I've had a really bad year too CW, at times I wondered if it was worth it - they were just dropping dead on me, and typically all of them pedigrees bought in so a great financial loss too! The main flock then got a virulent eye infection in summer which raged for months throughout the flock and I thought it was down to something I'd done
. Every time I thought it had gone more went down with it or it reinfected ones that had had it! I've had sheep for five years and never the problems I've had this year, despite my efforts to worm/vaccinate/be more efficient in my husbandry. It makes you feel totally inadequate and despondent but I think it's just the way with sheep.
Just when I thought all was finally well I went away in September for five days having checked the sheep beforehand, leaving them for my husband to check although he didn't know at the time how many I had. On my return I brought them all in for worming and realised one of my favourites was missing, only to find her skeleton in the field!!
What on earth happened to her I have no idea but I was gutted. I can't blame hubby as I think she must have fallen ill in a corner of the field where she couldn't be seen, he was just watching for healthy sheep and obviously missed her.
Don't feel bad about it CW it's just sheep!
