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Author Topic: Sheep 'dropping dead'  (Read 27212 times)

CarolineR

  • Joined Jan 2012
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2012, 07:24:08 pm »
hi plumseverywhere,

one of the main reasons that people say sheep "drop dead" for no reason is that a range of the diseases they can catch can present mainly as a sudden onset collapse and quick spread of infection and/or sudden death wih no obvious signs beforehand. A contributing factor is that in some cases these diseases can cause several sudden deaths or collapses in a group within a short space of time, which is tragic and very dramatic to behold.

Classic examples include clostridial (bacterial diseases) in unvaccinated sheep (the bacteria produces a toxin/poison that kills the sheep very shortly after infection) - these are found in the soil.
"Pasteurellosis", a group of bacteria that cause a fast spreading septicaemia ("blood poisoning") or pneumonia in sheep, especially seen in spates  of sudden deaths after moving or bad weather
Fluke - Cows tend to show signs of having this parasite, whereas I have seen countless sheep, some in great body condition, that have been put on contaminated pasture and eaten loads of the baby parasites and ended up with a totally trashed liver and subsequent death within an alarmingly short space of time.
And- in the case of a single or a couple of deaths within a short space of time after moving to lovely lush pasture such as clover - sometimes the diet change causes gas to build up in the stomach and rotate the entire digestive system, cutting off its blood supply and causing death.
There are other causes with similar presentation too!

The innards of a sheep= complicated things! Hope this helps. There are post-mortem pathology labs around the country which are subsidised by the government and can do top-quality post-mortem investigations to try to find the cause of death for a very reasonable cost similar to a veterinary visit- most vets, when asked, can arrange for this if appropriate as the labs work alongside the vets to help and provide advice, and not in competition with them.

Examples include the government subsidised SAC in scotland, and the AHVLA in england.

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #16 on: January 03, 2012, 07:46:13 pm »
Hello Podanmoo - thank you so much for your reply! lots of really useful information  :)  so far only one isolated death (touch wood) but it did throw me a bit last week when it happened  :-\
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Dizzycow

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Fife
  • .
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #17 on: January 03, 2012, 07:54:19 pm »
Sorry about your ewe. What do you do with a dead beast?  When I was growing up there was a company called Dundas which used to come and pick up dead beasts. They would be left at the bottom of the back drive until Dundas deigned to come and lift them, and were invariably maggoty after a few days, much to our childish delight. Revolting. Haven't had any dead beasts to dispose of, however had to give up on the physiotherapy of a wonky chick and dispose of it an hour ago. Well, my visiting friend was given the deed to do, in exchange for wine. Bless him.

Must go and put the pookies to bed. I think I might have my first broody. Will report back, because I know you're all on tenterhooks...... whatever they may be.  :)

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #18 on: January 03, 2012, 07:58:10 pm »
She was collected by a lovely local company who are always very understanding to me when I get soppy about my goats  :D  this time though things went a bit pearshaped (see my post in the coffee lounge about collection services from about 4 days ago...) and I had nightmares.
my pookies are still off school till monday and I haven't a chance of getting them anywhere near bed yet as they are hyper (ick) much to mine and Tony's disgust having been up since daft o clock due to the wind (outside wind Mrs Dizzycow before you say anything  ;)  )
sorry to hear about splayed legged chick, did you do the elastoplast trick with it? 
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Dizzycow

  • Joined Dec 2010
  • Fife
  • .
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #19 on: January 03, 2012, 08:11:06 pm »
Nope, it was too wonky for treating. We kept it in a very small tupperware box in a standing position all day, which has worked in the past, but it wasn't going to improve so I ran away and.... the rest is history.

The wind has been appalling. Lots of damage here. What other kind of wind is there, Plums? Really. Tsk.

Will check out your other post, got to be prepared for these things. I'm hoping for births (sheep!) not deaths. Fingerst crossed.  :)

CarolineR

  • Joined Jan 2012
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #20 on: January 03, 2012, 08:12:47 pm »
No problem!

Thankfully the great thing about smallholdings is small amounts of animals + buying in animals from a limited number of sources + lots of individual attention per animal + less stress due to not being managed in massive groups  usually means that anything like a "spate" of problems is much less likely in a small holding. The legend of the sheep that want to die therefore originated much more in the larger flocks and farms and is not as often seen in the smaller groups, since it is the larger groups that are much more likely to get the conditions that gave rise to the saying. Well managed small holdings with a smaller stocking density seem more often just to have the one sad incident like yourself, so I wish your sheepies the best of health for 2012!

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #21 on: January 03, 2012, 08:16:17 pm »
oh dear poor wonky chook Dizzycow. sounds like you tried all you could and did the kindest thing though.

Podanmoo - numbers are small here, thank goodness. the sheep are part of a co-operative so I an kind of the daily checker as they are on my land. when one dies I automatically feel guilty even though I'm not responsible for their worming, vaccinating and health as such (although I obviously have a duty of care which I take incredibly seriously and these lambs are seriously well loved by me and the children!)  thank you for your good wishes and advice!
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Sheep 'dropping dead'
« Reply #22 on: January 05, 2012, 09:47:40 pm »
our neighbours had a ewe that was always prone to getting stuck - almost daily. i thought maybe it was conformation or too fat, cos she was the only one who got stuck.

 

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