SIGH.....

[bloonskiller911]

We lost our first lamb yesterday. I think it may have been deformed. I had penned the ewe off, because I knew she should be close. Went down to the barn and she had it, but it just doesn't look right. Its stomach was distended, head was very dome shaped, was missing an eye, and its tail was very thin and short.
Now here is my dilemma, keep the ewe or get rid of her. My wife and I think we should keep her. It was her first lamb, and she did have it cleaned up, and some times things like this happen. My MIL, who has sheep, says to sell her off and get another ewe. Her theory is that it is better to get any sheep out of the herd that may pass undesirable traits on, especially recessive ones that we may have pop back up in future generations. Any suggestion?

 

[Sheepshape]

Sorry for your loss.
Could you take a pic. of the lamb and post it on here? Horrible to do so, I know, but the deformities may be characteristic. (This having been said I was unable to take a pic of the headless lamb born to one of my ewes two months late and with a 3 inch long fleece last year).
Do you have Schmallenberg virus in Indiana?
Many deformities would be what my vet describes as 'one-offs' and won't recur in subsequent years.
Unless your ewe has a specific and identifiable problem, then I personally wouldn't get rid of her.

 

[purplequeenvt]

I'd give her another chance. Things like this happen. It could be genetic or it could be that the ewe got sick at a critical point in the lambs development. That can cause birth defects.

I might breed her to a different ram next time, just in case.

 

[hilarie]

I'm a sheep ignoramus, being a goat gal myself; but I'm an APRN with 30 years of medical experience, and I live with a geneticist. Unless there's some well identifiable syndrome that produces lambs like you describe, I'd be inclined to give her another chance (and with another ram, as someone already suggested). Bad things happen to good people, and ewes, and she may have just paid her dues.

 

[bloonskiller911]

I think that we are going to take the route of keeping her and breeding her to a different ram. Already working on getting a new ram anyway as ours has gotten very aggressive and is older. she was a little late for when I had her down to lamb but only by about 4 days. I have a couple of pictures. They aren't the best but I will try and post them.

 

[bloonskiller911]

this was the lamb lying on its back, it abdomen was huge, along with its testicles. they were probably the size of a walnut in the husk hanging down. when the lamb was up right the abdomen hung really low and wide,

the left eye was completely missing, and you can't tell by this picture but it had a considerable under bite.

 

[hilarie]

Poor thing. She was never meant to be. Wish her spirit well, spend a little extra TLC on that ewe, and look to the future for happier endings.

 

[Sheepshape]

I am no expert, but it doesn't look like any specific disease that I have ever seen or heard of.

It is likely to be a 'one off' unfortunate event which shouldn't recur.

I hope the ewe is fine.

 

[bloonskiller911]

the ewe is doing great. she has been trying to steal other lambs but it's not happening. at least the other ewes are nice enough to let her play with the babies.

 

[kinder]

So sorry for your loss. A little late at this point, but still wanted to say so any ways. I'm glad your keeping her, and going to try her with a different Ram. Although I'm a Goatie, I've always heard to do the same.