Help! Mother sheep died of two lambs I purchased.

[bwahk]

I purchased two lambs from a private local farm, all very healthy and well taken care of.

I was scheduled to pick up the lambs Sunday, but he asked me to wait until today. When I called today, he wanted me to wait until Sunday because the mom had 'eaten too much grass' and got diahrrea from it. He said he didn't want to release them and stress her out more.

I'm not stupid, so I know its not normal for an adult to have the
runs. I asked if the babies were sick and he insisted they were fine. He called me a few minutes later to tell me the mother had died and I could get the babies anytime.

Is it safe for me to pickup the lambs? I don't want to introduce it to my other lambs and animals if they're sick.

 

[ChickMommaSD]

Hey I don't know anything about lambs but we had a similar experience with a rott breeder and the pups had coxcidia (have no idea how to spell that so it's phonetic). I believe any animal can get that but you may want to flat out ask the person.

 

[farmchick897]

I wouldn't buy them. Not unless the price is so good you are willing to take a risk. Isolate them from your others and test right away for worms and coccidia.

 

[bwahk]

Just got my money back after quite a bit of arguement, as I was leaving the wife said "Your money is worth more that your word! Take that with you!"

No clue what that was supposed to mean, LOL.

 

[nok13]

you could maybe have had the lambs vetted; and it is possible for a sheep/goat to have the runs but usually from food problems or indeed disease/parasites... you could also tell him to wait two weeks, keep raising the lambs on bottle, and see what happens... whatever..

 

[TwinWillowAcres]

Honestly, I still would've taken the lambs. If you would've quarantined them for at least 30 days and then introduced them to the rest of your animals, then you would be good.

An adult with scours to me generally suggests internal parasitism or allowed too much access to lush spring pasture...her death could've been caused by bloat, parasites, or even grass tetany. None of which is contagious (except for the internal parasites...but if you quarantine and deworm the lambs/ewe with the classes of dewormer the day they're brought home, this issue is pretty much nonexistant).

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: It may not be "normal" but it's not unusual for it to happen if they eat too much grass.
Any sudden change in diet can do that

Quote: It's really pretty simple.
You didn't keep your word and buy the lambs as you said you would
The money meant more to you than the promise.

 

[chooks4life]

I've got a damara lamb and she bloats and scours at the drop of a hat. Too much green grass is frequently fatal, the lambs were probably fine but best to be careful. I've seen goats and sheep live for months with bloat, slowly dying, and others go down in a matter of hours. (Not my animals, obviously, I would have done something...)

 

[nok13]

thats interesting... goats/sheep dying slowly of bloat?? apart from teeth grinding, what would be an other symptom, and how could they have it for months. by definition, bloat is jsut that. its acute. there are other stomach/rumen problems that cause slow wasting, lack of absorbtion, etc (all the johnnes disease and sub tb, sorry not sure what it is in english)... but just 'bloat' from poor feed or over grazing grass or tetany (isnt there a vaccine against that? maybe i misunderstood my country vet, as they would give some vccines are free and some are priced and optional, and something to do with grass tetany i think was offerred also, for sheep not for goats)...

 

[bwahk]

I was not willing to risk my current lamb health, given that the mother died suddenly even though she was "perfectly healthy."

It was my own personal decision based upon my circumstances, I don't appreciate judgement. It wasn't my word that was bad, he failed to deliver on time and hid from me that the mother was sick, I had every right to withdraw.