# Losing lambs



## Blue Sky (Jan 12, 2016)

We are finishing our lambing and have a bottle lamb who's failing. Looked normal at birth (a twin). He spent about two days w mom all looked ok then she rejected him. Warmed him but he wouldn't nurse. Got maybe 3 ounces in him on 3 occasions. Poo looked normal just no vigor. What am I missing?


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## BlessedWithGoats (Jan 12, 2016)

@norseofcourse @luvmypets @SheepGirl 
Tagging some people that may be able to answer your question.  Sorry your little lamb hasn't been doing very well! Hope he gets better soon!


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## luvmypets (Jan 12, 2016)

I'm not much of an expert, I'm sorry but I hope you can figure out what is wrong. Also, if mama rejected him there could be some internal problems you just don't see. I know that's not what anyone wants to hear so I hope I am wrong. He may also have some sort of parasite. I'm sorry I am not much of help.


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## purplequeenvt (Jan 12, 2016)

Could be something wrong with him that mom can sense OR he could have a vitamin/mineral deficiency. Ask your vet, if possible, about giving a vitamin E/Selenium shot (BoSe). Selenium deficiency or White Muscle Disease would be my first guess.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 12, 2016)

I don't have a lot of experience with this type of thing yet.  I'd check with the vet, purplequeenvt knows what she's talking about.

Do you have any Nutridrench to give him?  Does he have a temperature?  Is his mouth warm (good) or cool (not good)?

Good luck with the little guy!


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## Roving Jacobs (Jan 12, 2016)

If his temp is ok I would tube feed him at this point, but don't tube a cold lamb. If he's looking limp and weak but is a normal temp white muscle would be a concern for me as well.

Any other symptoms? Fever, snotty nose, swollen joints, anything?


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## Blue Sky (Jan 12, 2016)

Thanks everyone. Unfortunately I lost him. And this has happened before. Lamb born, ewe claims and it appears to be nursing well. At about day two it becomes lethargic and mom rejects. Then in spite of warming and careful feeding it just fades. I'm thinking protozoan gut issue or mineral deficiencies. No respiratory symptoms or swollen joints or navels. I do have seventeen healthy lambs plus two bottle lambs I sold that are fine. Perhaps the ewes sense something. I will keep observing.


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## luvmypets (Jan 12, 2016)

Blue Sky said:


> Thanks everyone. Unfortunately I lost him. And this has happened before. Lamb born, ewe claims and it appears to be nursing well. At about day two it becomes lethargic and mom rejects. Then in spite of warming and careful feeding it just fades. I'm thinking protozoan gut issue or mineral deficiencies. No respiratory symptoms or swollen joints or navels. I do have seventeen healthy lambs plus two bottle lambs I sold that are fine. Perhaps the ewes sense something. I will keep observing.


I'm so sorry you lost him 

Sometimes we try and try to save them, I lost our only lamb born last year to pneumonia. Again so sorry for your loss


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## norseofcourse (Jan 12, 2016)

Sorry to hear you lost him     Have you ever had a necropsy done on one you've lost?


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## Blue Sky (Jan 13, 2016)

No but I'm going to check into it.


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## Latestarter (Jan 13, 2016)

Sorry you lost the one, glad to hear all the rest are doing well. You say this has happened before... to a lamb from this same ewe or a different one? Just curious... may be something genetic?


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## Hens and Roos (Jan 13, 2016)

sorry you lost the one


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## Southern by choice (Jan 13, 2016)

Sorry for your loss. Never easy.

One thing you will want to do is check the ewes teats right after lambing. You want to make sure they are not blocked. Sometimes we can think a lamb or kid is suckling but it isn't ... it is trying too.
We had a doe with the thickest colostrum we'd ever seen no kid was getting that out... we milked out the colostrum gave to kid and after 2-3 milking the colostrum/milk was more normal.

I no longer have sheep and didn't breed ours but as the others have said selenium may be an issue. If weak then no energy to get up to nurse, lamb gets cold as well and down goes the lamb.

Apparently, according to 2 of our vets, at least for our region it is standard protocol to give selenium to all newborn lambs.

Necropsy if you can... State vets lab is best for this and is usually very inexpensive. It could yield you some very helpful data.


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## mysunwolf (Jan 13, 2016)

I'm so sorry you lost your lambs, we have lost a few now and it's never easy 

If you do have a necropsy done, please let us know the results. I might add that it could be something bacterial like e coli or salmonella, that will hit little ones very fast.


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## Blue Sky (Jan 14, 2016)

Thanks to all, consider your posts liked. We now have thirty healthy lambs and some interesting colors. Lambing is about over. Between it and my away from farm job I'm beat.  Makin coffee extra strong these days. I'm starting minerals. All I could get was powdered. Do I offer in a feed bunk free choice?  Sprinkle on food? No legible instructions on bag. Will they gorge on it?


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## Southern by choice (Jan 14, 2016)

A sheepie is better to answer that I just wanted to mention make sure it is mineral for sheep... with NO COPPER.

My one vet said he thinks if sheep see copper they will roll over and die. LOL
Our Jacobs had no issues with copper but I know that is not the norm.

Congratulations on making it through lambing!


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## norseofcourse (Jan 14, 2016)

Congrats, that's a lot of lambs!

I feed my loose minerals free choice, keep them protected from getting wet, and you might not want to use a metal container (the salt in the mineral will corrode it).  A plastic container will probably be easier to clean than a wooden one, too.  You also might want to mount it just higher than 'sheep butt' height, otherwise they can poop in it (ask me how I know LOL).

Ditto what SBC said about copper.  Sheep need some, but not as much as goats.


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## Latestarter (Jan 14, 2016)

Congrats on getting through lambing successfully! Hope you can catch up on your rest now and things will smooth out for you.


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## Sheepshape (Jan 14, 2016)

Sorry to hear about the loss of one of your lambs. If you have 30 healthy ones, then that is very good. Some lamb loss is almost inevitable.

Checking the teats after birth is very important....a wax plug may block them and is difficult for the weak lamb to remove. I've also  ewes with colostrum like condensed milk which is very difficult to draw off, but thins out after a couple of milking. The colostrum collected may be so thick that it has to be diluted with boiled, cooled water in order to feed

I entirely agree with luvmypets.....a ewe can sense an internal problem at times. I have had seemingly healthy lambs rejected by mum, when the twin was accepted and nursed straight away. If twin lambs were born in different areas, mum can 'forget' the first one, but, if this is not the case, the rejected lamb often dies in spite of being able to suckle a bottle.

It is exciting when lambing starts and a relief when it ends.


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## norseofcourse (Jan 16, 2016)

This is the style of mineral feeder I have been using:
http://www.backyardherds.com/threads/straw-hat-kikos.19433/page-57#post-262763
However, I am going to look around for something else, as my sheep (probably Elding, the ram) seem to break it about once a year.  If you don't have a ram that enjoys randomly bashing things with his head, that style might work for you.


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## n8ivetxn (Jan 31, 2016)

I'm coming to this a little too late, but I'll post anyway.... when I have a new lamb not doing well - give it an enema first, before feeding it. They can't regulate temperatures until they're about 3 days old, and when they get a chill it causes constipation. Then, they either lose appetite or if you tube them, it just causes indigestion and discomfort.

So, begin by warming the lamb, then give it a little enema (very easy), then feed the lamb and see if helps increase your recovery rates.

Oh, loose mineral is better for sheep, they will try to bite a block and end up with broken teeth.... (Ouch!)


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## Baymule (Jan 31, 2016)

n8ivetxn said:


> I'm coming to this a little too late, but I'll post anyway.... when I have a new lamb not doing well - give it an enema first, before feeding it. They can't regulate temperatures until they're about 3 days old, and when they get a chill it causes constipation. Then, they either lose appetite or if you tube them, it just causes indigestion and discomfort.
> 
> So, begin by warming the lamb, then give it a little enema (very easy), then feed the lamb and see if helps increase your recovery rates.
> 
> Oh, loose mineral is better for sheep, they will try to bite a block and end up with broken teeth.... (Ouch!)


They _do _bite the salt block.....thanks for the heads up! I am a sheep newbie, so I appreciate the words of experience and wisdom I find here on BYH! Also good advice on the newborn lambs that aren't doing well.


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## Blue Sky (Feb 2, 2016)

I've wanted to post some photos but they upload upside down. Any suggestions?


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## Latestarter (Feb 2, 2016)

rotate them upside down on your computer then try to upload and see if they're right side up?


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## Blue Sky (Feb 2, 2016)

iPhone unfortunately. Will check though. I've never had this problem.


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## n8ivetxn (Feb 2, 2016)

Hey Baymule, glad I can help! I could recommend a great reference book, if you plan to raise sheep, it's a wonderful help. Unlike other books on sheep.... It's called "Managing Your Ewe and Her Newborn Lambs," by Laura Lawson. It is step by step for real problem solving and includes trouble-shooting charts too. Easy to read and follow. I've only had sheep for a few short years, and this book has been with me since day one! Saved many a lamb life and a couple ewes too....


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## Baymule (Feb 2, 2016)

n8ivetxn said:


> Hey Baymule, glad I can help! I could recommend a great reference book, if you plan to raise sheep, it's a wonderful help. Unlike other books on sheep.... It's called "Managing Your Ewe and Her Newborn Lambs," by Laura Lawson. It is step by step for real problem solving and includes trouble-shooting charts too. Easy to read and follow. I've only had sheep for a few short years, and this book has been with me since day one! Saved many a lamb life and a couple ewes too....



Thanks! I googled it and found a site with her books.


http://www.sheepbooks.com/index.html


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## Baymule (Feb 2, 2016)

Blue Sky said:


> I've wanted to post some photos but they upload upside down. Any suggestions?


Or just post them anyway and we'll stand on our heads.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Feb 3, 2016)

Blue Sky said:


> Thanks everyone. Unfortunately I lost him. And this has happened before. Lamb born, ewe claims and it appears to be nursing well. At about day two it becomes lethargic and mom rejects. Then in spite of warming and careful feeding it just fades. I'm thinking protozoan gut issue or mineral deficiencies. No respiratory symptoms or swollen joints or navels. I do have seventeen healthy lambs plus two bottle lambs I sold that are fine. Perhaps the ewes sense something. I will keep observing.


So sorry to hear this!  
Congratulations on all your other lambs!


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## Blue Sky (Feb 3, 2016)

Final count 62 lost three. A much better season.


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## samssimonsays (Feb 3, 2016)

Wow! Beautiful babies!


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## Blue Sky (Feb 3, 2016)

Thanks. Another beauty and a ram to boot.


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## BlessedWithGoats (Feb 3, 2016)

Congrats,  and sorry for your loss!


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## Baymule (Feb 3, 2016)

What beautiful lambs and sheep!!


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