# Sad Day at the Farm



## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Well I have a couple of ewes I bred for a late lambing this season so we could start doing more pasture lambing since I inherited some Tunis ewes that had only been pasture lamb'er before coming here. 

Well this one ewe is 5 years and has always had her babies in the fields I was told. 

There is no easy way to said it. The first lamb was a ram lamb (of Course) and his sac didn't break. I watched until that point then had to more in to break the sac and clean the face. Mom seemed to be doing fine and I thought what were is my other lamb. . . I moved back and waited. . .waited and waited. . . Well she laid back down to have the other. Same thing the sac never broke but by the time I got to it and it had already hit the ground I ripped it open to find a warm non-breathing lamb. I did everything and I mean everything but nothing. Well it had to be a ewe didn't it! I can't help but be sad as I feel like my moving in to break the bag caused this little girl's death. 

I normally do not get sad over these things but I wanted to retain a ewe lamb from this ewe and am heart broken at the moment. 

I want to thank you guys in advance for the support. I will check back in later i need to check back on the ram lamb and mom


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I am so sorry you lost the ewe lamb :hug: I know it is hard we just had a stillborn kid on sat it is hard.... :hug:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I am so sorry.....never easy....  :hug:


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I know how hard it is to lose a baby. Especially one that you really want.
When our kids are born in the sack I break it once they are out. I really do not think that caused the death.


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## mmiller (Apr 3, 2012)

So sorry for your loss...  :hug:


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Thank you guys for your condolences. It has been a very hard day here. It is roughly 4:15 pm and I still have yet to eat or drink anything for breakfast. I have been working with the ram lamb and mom. She had some placenta issues and I finally had to help just a bit with it and it finally came out, completely intact Thank God. She really didn't want him to nurse until it was out so it has been a lot of work. I did just talk to my farmer friend that has been breeding since before I was born and he had the same thing happen 2 days ago. This makes me feel a little better knowing as long as he has been doing it and it still happened.

luvmyherd sorry I didn't get to include the whole story above but the first baby I had to step in to clear the face as well as with the second one. Since she was only use to lambing in a field by herself I feared I may have caused the delay in the birth of the second lamb. She waited a whole hour inbetween. It was to the point I thought we were only having a single. I hope my presence did not delay the second birth.

Not sure what I should take from this experience for the next ewe that I got from the same lady. I am not sure if I need to stay out of its birthing 100% or go back to stall lambing like I have always done with mine. 

All I know is my heart is broken, I have changed clothes twice and I still stink!

Thank you guys for being there. I could use your prayers to stay strong right now. I have not even buried the ewe lamb yet but have her wrapped up placed in a wheelbarrow in a shed away from the sheep fields.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

:hug: You are in my prayers... Stay strong!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I am sorry this is so hard. :hug: We lost a kid last year and I was always looking for it.
I understand your concern now. My unprofessional opinion still tells me it was not your fault. If the second baby was still in the sack it should have been fine inside Mama for an hour. I am just basing this on my experience with goats.
Please make sure you eat and see if you cannot get someone to fix you some relaxing tea.


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## Burns Branch Boers (Apr 11, 2011)

Bless your heart, I am so sorry, but you are doing all you can. You are being a wonderful owner and caretaker. It is hard, I know. You will feel better when you get some time in between--watch that little ram frolic and grow and know you did all you could :hug:


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Thank you guys. Well we finally made it back in the house around 9:30 pm our time and of course the first thing I did was take a nice long shower and I still feel a little on the stinky side. I made us some grilled cheeses while the hubby warmed us up some soup. Well I have heard from other breeders that more people are having these problems this year. I just can't believe it. I have had such a good run on birthing everything until today. I guess time is just catching up with me. 

Please pray that my little ram lamb and mom do fine through the night. We are having some bad weather through here for the next couple of days and the hubby had to help make a place for them and help warm baby back up (he got rained on a bit here and a little chilly). I was having a hard time getting momma to follow us out of the weather and to the shed. I finally just gave up and sat in the field with the little guy in my lap and laid over him to keep him some what dry while momma grazed. We put bedding in the horse trailer so they could be dry, enclosed, warm and still close enough to the others to hear them. 

Thank you guys again. Well the hubby did notice how upset I was over loosing the ewe lamb that he told me if I could find any Tunis breeders with ewe lambs for sale he would get me one or a few.


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Well momma and ram lamb seem to look fine this morning. We still have them up since the weather is being very mean here today. I have already had hail that kept me from feeding on time. I am hoping everything is going to be ok for them. I do have some pictures now of our little guy. and I will see if I can post them in another post since this was a sad post I will make a happy day post instead.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Glad they are doing good today! Can't wait to see some pics of this cute little guy!!!


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Just posted some pics. any pictures I take in the next day or two will be rough as the rain and hail storms are kinda getting in the way of my picture taking-ness. 

Well I think today is a good day for a trip to town. I feel like I need to pick me up something nice but probably won't. Humm maybe a fresh strawberry slushy will make it all better. . . When I get sad I crave things like a pregnant woman lol Well maybe worse then one (never been prego so I don't know for sure).


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:hug:


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

:hug: :grouphug:


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Thanks guys I needed those hugs. Well look out town here I come so you better have fresh strawberries for me to bring home! Or blue berries or really and fresh fruit to make a junky snack out of it.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

That does sound good! :drool:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

:hug: We do what we can. You were trying to help and can not blame yourself for anything.


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm so sorry  :hug:


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

Thank you guys. I swear everything that happened points in all ways to low selenium but everyone has free choice minerals and I have never had an issue before. My vet even told me it was not low selenium and our area was not known for it either. Maybe I am just over thinking things trying to reason for everything, but this was a shock still even today. I am just happy to see him enjoying time in the fields. 

Am I over reacting? I do not even keep Bo-Se on hand since we are not in a low area. My vet doesn't even have Bo-Se on her self. I do keep oxytocin and other things on hand.

Ok well time to get back outside for now.


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