Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Schmallenberg Update  (Read 11618 times)

Elissian

  • Joined Oct 2009
  • Wiltshire
Re: Schmallenberg Update
« Reply #30 on: March 08, 2012, 12:58:15 pm »
I find reading other peoples experiences very helpful and though it sounds wrong, reassuring. It helps to know it's not something i'm doing wrong but at the same time awful that we are experiencing this. I only have 16 ewes to lamb, my heart goes out to those with hundreds, what an awful waiting game.

feldar

  • Joined Apr 2011
  • lymington hampshire
Re: Schmallenberg Update
« Reply #31 on: March 08, 2012, 02:02:33 pm »
We have had a full term and a mumified twin born yesterday that was only about 6 ins long found it hanging from her, the full term dead lamb had been born normally.
I am going to take some pictures because my son is at Agri college and they don't know much about this disease. they are no worse than what you would see in a vet book, i know it's a bit macabre but i learn by pictures so if anyone wants to see them PM me in a day or two and i will send you them but i wont post on here cause not everyone wants to see such things.

Bramblecot

  • Joined Jul 2008
Re: Schmallenberg Update
« Reply #32 on: March 08, 2012, 05:33:59 pm »
It is not macabre - it is important that we know what can happen.  Everyone loves to see fluffy white lambs skipping around a field but those with the responsibility for their care also need to understand the bigger picture.  It just seems one of nature's cruel twists, which has made lambing a worrying time for many of us.  I will PM you next week.

SallyintNorth

  • Joined Feb 2011
  • Cornwall
  • Rarely short of an opinion but I mean well
    • Trelay Cohousing Community
Re: Schmallenberg Update
« Reply #33 on: March 08, 2012, 06:43:55 pm »
I too like to keep myself informed, feldar, so will PM you.
Don't listen to the money men - they know the price of everything and the value of nothing

Live in a cohousing community with small farm for our own use.  Dairy cows (rearing their own calves for beef), pigs, sheep for meat and fleece, ducks and hens for eggs, veg and fruit growing

Remy

  • Joined Dec 2011
Re: Schmallenberg Update
« Reply #34 on: March 08, 2012, 07:34:18 pm »
I don't think it's macabre either, for everyone who is breeding I think it's important to know what is going on - who knows how far it will spread?  I'm just so sorry for all of you who have been affected, and any who are going to be - this is an unknown at present  :-\.  I was thinking about this when I walked through a sea of midges today - they are out in force already!
1 horse, 2 ponies, 4 dogs, 2 Kune Kunes, a variety of sheep

Laurieston

  • Joined May 2009
  • Northern Germany
Re: Schmallenberg Update
« Reply #35 on: March 08, 2012, 09:48:36 pm »
We are in northern Germany, and the sheep belonging to the farmers who rent some of our fields are just finishing lambing - started in December.  The first lambing was not good, with quite a lot of lambs dying before birth, or born deformed. One is still bottle fed, and seemingly brain damaged.  His leg is deformed so he cannot stand properly to feed from his mother.  HIs eyes do not seem to open properly.

However, since about Feb. the lambs have all been fine and healthy.  It seems to be so dependant on when the infected mosquitoes were about in relation to the age of the feotus.  The farmers here have been lucky, if one can say that, in that their rams live with the ewes most of the year, and so the ewes don't all get pregnant at the same time, thereby spreading the risk period over a number of months.  Maybe this is a strategy that could be used.  It does mean an extended lambing period however.

I'm not yet clear if the immunity passes on genetically.  If not that means the risk for first year mothers remains for next year, and each successive year I suppose.

 

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