[farmershort]

well - a 2nd premature aborted lamb for us this morning carcass is at the vets now for testing... waiting for a call back on how long that takes.

[Backinwellies]

where are you Farmershort?

[farmershort]

where are you Farmershort?

Northern end of mid devon.

I have just had a chat with the Vet though, and she thinks it's not SBV. She said it is certinly around here though.

[Backinwellies]

 

[Marches Farmer]

Last time around several local farmers had euthanased lambs tested but were told it wasn't SBV.  However, none of them had seen anything like those deformities before, or since.  Odd!

[farmershort]

Last time around several local farmers had euthanased lambs tested but were told it wasn't SBV.  However, none of them had seen anything like those deformities before, or since.  Odd!

No deformities on ours really... well... none that I could spot... but as they're so premature, I wasn't sure whether sbv will just cause abortions sometimes with no obvious deformity.

Sadly the lamb faeotus wasn't viable for testing... the buzzard got to it before me those morning and removed the organs. I managed to get some after birth material thought... the vet was very excited that she might be able to find some placenta to test.

[farmershort]

Test results back... it's toxo!

Nothing we can do about it now, but we'll be able to vaccinate in autumn this year, and at least we know we don't need to cull ewes.

I spoke with a neighbour farmer today, and he's had cases of toxo this year for the first time.

We certainly do have a lot of neighbourhood cats around.