Expect an infectious cause if >2% of flock aborts.

Diagnosis of abortions

• Submit fetal tissues, blood from dam, placenta.

Best management practices

• Isolate all aborting females.

• Improve nutrition to all.

• Be sure all feeders are elevated.

• Treat females with tetracycline if warranted under veterinary care.

• Completely dispose of all materials associated with aborted births and normal births, including dead lambs by incineration or land fill.

• More than one agent or cause may be active at one time.

Possible Causes

Chlamydiosis-EAE Enzootic Abortion of Ewes

• Caused by Chlamydophila abortus

• Acquired at birth, from aborting ewes, intestinal carriers and venereal spread.

• Will abort at next pregnancy.

• Abort in last two to four weeks of pregnancy.

• Fetus can be fresh, autolyzed, or weak alive.

• Zoonotic disease.

• Placentitis

• Vaccine available, flock treatment available. Consult with veterinarian.

Campylobacteriosis

• Caused by Campylobacter fetus or C. jejunum
• Spread by carrier ewes in endemic flock and possibly by birds.
• Abort last 4-6 weeks
• Fetus will be autolyzed. Placenta will be normal.
• Vaccine available.

Toxoplasmosis

• Caused by Toxoplasma gondii
• Ingestion of oocysts of parasite in cat [kitten] feces.
• Abort any stage of pregnancy.
• Mummification-think toxo first.
• Mummification, resorption, stillbirths, infected weak lambs.
• Placenta will have white 1-3 mm foci in cotyledons.
• Can use serology to diagnose.

Listeria

• Caused by Listeria monocytogenes
• Likes cold and dark to grow. Grows in spoiled silage.
• Fetus is septicemic
• Causes retained placenta and metritis.

Salmonellosis

• Caused by any Salmonella species
• Causes abortion, stillbirths, weak neonates.
• Ewe will be sick. May die.

Q Fever

• Caused by Coxiella burnetii
• Organism can be shed in placenta and birth fluids at normal parturition
• Causes abortion in the last 2-4 weeks
• Fetus will be autolyzed
• Placenta will be thick.
• Can be treated with antibiotics.

Brucellosis

• Caused by Brucella ovis
• Usually causes ram epididymitis
• Causes a few abortions, stillbirths and weak lambs.
• Have about 20% smaller lamb crop.
• Results in longer lambing period.
• Causes placentitis.

Leptospirosis

• Caused by Leptospira species
• Can be in urine contaminated water or food.
• Causes late gestation abortions with autolyzed fetuses.
• Causes nephritis, hemoglobinuria in the ewe.
• Also agalactia and infertility.

Sarcosystosis

• Caused by Sarcocystis sporocysts in canine feces.
• Aborting ewe is clinically ill.

Cache Valley Abortion

• Caused by Bunyanviruses

• Has Culicoides and mosquito vectors

• Causes abortions, mummifications, arthrogryposis, hydrancephaly, December and January lambings.

• Can diagnose with serology

This material taken from Dr. Mary Smith's Infectious Abortions in Sheep and Goats - Sheep and Goat Medicine - 2014.