Malformed Lamb

[msheep66]

In 40 plus years of lambing sheep we have never had one like we had today. The ewe had the first lamb herself which was a good size and full of life. She was struggling to push the second out so we had a feel. 4 legs and a head coming together. So we presumed the ewe was pushing 2 lambs together so tried to push the back feet of the what we thought was the third lamb back. So pulled the 2 front feet and the head and the lamb came out with a bit of pulling. Basically the lamb had no back bone the back legs belonged to the lamb. The lamb had no skin on its back end and all its organs were spilling out. The worst of it was that it was alive with a fully beating heart.

 

[primmiemoo]

Bit of a shock, there! Goes to show how extraordinarily rare such things are, doesn't it!

 

[glasshouse]

Evolution in progress
Obviously not a benefit this time

 

[Filthyfarmer]

Pulled one out very similar a few years ago, the spine was fused in a tight U but opposite to the way it should have been.
It was the year when we had a handful of Schmallenberg deformities. Not had any for a while now and not sure if its still circulating?

 

[msheep66]

Pulled one out very similar a few years ago, the spine was fused in a tight U but opposite to the way it should have been.
It was the year when we had a handful of Schmallenberg deformities. Not had any for a while now and not sure if its still circulating?

Yes that was how the lamb was coming. Never had anything like it before.

 

[bobajob]

We had one as well, it was still living. I am sure we have had one the same a few years ago.

 

[Exfarmer]

Had a calf similar many years ago, I always think , there must a be a human equivalent occasionally
Cannot be nice for anyone involved

 

[Bruce Almighty]

About 10 years ago, we had a deformed calf that had to be delivered by Caesar
It was sort of "inside out" not nice but these things happen now & again

 

[Exfarmer]

Schistosomus

 

[Bruce Almighty]

The vet did have a name for it but I don't think that was it ?

 

[yellowbelly]

Seeing as we're all putting up our Frankenstein pics, I'll offer my sixpenneth............

...........no head and just 'matchsticks' for front legs. No way it was coming through the pelvis - had to come out the side.
Had a one sibling that was dead and set dead straight like a stick and another tiny little guy that was alive. The ewe reared it and it grew into a good lamb.

 

[Lili]

The vet did have a name for it but I don't think that was it ?

Gastroschisis?

 

[Paul E]

Seeing as we're all putting up our Frankenstein pics, I'll offer my sixpenneth............

...........no head and just 'matchsticks' for front legs. No way it was coming through the pelvis - had to come out the side.
Had a one sibling that was dead and set dead straight like a stick and another tiny little guy that was alive. The ewe reared it and it grew into a good lamb.

I thought that was an original population Haggis.

 

[neilo]

Pulled one out very similar a few years ago, the spine was fused in a tight U but opposite to the way it should have been.
It was the year when we had a handful of Schmallenberg deformities. Not had any for a while now and not sure if its still circulating?

Apparently so, but if it strikes at anything other than at a certain stage of pregnancy then I don’t think it causes any issues.

 

[Jerry]

Had the exact same thing 2 weeks ago. Right bugger to get out as like you thought it was two lambs coming out together.

Good 20 mins to sort it out. Lamb was alive in womb but dead at delivery.

 

[Al R]

This picture below was in 2017 around the schmallenberg time, there was a head attached too and it was alive pre delivery. It’s twin was fine though.
Had a seimise twins the other day apparently attached at the head that had been birthed naturally but were dead.

 

[Hooby Farmer]

Holy crap I had one of these lambs two weeks ago, we've never had a deformed lamb before. Plenty of premmies and dead ones but never anything like this, exactly like some of what you guys have said it was living before it was delivered. Our vet said he had never seen it in a sheep before but had seen numerous variations of it in cattle.

 

[primmiemoo]

Could Schmallenberg still be hanging around? Had two with tiny/no lower jaw this year, and two without anus. They could be for totally different reasons, but over umpty thousand lambs across 40+ years, that's quite a few rarities in one month's lambing.

 

[Al R]

Could Schmallenberg still be hanging around? Had two with tiny/no lower jaw this year, and two without anus. They could be for totally different reasons, but over umpty thousand lambs across 40+ years, that's quite a few rarities in one month's lambing.

That’s odd for you then!
We’v had the odd 1 in the past well before schmallenberg, 2 tails, a fifth leg, usually 1-2 haemaphrodite’s a year, can’t remember if when I was young there was a 2 headed lamb.
To be fair look at some of the humans that come out........

 

[twizzel]

Could Schmallenberg still be hanging around? Had two with tiny/no lower jaw this year, and two without anus. They could be for totally different reasons, but over umpty thousand lambs across 40+ years, that's quite a few rarities in one month's lambing.

I’ve had 7 with a very short lower jaw this year out of 35 lambs. All born within a few days of each other. I can’t decide if it’s a touch of schmallenberg or the ram, although his mouth is sound as a pound.