Lost a lamb

[PotterWatch]

We had our first loss due to delivery complications this morning. I knew one of my ewes was going to lamb within a day or two. I got up every 2-3 hours last night to check on her. I saw her at 5am and she seemed fine, not in true labor at that point. No goo or pushing or anything like that. Went back out at 8am to find a lamb with its head out but no feet. I wasn't sure if the lamb was still alive and the ewe wasn't really pushing at all. Got my husband out to hold her and found one foot by its jaw. The other was flat back against its body and I couldn't retrieve it easily. We did get the lamb out after only a few minutes work but it was already dead. I figure she must have gone into hard labor shortly after I checked on her at 5am. I feel bad for her as she is walking over the pasture calling for her lamb. I know she will get over it soon but it's still sad. Sure wish my timing had been better and we could have saved that lamb. :-(

 

[jodief100]

I am sorry. Unfortunately, these things can and do happen. It was not your fault.

 

[Four Winds Ranch]

Sorry about you lamb!
Good luck with the rest of your ewes!!!!

 

[bonbean01]

I'm so sorry

 

[Bridgemoof]

So sorry Potter We can't always be there at all times. Sad.

 

[Southern by choice]

So sad, sorry.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

 

[Southdown]

Try not to beat yourself up about it. It's hard and you keep thinking to yourself, if only...if only I could have went outside to check. I felt the same last year when I lost one. I thought, if only I had gone outside an hour or so earlier, then maybe it would have lived. It was sad watching the ewe pace around the area. She was distressed and waiting for her baby to show up in that spot in the yard. As much as I want to be available 24/7 to check on them, I can't. We do the best we can.

 

[Sheepshape]

This horrible experience unfortunately happens with all of us that keep sheep at some time. You cannot be there all the time.

I have stayed up for hours with sheep and gone away to get a bit of rest or food etc only to come back to find a ewe with a dead lamb. If the lamb is a mal-presentation it can die very quickly. Try not to be too hard on yourself.

Sandie

 

[Baymule]

The one sure thing about having livestock is that you get deadstock. Nobody likes it, nobody wants it, but it goes with the territory. It is heart breaking, it is loss and it is sadness. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, sometimes it just happens like this. I am sorry you had to go through this. I hope next time is better for you.