[feldar]

As you probably are aware by now we have had this damned virus Schmallenberg
just when we thought nothing else could go wrong! tonight when we went down the field, my daughter noticed a lamb who kept poking his tongue out. When i caught him up and checked his mouth he had an overshot lower jaw.
We checked the other lambs in the field as well and counted a total of 6 lambs with this defect, some so bad the teeth were really showing over the top lip.
What is so freaky is that when all our lambs were born this year because we had tested positive for the virus i meticulously checked their mouths, but some of these lambs are quite old now and they've only developed this problem recently.
We will go to plan B and bring all lambs and ewes in and creep feed because there's no way that some of these can eat grass. If they get too bad we may have to put some down we will just have to see
Just thought i would keep you informed, this bloody disease just will not go away and leave us in peace

[SallyintNorth]

   So sorry to hear your traumas continue, feldar.  {{{hugs}}}

[jaykay]

What a nightmare {{{ hugs }}}

[in the hills]

Sorry to hear this, Feldar

[bazzais]

Sorry to hear this too. Thanks for posting though. 
Luckily, being in wales here we dont have it, but evidence in terms of close observation is whats going to help kill this virus.

Thank you for documenting - and wish you and everyone involved the best from now.

Best wishes
Baz

[kanisha]

So sorry to hear you are having more problems. It sounds as if the fusing of joints includes sympheses and  has gone on in some cases without producing birth defects but as growth continues the  effects become noticeable I would imagine other shepherds are seeing the same effects. 

[Rosemary]

Really sorry to hear about this 

[feldar]

thanks for all your support.
It is interesting in a way I've not herd anything on the news or farming press about defects after birth or growth problems maybe they just don't know what's going to happen. We will report it to our vet but there maybe people out there who think they've got away with this disease and are going to get a shock.
We were hoping to keep some ewe lambs that looked ok to breed on from but i question that now because what else could be wrong with them?
Other question is can we sell these lambs at market as stores and i must admit i am a bit worried about putting them in the freezer!! are they ok to eat i think we will have to sit down and have a think about this or seek some more advice.
Keep you posted

[Tilly]

This is just awful news,I`m trying to get my head round this ? -- I didn`t know that Schmallenburg could manifest into deformities after birth aswell 


 

[Haylo-peapod]

What a dreadful development - I really feel for you feldar and hope that you get no more nasty surprises. You've been through more than enough already.
It will be interesting to find out if this is being replicated elsewhere - sadly I expect the answer to that one in 'yes'.
If it is being seen elsewhere then the VLA/Defra need to get this information out in general circulation quickly so that every one is armed with the necessary knowledge to be extra vigilent about the ongoing problems with this awful disease.
Thank you for keeping us informed on the developments - at least some of us have a better understanding thanks to your informative posts.
Keep strong feldar - Hugs!

[Bramblecot]

Thanks for posting Feldar - you are providing useful info for all of us.  But I wonder how many lambs will be suffering this summer unnoticed?   :(There will be thousands out on the downs and cliffs near here that are scarcely checked.  We know where it was first seen but how did it start?

[PetiteGalette]

I'd be gutted! I don't honestly know how I'd cope with layer on  layer of such devastation in my flock and newborns. I hope your nightmare eases soon and you can resume a more normal pattern of life  without any more horrors...................

Am I being  pessimistic here, thinking this is only the tip of the iceberg? It is such a new disease will it mutate?
and, something everyone who keep sheep is dreading, will it quickly spread in these warmer times?
Does anyone know what ongoing research is being done on the disease/vaccine in Europe?
Kanisha.................?

It is creeping across France but, it doesn't seem to have reached us here in Finistere.........yet.

We had our first lamb right on time last night out in the field (two to go). All seems to be well.

[kanisha]

essentially it is a mutation of other viruses already out there and not present in the EU. Plenty of reasearch vaccine talk s about two years away on current estimates.

Nothing has been declared in 29 35 22 or 56  which covers the whole of Brittany odd then that it is so far along the UK coast......

best of luck with the rest of your lambing I am still waiting...... talk of all these lambs is killing me 

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?p=446043

[sabrina]

Sounds terrible and giving you a real nightmare

[feldar]

Well we've spoken with our vet today and he is going back to DEFRA and the VLA with our info. He did say someone higher up may want to come out and view these lambs.
Dread going down the field now in case there is any more