# Stillborn premature lamb?



## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

We had a ewe in labor today and she delivered a stillborn premature lamb.
This is the first time we have had this happen. (this is her 2nd time lambing, first time went off without a hitch) What can cause this? I am not
sure if she has another in there or is done. The lamb was almost fully mature, had full hair but its hooves were really soft and a little curled at the tips, other then that I cannot see anything obviously wrong. I am pregnant and my husband is at work so there is not much I can do at the moment to be of any help. All my sheep books say pregnant women need to stay far away from any sheep delivering or they can have a miscarriage so I am freaked out and conflicted, I want to go get the lamb and put it somewhere till hubby gets home and check on the ewe but the other half of me says its not worth risking my own pregnancy over either.

Stephanie


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

How "premature"?

They can go a week or two either way and still be "normal"

And DO NOT risk YOUR health for a dead lamb


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

I dont know how premature, the flock was exposed to a ram 100% of the time since we could not keep him separated, tried but he kept busting through. Now we finally got electric back there and have him separate and will know timing better next time around.

Stephanie


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I dont know how premature, the flock was exposed to a ram 100% of the time since we could not keep him separated, tried but he kept busting through


It could be it wasn't premature, but just got chilled at birth.
It's not uncommon to lose a few for no apparent reason

Better luck with the next one


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

You could tell it was just a little premature the way its hooves looked, or either 
deformed, they were not flat at the bottoms but curly a little and kinda translucent. We were watching her labor then my husband had to leave for work, so I went out every 10 or so minutes to check her (have a toddler in the house alone) and the lamb was laying there dead and soaking wet, curled up like it just came out and never moved at all, the ewe was over eating a mineral block like nothing ever happened, when she had her live baby last spring she was a great attentive mother. So I think it was stillborn for sure.
Bummer!

Stephanie


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

Look up this reference in the Merck Manual:http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/110305.htm

There are a number of causes of abortion (premature birth) in sheep. See which fits your situation. It may or may not be dangerous to a pregnant woman, or to other pregnant sheep.


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## mariaricarto (Jul 1, 2010)

The hooves of animals are soft when they are born so they don't puncture the uterus. That is normal.


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## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

Stephanie, the hooves on your lamb were normal and that is how they should look on a new born lamb - a bit knobby on the tips and translucent and soft. This is to stop damage to the birth canal of the ewe. They harden up very soon after birth. From what you describe I would say this was a full term lamb that died either during birth or very shortly afterwards, quite possibly from a protracted or difficult birth. It's not something to sweat the big stuff over and everybody who owns sheep will have this happen at sometime or another. 

The chances of you risking your bubby through handling either the lamb or the ewe are so remote as to not be worth bothering about but be sensible about it as you would at any other time. Put on overalls if you own them, and use gloves if you handle the lamb or want to do an internal. The gloves are for the ewes protection as well as your own as it avoids fingernails scraping sensitive tissue and you getting gunk up your fingernails. When finished, throw the gloves away, put the overalls in the wash and give your hands and arms a good wash.

Cheers,
Ronnie


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## Old Mission (Dec 26, 2009)

Thanks for the info and advice, I appreciate it!
Stephanie


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