KWWSPCA: Watch out for ewes stuck on their backs
Reporter:
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This a timely warning issued by Roundwood Veterinary Practice: It is coming up to lambing season which means soon enough the fields will be full of bouncy lambs.
As the ewes approach the end of their pregnancy, they run the risk of getting cast, as seen below. (‘Cast’ is an old term for an animal turned over on its back, unable to right itself.) Their fleeces are heavy now, and with the added weight of almost fully grown lambs, the ewes may accidentally roll backwards down into a ditch or shallow rut. If this happens, gas can build up in the stomach without being able to escape and this can rapidly be fatal!