A clinician's guide to what kills lambs and kids, as diagnosed by necropsy

It is common for neonatal losses to exceed 10% of lambs and kids delivered. A simple on-farm necropsy technique for examining these animals and determining the probable cause of death is described. Important categories for mortality include abortion, stillbirth, dystocia, hypothermia and starvation, umbilical infections, diarrheal diseases, septicemia, pneumonia, and abomasal bloat. Once the relative importance of these conditions in the herd has been determined, appropriate samples can be sent to a diagnostic laboratory and suggestions for management changes can be tailored to address the problems of the greatest economic importance.