Ewes-one dead per litter

[custard]

Hi, i am half way through lambing 350 ewes. They are housed (threes, gimmers and thin ones since early January, twins start Feb and singles start of March). They are divided into seven pens in the shed. All going as a lambing goes.... except for one pen of trips and thin pairs in which some are having one stillborn lamb per litter ( some rotten, some just dead). The next door pen, also trips and thin pairs is ok. Both pens same silage and same concentrate.
I don't think the pen has been stressed anymore or less than next door, silage has been ok.
Q1- if it was listeria would ewes not abort all lambs? Q2- if the water was dirty etc would ewes not abort all lambs? Q3- anyone shed any light or is it sheep being sheep ?

 

[GTB]

 

[GTB]

How many ewes are affected? Could it be just a coincidence? Have you taken any of the dead lambs to the lab?

@bovine

 

[custard]

About 8 ewes of the 25 that have lambed in that pen, mixed ages, and no i have not taken anything to lab. Could be a coincidence, might stop now, but might not, just want to know ?

 

[Old Shep]

Could they have been exposed to toxo and the others haven't?

 

[bovine]

Needs a full investigation. We can't make these calls from history. Lambs and cleansing to the vet please.

 

[custard]

Ta, next one to lab, just odd not all in litter.
Unlikely just this group exposed to toxo, but ruling nothing out.

 

[Jackson4]

Are they just not getting enough energy from their diet? Usually start of lambing here with some week or aborted lambs and i just put it down to leaving it late to start feeding them properly.

 

[bovine]

Lack of energy won't cause this, @Jackson4 . Once pregnant the ewe will prioritise the lambs above her own condition. I lambed a literal skeleton of a ewe yesterday with a set of 4 big healthy lambs all jumbled up. She was so knackered she couldn't stand.

 

[Jackson4]

There will be plenty of skeletons which will chuck out dead or small weak lambs though. Some can put it all into their lambs, some dont, even fat sheep if they cant get all the want at the very end of pregnancy. Had similar recently as dermatitis rearing its head and a few effected have not being getting up to eat heavy in lamb and the odd weak lamb not sure if breathing is all its made out to be. I suppose similar to the thin ewe who will milk her lambs or die or the fat ewe withthe dead lamb thats dried up. Anyway i wouldn't go around laming ewes.. they dont need any help.

 

[Jackson4]

Was coming from the angle that it was those in need of the most nutrition which were having dead lambs, thin a triplets.. if it was toxo/listeriosis etc or even mins it would effect all similar? Though i suppose the most stressed would be effected more.

 

[Al R]

Lack of energy won't cause this, @Jackson4 . Once pregnant the ewe will prioritise the lambs above her own condition. I lambed a literal skeleton of a ewe yesterday with a set of 4 big healthy lambs all jumbled up. She was so knackered she couldn't stand.

Most do that, some put extra energy into the lambs and disregard themselves. I had a 95-105kg? BCS 4.5? TexX ewe lambed on the weekend to the crappest lambs so far this year, 1 died as she head butted it :/ , I would have preferred it if both had died as I had 12 really good triplets waiting for adoption she's going in the culls

To the OP, how long into lambing are you? We find you get all the problems the first 2-3 days of a cycle, small lambs, stillborn, 1 live 1 dead etc..

 

[custard]

We are halfway through, about day 12 (they have been slow this year). Nutrition - i think is fine, plenty milk, good sized lambs, singles not huge and pairs and trips predominately good size (even the dead ones !)
But i am open to any suggestion of cause and will think on nutrition, although next door pen are on same feed.

 

[jemski]

I had this last year. Big lambs, loads of milk but one dead. Live one very lively. Had about 25 like it, one or two great live lambs and one large at or almost to term dead one. Sent lambs and afterbirths for testing but showed nothing [emoji37]

 

[Jonny_2]

I had this last year. Big lambs, loads of milk but one dead. Live one very lively. Had about 25 like it, one or two great live lambs and one large at or almost to term dead one. Sent lambs and afterbirths for testing but showed nothing [emoji37]

Same here second year running, mostly 3s loosing 1 but an annoying amount of twins too. Well fed and bolused for main things. Had an outbreak of mastitis too so blood tested some but still waiting results [emoji17]