[Daleswoman]

My second ewe has lambed this morning, healthy-looking triplets. However one of the two ram lambs appears to have two scrotal sacs. Has anyone experienced this? does it matter? He's destined to be banded so I don't suppose it matters in the long run, but it's not something that was mentioned on the lambing course I went on!

[Ladygrey]

last year I got this and I also have one this year, mine may not be the same as yours, out of different tups and ewes

In my lambs, the sack is split, the penis is non existent and the urethra is exposed all the way along up to the anus, the lamb wee's out of the anus

Last year I kept the lamb and regret it as now I am stuck with it as the urine gradually burns away the wool on the hind legs and it looks to bad to sell or kill

So this year the lamb (who was a trip so is an orphan) is going to be put down when the knacker guy comes around next

maybe yours is just plain old split balls, but have a really close look and see if the urethra is exposed just incase!

[Daleswoman]

Thanks Ladygrey, I will have a closer look at him later. Sorry to hear about your boy.

[Womble]

I may regret asking this, but is there any chance of a photo?

[Fleecewife]

I have had the exact same as Lady Grey in a Shetland lamb, years ago.  The vet insisted it was an hermaphrodite but it wasn't.  He too P'd like a ewe lamb, but in a fairly constant trickle, had a split scrotum (which couldn't be banded) and an open urethra.  There's a similar condition in humans.  We used to wash ours frequently or he stank of urine, and sent him off for slaughter at the earliest opportunity.  I think that if it happened again, now I know what it is, I would have him euthanased promptly.

[Beeducked]

It's called hypospadias in humans. A google search might find something about it in sheep.

[Daleswoman]

thanks for all the info - might phone vet for advice tomorrow. I'll try and take a photo tomorrow as well. Unfortunately he is the stronger of the two males, the other one is tiny and isn't suckling yet so am tube feeding. A farmer friend who was visiting also thought he had female parts, and said in 40 years with sheep he'd never seen one quite like it. Poor little confused lamb. 

[trish.farm]

I have had this twice from the same ewe.  2 years ago she had twin ram lambs, one of the ram lambs had 2 scrotal bags, banded them separately and all was well.  last year she had twin rams again, one was fine and the other had 2 scrotal bags but we had to band them as one.  His penis was also very odd and the urine sort of fell out of his tummy next to the penis.  Kept a very close eye on him all summer as he stunk, and kept him well covered for fly strike.  Slaughtered him as early as poss. 

This year I had used a different ram and the ewe had a single ram lamb who is perfect!! 

My shearer told me the name of the penis problem the ram had last year. Cant remember it for the life of me!!  He said it was due to inter breeding.  However the Romney ram I used was not related in anyway to the Romney ewe!!  Using a Hampshire for this year I had no problem!! Go figure!!

[Ladygrey]

I do not believe that in anyway when they say its from close breeding or inbreeding

Last year it was from an unrelated shetland ewe and shetland ram, this year its out of a mule ewe and a charmoise ram.... so very unrelated

Photo is of the shetland ram lamb last year, the one this year is actually more affected, penis is just a smudge on the belly, and the urethra is exposed all the way along, the pee drips down its backside and down both back legs and looks horrid.
When I asked someone if they ever had the same they said the lambs generally die of flystrike as the flies lay eggs along the urethra underneath as the chemical doesnt stay there due to all the pee



The ewe of the lamb this year had a bad prolapse which I put back in and stitched so she is a cull anyway, no idea if that can be related but the ewe last year didnt have a prolapse, she just had bad feet (so she also was culled anyway)

The lamb this year is huge and is a lovely shape, so its a shame really

[Fleecewife]

The affected ram lamb I had was otherwise perfect too.  Shame.  No relationship between sire and dam either.

[MrsJ]

I've never seen this before.  What a shame. 

[Daleswoman]

Update on my little ram lamb. He's grown well, but is clearly deformed in his nether regions and as others have said, his wee seems to run down his back legs, the inside of his legs and his (double) scrotum are permanently filthy. I've washed him a couple of times but can't get him properly clean and in any case he's dirty again within hours. I'm concerned about his welfare and comfort - I imagine the urine scalding him - and also about flystrike now that the season is approaching, he is clearly very vulnerable.

What's the earliest it would be reasonable/possible to take him to the abattoir or do people think it would it be better to have him euthanized at the vets?