Blind lambs

[will6910]

Iv had this issue for past 6 years and it is getting me to breaking point. Lambs born healthy and well, but partly sighted. Eyes look ok just the outer skin around them is more bare and pink skin. Have 4 like it this year again. First found it when bought a ram and all his lambs were born like it first year. Was told it was ewes or ram so put ram to diffent batch the year after and was same issues. So ram and any bloodlines even close to him were sold and culled. This years ones are bew shearling ewes and mix of older and new rams. Ewes blood tests in last all come back Perfect. Any ideas before I just give up and accept it and just have to deal with them every year

 

[delilah]

Doesn't really sound like it from your description but it's not just entropion/ turned in eyelids ? are they weeping ?

 

[will6910]

Not entropion, have had a few with weapy eyes with that but these ones have dry clear eyes. Just can’t see much. Can see if u wave a hand from distance but still runs head first into things or gets stuck places and can’t see to get out again

 

[Socksitis]

Many years ago, when Portland sheep were very, very rare, I worked with a small flock that would be born blind. That would have been due to genetics - what breed are you having problems with?

 

[will6910]

Have been a mix of breed, Charolais and texel recently and in the past was pure lleyns

 

[LAMBCHOPS]

Vitamin difeciency? think it was B12 I had in some store lambs who went blind and we injected and came good but you said you had bloods done?

 

[will6910]

Only way I guess to help this is give lambs vitamin injection soon as it’s born ?

 

[primmiemoo]

Any toxo this year? Just occasionally a toxo lamb will be blind.

 

[milkloss]

Vitamin difeciency? think it was B12 I had in some store lambs who went blind and we injected and came good but you said you had bloods done?

when they have this they usually 'star gaze' though. When they lay down their head constantly starts to look upwards and very often will lose balance and tip over.

 

[will6910]

Any toxo this year? Just occasionally a toxo lamb will be blind.

Have had toxo issue in past but vaccinate for it now. Have enzo issue this year tho for the first time

 

[ShooTa]

new forest?

 

[primmiemoo]

Trying to think around a bit. Is the pasture dressed with anything that can act with something like the local water and/or local soil conditions to cause an unusual lock up of vitamins?

It's a regular problem in the flock, and you've covered bloods and the standard suspects.

 

[will6910]

new forest?

eyes bright and clear. Had bad spell of pink eye in ewes tho previous

 

[will6910]

Trying to think around a bit. Is the pasture dressed with anything that can act with something like the local water and/or local soil conditions to cause an unusual lock up of vitamins?

It's a regular problem in the flock, and you've covered bloods and the standard suspects.

Not that I’m aware off no.fields just get some fertiliser or hen litter spread through year

 

[sheepdogtrail]

How far from the coast are you?

Possible Iodine deficiency - can happen in the weirdest spots.

 

[will6910]

I think furthered coast is a good two hours from me. So far touch wood now more affected and nearly done lambing