What’s killed this ewe? (Graphic photo)

[Hampton]

Found this ewe at 8 am this morning about 4 yards from the gate into the field
Weighed the lambs yesterday morning and then workman walked his dog down the lane at 10 last night and field was all fine.
Ewe wasn’t lame or weak so not an easy target.
Not had dog trouble for about ten years and sheep have been on this field and neighbouring ones all spring.

 

[Al R]

Puma or another big cat?

 

[Hampton]

Puma or another big cat?

Not heard any other incidents in area, but doesn’t look like a typical dog attack?

 

[RmfJ]

We had the same scenario last year, the ewe was lying the wrong side of an electric fence dividing a field, fence untouched and ewes and lambs calm the other side.
Exactly the same damage on the ewe.

 

[Dry Rot]

Badger?

 

[Al R]

We had the same scenario last year, the ewe was lying the wrong side of an electric fence dividing a field, fence untouched and ewes and lambs calm the other side.
Exactly the same damage on the ewe.

What did you think it was Roger? In 2003-06 we were losing quite a few big ewes or ready to kill lambs, all in odd places like a 80kg ewe dragged over the top of a hedge and stuck on the wire ontop of the hedge. We were also seeing the Puma every few months and the dogs were petrified of some big areas of gorse which they were used to travelling through...

 

[Bones]

Dog, then birds making the wounds more exaggerated .

 

[RmfJ]

What did you think it was Roger? In 2003-06 we were losing quite a few big ewes or ready to kill lambs, all in odd places like a 80kg ewe dragged over the top of a hedge and stuck on the wire ontop of the hedge. We were also seeing the Puma every few months and the dogs were petrified of some big areas of gorse which they were used to travelling through...

One of the big cats I reckon, which I don’t know but there have been sightings.

 

[RmfJ]

Dog, then birds making the wounds more exaggerated .

In our case had it been a dog the sheep would have been through the electric fence and panicked everywhere.

 

[Al R]

In our case had it been a dog the sheep would have been through the electric fence and panicked everywhere.

Plus sheep never work right after they’ve been chased by foreign dogs!

 

[Hampton]

Dog, then birds making the wounds more exaggerated .

Was my original thoughts, quite a short timescale though.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Lion

 

[Badshot]

You need to be skinning it to see if there's other injuries.
There will be if it's been killed.
If it died of its own accord (let's face it sheep like nothing more) and has been chewed by fox/badger/cat there pretty much won't be anything else.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Dog, then birds making the wounds more exaggerated .

A large dog with experience of hunting is my bet.

 

[Dry Rot]

The absence of blood is significant. A corpse does not bleed and major blood vessels have been severed.

I think badshot is on the right track. The ewe died a natural death and has been scavenged, possibly by fox cubs or badger, then others. It looks as if the eye is also missing.

 

[Hampton]

The absence of blood is significant. A corpse does not bleed and major blood vessels have been severed.

I think badshot is on the right track. The ewe died a natural death and has been scavenged, possibly by fox cubs or badger, then others. It looks as if the eye is also missing.

To be honest, that would be a relief if it was natural causes. Would save a lot of trouble

 

[SimonThePieman]

If it was a big cat kill, surely the cat would have eaten some of the carcass?

 

[Doc]

Likely Clostridium with some post Mortem scavenging.
If it was killed where it’s laid, with the throat wounds there would be blood stain all around it.