Lambs grown sheep caught in cattle panels.

[Skiesblue]

I have no photos sorry. 6 weeks ago I found a lamb hanging from a panel by his rear legs. Upon release he had no control of his rear legs. Luckily he had a good mom who crouched to let him nurse. Thought he was a goner but confined him and mom and slowly very slowly he got better. Went from dragging himself to wobbling on three legs, the bunny hop and finally a jerky gallop. Today I couldn’t tell anything happened. Just a tale of shepherding.

 

[Sheepshape]

Excellent point you've made, Skiesblue, both about sheep and about young animals in general.

Sheep are able to die for no good reason, but they are also sometimes capable of survival against the odds.

Probably of more relevance is that young animals are often capable of full recovery where the adult animal would not. The potential to recover from injury is greater as their tissues are soft and malleable and they are still actively growing, so repair is likely. In the case of your lamb, he must have had bruising to the major nerves in his legs or to the spinal cord. (If he had also lost control of his bladder and bowel.....probably bruised spinal cord).. Thankfully, due to your and his lovely ewe mum's care, the bruising was able to resolve itself.

Wonderful outcome.

 

[Skiesblue]

Some ewes would have abandoned him (looking at you Rusty). The panel mishaps happen infrequently thank goodness.