We are saddened to share that we lost one of our young lambs, Phoebe, this week. She fell ill with abomasal bloat, and even with the expert advice of her owner and Fundy Veterinary, and care of our entire team, we were unable to save her.

Phoebe, Opal and their mom Ele joined us at the farm only a few weeks ago. People have thoroughly enjoyed meeting them. As bottle fed lambs, the pair have been very friendly, and happy to approach visitors to say hello and receive a gentle pat.

Not all lambs need to be bottle fed, but in this case, Ele as an older mother ewe was struggling to produce enough milk for them. There are always some risks associated with bottle feeding, including bloat. Risk of bloat in bottle-fed lambs is even higher in extreme heat, like we have experienced this week. Even still, there was likely something else that predisposed Phoebe to this condition over her sister.

This loss is felt deeply by our team — her caregivers. Although there was likely nothing more we could have done to save her, we can’t help but wish that we could.

We have been partnering with the Zillig Farm to keep sheep at the farm museum for more than 40 years, and this is the first time we have experienced this directly with a young lamb.

Phoebe’s sister Opal is a healthy and strong lamb. She and Ele remain here at the farm museum, in the company of young ewes Hazel and Charlie.

If you have further questions about Phoebe, we’re here.