Abortion in Sheep and Goats: Infectious and Other Causes
Abortion in sheep and goats has infectious causes, some passed to people, and others like poor feeding and stress. Know what to do at once to protect the flock.
Abortion (miscarriage) in sheep and goats has two kinds of cause: infectious, such as brucellosis, chlamydia (enzootic abortion), Q fever, toxoplasmosis, campylobacter and listeria; and non-infectious, such as poor nutrition, heat stress, rough handling and toxic plants. One case may be accidental, but repeated abortions call for immediate isolation and laboratory tests through your vet.
An abortion is a double loss: the lamb or kid, and often a whole season of the dam's production. Worse, several of the infectious causes can pass to people, so handling the foetus and afterbirth is not a minor job. This article explains the causes, the signs and what to do in the first hours. It does not replace a veterinary diagnosis.
The most common infectious causes
| Cause | General notes | Can it infect people? |
|---|---|---|
| Brucellosis | Abortion usually late in pregnancy; can cause testicle inflammation in males | Yes, one of the most important zoonoses |
| Chlamydia (enzootic abortion) | Abortion in the final weeks or weak newborns; can spread widely in a flock | Yes, and dangerous for pregnant women |
| Q fever (Coxiella) | Often no clear sign other than abortion | Yes |
| Toxoplasmosis | Linked to cats and their droppings in feed and water | Yes |
| Campylobacter | Can cause a storm of late abortions | Possibly |
| Listeria | Often linked to spoiled silage | Yes |
| Viral diseases such as Rift Valley fever and bluetongue | Appear in certain regions and seasons with insect vectors | Some, yes |
You cannot diagnose these by eye. Their signs overlap, and the answer comes from the laboratory, using samples from the foetus, afterbirth and the dam's blood. For one of the most important, read about brucellosis in livestock.
Non-infectious causes
- Poor nutrition: too little energy in late pregnancy, especially with twins, or shortages of certain minerals and vitamins.
- Pregnancy toxaemia: an underfed ewe carrying twins can fall ill, abort or die.
- Heat stress: extreme heat with no shade or cool water, particularly in early pregnancy.
- Transport, chasing and crowding: knocks and pushing at feeders or narrow gates.
- Toxic plants and mouldy feed: mould on hay or concentrate, or poisonous plants on the range.
- Some medicines and procedures at the wrong stage of pregnancy. Always tell your vet an animal is pregnant before any treatment.
General rule: one abortion with an obvious cause (a knock, for example) may be accidental. Two or more in a short period, or abortions with no clear cause, should be treated as an infectious disease until proven otherwise.
What to do immediately after an abortion
- Isolate the aborted female at once in a dedicated area; discharges after abortion can carry infection for weeks.
- Wear gloves and never touch the foetus or afterbirth bare-handed. Keep pregnant women and children well away.
- Keep the foetus and afterbirth in a clean, sealed bag somewhere cool, and call your vet to take samples to the laboratory. The afterbirth is very important for diagnosis.
- Do not leave remains for dogs, cats or birds. Once samples are taken, dispose of them by deep burial or burning as instructed by your vet or local authority.
- Clean and disinfect the area and replace the bedding.
- Record the case: the dam's number, the date, the approximate stage of pregnancy and any observations.
- Do not sell or move aborted or in-contact animals until the cause is known.
In many countries, diseases such as brucellosis must be reported. Follow your vet's and ministry's instructions.
Prevention: what you can control
- Quarantine new animals and test them before they join the flock; many abortion storms start with a bought-in animal. See quarantine for new animals.
- Vaccination against the abortion-causing diseases for which vaccines are available in your country, following your local vet or ministry schedule.
- Balanced feeding throughout pregnancy, with a planned increase in the final weeks.
- Keep cats out of feed stores and away from water troughs.
- Clean feed with no mould, and well-made silage.
- Shade, cool water and calm handling for pregnant females.
- A separate lambing group and clean pens.
Why records matter so much for abortion
Infectious abortion is spotted through patterns: how many cases? In which group? At what stage of pregnancy? All from the same ram, or after new animals arrived? Only accurate records answer those questions.
In Throf, a miscarriage is recorded as a stage in the female's life with its date, and the animal can be placed in isolation as a separate health status, with inspections and treatments set by the vet logged against her. Because mating date and sire are already recorded, you see the stage of pregnancy at the time of loss. If cases repeat, you can show your vet a clear list instead of relying on memory, and later follow whether the female conceives again or should be culled.
FAQ
What are the most common causes of abortion in ewes?
Among the most common are brucellosis, chlamydia (enzootic abortion), Q fever and toxoplasmosis, plus non-infectious causes such as poor nutrition and heat stress. A confirmed diagnosis needs laboratory tests through your vet.
Can abortion in sheep and goats infect humans?
Some causes can, including brucellosis, chlamydia and Q fever. Wear gloves, never handle the foetus or afterbirth bare-handed, and keep pregnant women away.
What should I do with an aborted foetus?
Keep it with the afterbirth in a sealed bag somewhere cool and call your vet to take samples, then dispose of the remains as instructed. Never leave them for animals.
Should I sell a ewe after she aborts?
Do not sell or move her until the cause is known. After diagnosis, your vet will advise whether she can stay or should be culled.
General guidance only — it does not replace your veterinarian or the competent authority in your country.
