side your still alive that is a definite plus