[Remy]

Can there be a reason why the caul doesn't break or is tougher than usual - I've had two lovely big lambs born dead due to suffocation from two different ewes as the caul didn't come away and seemed very thick, never had this happen before.  Is it just bad luck?  Both ewes had twins and triplets and the lambs that suffocated were the last to be born.


I haven't fed them any different to any other year? 

[nutterly_uts]

Are the ewes related?

[ZaktheLad]

A lot of people on various websites have had this same thing happen this year. Nobody seems to know the reason why though. I had one too, the second of twins born in a such a thick bag that it was virtually impossible to break. The first lamb born totally normal. Bizarre. 

[moony]

Its normally the last to be born that suffers that fate as by that stage its like shelling peas so they come out so fast it doesn't catch on anything. To add to that the ewe is preoccupied so doesn't get there quickly enough. Are you lambing where you normally do? If indoors, straw normally breaks it on impact as does a bit of grass coverage/slightly rough ground if your outside.

It might also be the case they have been dead before they came out which could be due to a number of reasons.

[mowhaugh]

No particular help, but we have definitely had years (not this year) where we have noted a high incidence of this too.

[Porterlauren]

Yep, this year i've had a few, pretty frustrating!

[Bramblecot]

I have had a a couple where this happened.  The lambs were not at all weak, mums working hard but the caul was really tough and elastic.  I had to tear it open .

[clydesdaleclopper]

I seem to recall that it can be caused by selenium deficiency. The problem with selenium is that even if it is present in the diet it cannot be assimilated without enough sulfur in the diet

[Remy]

The ewes are unrelated (different breeds).  How strange that others have had it too - I've never seen cauls that thick before!


The sheep are lambing outside on plenty of grass, I suppose that the nutrition in the grass can alter from year to year depending on weather conditions?  They always have access to mineral licks.

[Foobar]

I suppose that the nutrition in the grass can alter from year to year depending on weather conditions?  They always have access to mineral licks.

Yes, wet weather particularly can alter the nutritional value of the grass, in effect diluting it.  Also wet weather can lead to increased levels of antagonists in the soil, and thus the grass.  Also I think if the grass is growing faster than usual (maybe because of warmer weather) then it takes up less minerals from the soil? 

[sabrina]

I have had this with foals but due to being at the birth managed to save them, I now feed selenium as it is low in the North of Scotland.