Most who have raised sheep or goats are quick to say these animals look for ways to die. Newborns are especially prone to succumbing to what seems like no reason, but veterinarian Dr. Rosie Busch said many causes of early neonatal death are preventable.
“Up to 50% of pre-weaned lamb and kid mortality happens within the first 24 hours,” said Busch. “That can be up to 10% of all lambs and kids born alive. It’s striking how vulnerable these animals are after they’re born.”
The two most common conditions that kill lambs and kids are freezing (hypothermia) and starving (hypoglycemia). Trauma at birth or soon after birth is also a common cause of death, as are infections such as pneumonia, septic arthritis and scours.
Cold and starving lambs are often associated with extreme weather events when shelter isn’t available. “Wet, cold rain and wind can decrease the core body temperature of neonates within the first 24 hours,” said Busch. “Barns aren’t always available.”
Poor bonding and mothering can cause neonatal death. This can sometimes be attributed to poor maternal behavior, but shed lambing can help minimize this problem. When lambs or kids are born with sharp teeth that have emerged through the gums, dams may nurse them at first, then refuse to allow nursing. Check newborns’ mouths, and if necessary, use an emery board or light file to gently remove the sharp points on teeth to reduce the risk of nursing refusal.
Inexperienced dams with tight, tucked up udders make it difficult for small lambs to suckle. Timing breeding so that ewes give birth at a different time allows closer attention to first-time dams.
Low birthweight lambs and kids often die within 24 hours. “Large litter size reduces birthweight,” said Busch. “Not meeting nutritional demands at the end of gestation when most growth occurs results in low birthweight.”
Weak lambs and kids can be the result of infectious abortion diseases such as chlamydia, Campylobacter, Klebsiella and toxoplasmosis passed from dams to newborns. White muscle disease (vitamin E/selenium deficiency) is another reason for weak lambs because they can’t get up quickly and nurse efficiently.
Some newborns succumb to birth trauma. “One of the most common traumatic injuries is rib fractures,” said Busch, adding that this issue can look like pneumonia. “The ribs and the abdomen move opposite of one another when the lamb breathes. That’s a sign of air inside the thoracic cavity.”
Long bone fractures can happen with assisted delivery or if the dam is too aggressive after delivery when she tries to get the newborns up. Busch said a shepherd showed her how to splint a leg using lightweight padded aluminum splints from a survival kit, which can be easily cut to size. However, even with a cast, newborns may have a hard time getting up to nurse. If newborns’ hind legs “split” when they try to stand, use a cross-section of an old sock, twisted in the center, applied above the hocks to steady the legs.
To help steady weak hind legs of newborn lambs or kids, use a portion of cut-off sock or a hair tie twisted in the center and placed above the hocks. Photo by Sally Colby
Pneumonia kills and can be due to several issues. “One risk factor for pneumonia is poor barn ventilation,” said Busch. “The ammonia in the air damages the mucosal surfaces of the lungs, making the young animal vulnerable to infection because the bronchial linings can’t move mucous up and out.”
Muscle weakness resulting from white muscle disease means lambs or kids cannot suckle and swallow efficiently. “They can aspirate milk during normal nursing,” said Busch. “Milk goes down the wrong pipe and into the lungs. Milk is a great medium for bacterial growth so bacterial growth happens quickly.”
Common bacteria that can lead to septic arthritis include E. coli and Staphylococcus, which are normal in the environment. “Erysipelas and mycoplasma tend to be herd-dependent,” said Busch. “If those bacteria are in the environment and circulating among adult animals, it’s more likely to see those bacteria causing infected umbilicus and joints.”
Navel ill is the result of environmental bacteria entering through the wet umbilicus and moving into the circulatory system. This problem can be prevented with an umbilical disinfectant at birth. Dipping or spraying both work well, as long as the umbilicus is not introduced to the main dip container and contaminates all the dip to be used.
Ewes or does with a poor milk supply are a major reason for loss of lambs and kids within the first 24 hours. In order to move sufficient antibodies across the gut while it’s open, newborns require at least one ounce of colostrum per pound of body weight within the first two hours. Newborns should have colostrum no later than six hours after birth because other organic material such as wool and dirt stimulate the gut to close sooner. The dam’s own colostrum is ideal because the smell of her own milk helps with bonding, especially with inexperienced dams.
Tube feeding of chilled, weak lambs is often necessary but presents risk for aspiration. Newborns should have a rectal temperature of at least 99 degrees prior to tube feeding. Chilled lambs or kids older than five hours with no suckle reflex are likely hypoglycemic and hypothermic and should receive warm dextrose injected into the abdominal cavity. A veterinarian can teach this skill.
Inserting a feeding tube into the trachea instead of the esophagus can cause immediate death. “Even if the tube is in the esophagus, if the lamb doesn’t have good suckle reflex, the muscles involved in suckling behavior can’t keep milk in the stomach,” said Busch. “Newborns bring milk back up and aspirate.”
If the tube isn’t removed correctly with a firm pinch to prevent backflow, milk can end up in the throat.
Newborns that are not up and nursing within two hours should receive stored colostrum or colostrum replacer. It’s important to not confuse colostrum replacer with colostrum supplement – the latter doesn’t have sufficient antibodies. Excess colostrum can be refrigerated for 24 hours or frozen for a year.
Ambient temperature influences colostrum requirements for newborns. Increased metabolic rate in cold conditions raises the colostrum requirement. Busch said if neonates are outside when temperatures drop or a storm is approaching, it’s worth getting them up in the middle of the night so dams will stand and provide an opportunity for nursing to keep core temperature up.
by Sally Colby
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