[Blinkers]

First of all a big thank you to WoollyShepherd who very kindly responded to my emailed pleas for some guidance and gave me lots of help and support.    

One of my 3 ewes aborted her lamb late yesterday afternoon (due 23rd April).    The ewe appeared OK so I left her alone.  This morning she still appeared to be keeping slightly adrift of the other 2 so I offered some nuts which the other 2 wolfed down, but this one didn't want to know.   Then about 2 hours later I checked her again and there appeared to be some placenta still showing and she was still a bit messy.   WS advised some vet assistance as this stage in case there was still a retained placenta or maybe a dead lamb inside.  

So 2.45pm vet arrives having been about 80 miles away when I rang!   He checked her and removed a small amount of placenta but couldn't find anything more but by this time the uterus was closing us again so it was a bit difficult.   We now have the worrying stage of watching and waiting to see if the others are going to abort.  He couldn't tell if it was caused by toxoplasmosis and little point in blood testing on Easter Sunday!  

Whilst he was there we asked about the Blue Tongue vaccine and he said they're unlikely to get any until the end of May....so looks like I'll have to sell these ewes and (hopefully) lambs anyway, as we won't be able to take them to Wales with us.....unless the Zones change of course.

Not a particularly good weekend  

[kanisha]

Hi Blinkers sorry to hear about your ewe   and her lamb   fingers crossed for the others; are you in a PZ? As I understand tihngs the sheep in the PZ get vaccinated first. daft as it sounds I am hoping we squeak into the PZ as vaccination starts in france 8th april but those in the PZ are allocated the vaccine first;

[Blinkers]

Hi Kanisha - yes we are in the PZ and yes the general idea is that we get vaccinated first - then it's a 60 day standstill within the Zone - I think!