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Grabill, Indiana | We have a small flock with intentions of increasing by keeping ewe lambs and buying more. This year we exposed 6 ewes, 2 2-year olds and 4 lambs, to rams and were excited about getting lambs. The season started with 4 ewes showing bred, one questionable, and one open. The first challenge came when one of the 2 year olds lambed 2 weeks early with a twins, one was dead and partially decomposed so both were dead.
We then had two lamb without issue and were watching the next ewe closely. The other night she did not show signs of lambing yet, no milk and a tight vulva/birth canal. When I checked her early yesterday morning she was not showing active labor. I spent most of the day working for my day job and dressed to help my children with chores at 5 after they arrived home from school. My daughter came running out the barn screaming at me, the ewe had died with a full uterine prolapse. Laying behind her was a HUGE dead lamb, I assume it was born dead.
I am hearth broken for my daughter and son, this is a lesson that most if not all of their friends and school mates will never experience. They had yet another lesson that life is not always happy and carefree, I know this will make them better people, but the pain for them hurts. I am heart broken for the ewe because it is obvious that she suffered, I failed her as a stockman.
We will continue to have sheep and will increase the flock size. We will learn from this, but it does not reduce the frustration and pain of the loss and pain. Fortunately we have two nice ewe lambs that may become replacement ewes and are working with a friend in Iowa to acquire a set of commercial replacement ewes for next year. There is hope for tomorrow.
Jim | |
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Lambing season - Full of heartache for children
