What's wrong with this newborn lamb's leg? *PIC*

Hi everyone, my next door neighbors keep a few sheep - mostly to eat down their pasture, but they also slaughter one for meat now and again. They are the nicest people in the world and the sheep are spoiled rotten, but I don't honestly think they know much about sheep. For example, a week or two ago, I said to them, "looks like you're going to have some new lambs pretty soon!" And they responded with, "Baby sheep? Oh no no no... not for 2-3 months or more." I knew they had two very pregnant ewes, though. Then, this past weekend, a new lamb was born (duh.)

Anyway, it is darling and it seems to be getting along fine and it hops and frolics and runs all over the place, but one of its front legs is kind of crooked. My neighbors mentioned it to me and they seemed worried but they have no clue why it's like that. I was wondering if anyone here might have an idea from this picture:



Is this cause for serious concern if the lamb seems to be moving around and running and playing with no trouble?

Thanks for any thoughts!

anyone? (bump)

I am not real familiar with the problem but I have heard of it happening, probably inbreeding. Anyway I would have splinted the leg right away. Get it straight as the bones grow and harden. The lamb would be destined for the freezer though, so i would not invest money, just time.

Chris

ok, thanks for the feedback.

Tape its leg straight with a splint, it is deformed most likey the way it was in the womb. Easy cheep fix if done soon enough. Happened to the gal next doors goat splinted it and took off every 2 days to check and re splint if needed. No reason for it to live that way even if it is to be butchered.

How old is the lamb? I know sometimes you can splint them and they will be just fine. But depending on how old that one is and how long it's been that way....

It was born on Saturday... so it's 3 days old. I will let my neighbors know that it can most likely be fixed with a splint.

Thanks for all the helpful responses!

Its either raidial nerve damage fro having a hard time being born. I have a goat that did this and hers didnt get better and this is what the vet said. She walks on 3 legs now and has had babies 3 times with no problem, her mother had the problems. Or it could be a selenium deficency and could use a Bo-se shot and it will help. Sometimes goat kids have problems and if you give them Bo-se shot it usually gets better pretty quick. Sure is a cute baby. Hopefully they have minerals out for their sheep.

if it is a bent/flexed tendon a splint would help.. hard to actually tell size so one might need to get creative to straighten leg.. if it was not a genetic defect I would guess occurred during positioning in womb/possibly happened during birthing process..fyi.. that little thing is just too stinkin cute to eat.. I would totally snatch that baby up..

Thanks again to everyone for all the great feedback! I will be giving my neighbors all the info you've given me, and then it's out of my hand. I really don't know if they have minerals out for their sheep, but they sure to seem healthy and happy to me.

And also, no worries about its being eaten anytime soon. Last fall, they killed one and brought me some meat and I thanked them and looked as the pasture. I knew there were three babies because I saw them all day everyday. I looked at the flock as they handed me the meat and there were still three babies. I was confused - "you didn't kill one of the babies?" They did, after all, call the meat "lamb." But, they are from Bosnia and their English isn't perfect. Anyway, the response I got was a look of horror and then, "NO! I could never! I cannot kill the small ones. It is not in my nature! I cannot even kill these, I have my brother in law do it for me."

They are just the sweetest people, honestly. And so the meat is really mutton, not lamb, so it's a little tougher than regular lamb meat, but it's super tasty and wonderful and not strong or gamy at all like most mutton.