[Brucklay]

Yesterday 'Dolly' didn't make her usual mad dash to the feed trough for her wee nibble. Having read Pedwardine's post I looked out for signs.


Yesterday evening she was lying down and definitely pushing. It was almost dark but I managed to separated into a large penning area 8 out of the 11 ewes (so 8 are safe).


Checked first thing this morning and found an expelled lamb - well formed no placenta but I will check again soon. Vets not open to take the lamb to.


They are all 'first timers in this paddock - should I put the 8 I have penned in with the Castlemilks to keep them safe from any transmitted bugs. As I don't have any ewes that are definitely not lambing what should I do with Dolly as she can't be on her own. The shetland ram was in the paddock with them I move him do a different paddock last night - is it an option to put her in with him as company?


Any advice would be great - the more I read the more I worry!!


Forgot to add she was due end of March.

[SallyintNorth]

Sorry to hear that Brucklay 

I was about to write that yes, she'd be fine with the ram, but then thought - are you confident she doesn't have another, healthy lamb in there?

She'll be a bit miz for a day or two anyway, so one option would be to pen her where she can see and hear other sheep but they can't sniff her bottom.  Then, once she feels more herself, you could pop her back with the other mums-to-be.  Maybe give her bottom and back-end a jolly good clean with iodine or something first.

As to putting the 8 with the Castlemilks... my only hesitation would be the CMs' horns and how they might be with any new lambs, so I'd have thought you could put them together for a month or so anyway.

Take your vet's advice - there are a number of causative agents, plus 'just one of those things'.  You can protect the remainder with Alamycin if it's enzootic abortion, but some of them just have to work their course.

I've just had a look at the Eblex manual.  (It's Manual 14, Reducing lamb losses - download it here.)  It says that for enzo, keep them isolated for 4 weeks, so keeping her seperate (but in sight and sound of other sheep) for a few days until she feels ok, then cleaning her up and putting her with the tup for 4 weeks sounds like an option.  It does also say that infected sheep will be carriers, so check with the vet but that sounds to me as though future choices are cull or vaccinate.

However, the Eblex manual does also say that abortion is usually at full-term.  If earlier, you would expect the foetus to be mummified.

I think the vet will be able to do blood tests after lambing that will identify any infections from the antibodies in the ewes' blood.  However, I don't think these things are infallible - we had this done on the moorland farm, and nothing was found - but for sure we'd had some kind of agent, we'd had quite a few very sick aborted ewes that year. And I had absolutely definitely kept track of exactly which ewes it was that should be tested.

[Brucklay]

Thank you Sally - I read the the manual too and that was my understanding too - managed to get all the other ewes moved so they are sorted.


Vet said she would come out tomorrow and do a blood test is that too early.


Re. Dolly can now see a bag hanging so she's not done yet so off back to check on her - on the plus side she doesn't look too bad, she looks quite bright.


Will update when we have some conclusive news if we get any.

[kanisha]

just a question. there is no chance of the ram being a potential carrier for enzo? Ie if you put the ewe in with the ram for four weeks could he become infected and whilst not abort ( obviously) be a source of potential infection to the ewes next time he mates them?

[SallyintNorth]

Apparently rams don't transmit enzo, it is only transmitted in foetal and placental material.

[Marches Farmer]

Don't forget to keep separate clothes and boots for an animal in isolation, use a boot dip and visit them after the other sheep.

[Brucklay]

Well she lost another lamb, she's isolated but can see the other ewes - off to move my penning system off that land.


I have never seen an aborted lamb before so am unsure if they are mummified or just what they should be at 6 weeks early - they are floppy.


What I did notice on closer inspection what I thought was a few pulls on her fleece (they do climb on each other for feed) I found a break in her fleece which would lead me to suspect she was under the weather sometime ago - but she has never shown any signs of being ill.


The vet didn't mention antibiotics, I have pen and strep and betamox should I give her a shot? I think on the other post the dose was 4m?


OH found some clean overtrousers for me so all organised - thank you for the advice.

[SallyintNorth]

Give her Pen & Strep, double dose (ie, 2ml/25kgs) today and then normal dose tomorrow and Tuesday.  Minerals - Combivit or similar - would do no harm either.

Ring the vet and ask if they think it might be enzootic abortion, and if so whether they would advise precautionary Alamycin for the rest of the flock.

If you aren't sure if the foetuses are mummified, they aren't.  Hard to describe but can't be confused with normal.  If you want to send me a pic, feel free. 

[Brucklay]

Thank you Sally - she's fairly chunky so will give the 4ml dose. Vet is coming in the morning I have to phone to confirm she's caught up so will as then so she can bring out dose for the rest if they think so - they were due to be heptivacted today/tommorow I suppose I should check with vet re the possible two drugs at the same time/day.


I'll email pic not cheerful viewing

[Daisys Mum]

Sorry to hear you have lost these lambs, fingers crossed that mum will be ok and that is the end of your losses.

[Mammyshaz]

Sounds like a very worrying time for you. Sending  Hope things are sorted quickly. 

[Pedwardine]

Poor Dolly and poor you