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Placental retention in the ewe
After lambing, the ewe must expel the placenta, which breeders call delivery or afterbirth. This normally happens within a few hours after the last lamb is born. We speak of retained placenta when the envelopes are still in place beyond hal...
What is it?
After lambing, the ewe must expel the placenta, which breeders call delivery or afterbirth. This normally happens within a few hours after the last lamb is born.
We speak of retained placenta when the envelopes are still in place beyond half a day to a day. The placenta clings to the wall of the uterus, hangs from the vulva, and slowly decomposes inside.
In sheep, this accident is less frequent than in cows, and this is precisely what should raise alarm: when it occurs, it often signals something else. Non-delivery in a ewe frequently accompanies a difficult lambing, a dead lamb, a trace element deficiency, or an abortive disease.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Visible membranes hanging from the vulva more than half a day after lambing.
The placenta can also remain entirely inside: the ewe appears to have delivered when this is not the case. This is the most misleading situation.
Brownish discharge that becomes increasingly smelly as the tissues decompose.
Ewe often normal the first days: appetite preserved, lambs suckling.
Then, if the infection sets in: fever, depression, refusal to eat, drop in milk production.
Ewe that pushes, keeps its back rounded or wags its tail repeatedly.
Lambs that bleat and weaken because the udder is not filling.
In neglected cases, sheep lying down, dehydrated, in a state of shock.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
The attachment points between the placenta and the wall of the uterus do not detach as they should during delivery.
Any abnormal birth predisposes to this: difficult lambing, large litter, dead lamb, premature lambing, abortion, cesarean section.
Contractions of the uterus may be insufficient, particularly in an exhausted ewe, very thin, lacking calcium or suffering from gestational toxemia.
Deficiencies in selenium, vitamin E, iodine and other trace elements are recognized and common causes in areas where soils are poor. They can be corrected, but only if we look for them.
Infectious diseases responsible for abortion are very often accompanied by non-delivery: it is sometimes even the first visible sign of a health problem in the herd.
Significant stress at the end of gestation, transport or high heat can also play a role.
Difficult or assisted lambing, litters of three or more lambs, stillborn lamb, premature lambing.
Abortion, whatever the cause.
Ewes that are too thin or, on the contrary, too fat at the end of gestation.
Gestational toxemia and lack of calcium around parturition.
Selenium, vitamin E and iodine deficiencies, common in certain soils and rarely investigated.
Poorly balanced end-of-gestation ration, lack of mineral supplementation.
Heat stress at the end of gestation, a common situation during the hot summers of the Maghreb.
History of retention at previous lambing.
Herd affected by circulating abortive disease.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
The veterinarian begins by assessing the general condition of the ewe: temperature, appetite, hydration, milk. It is this examination, and not the simple presence of the membranes, which decides what action to take.
He checks that there is not a lamb left in the uterus: this is the first thing to rule out, and this situation is an emergency.
He looks for a tear in the genital tract and assesses the contents of the uterus.
He checks that the lambs have actually suckled, because they are often the first victims.
When retention accompanies an abortion, or when several ewes are affected in the same campaign, he has the runt and the placenta analyzed and takes blood samples to look for an infectious cause. Keep these samples cool, in a closed bag, handled with gloves.
Finally, he is interested in the end-of-gestation ration and mineral supplementation: repeated non-delivery in a herd is often a story of deficiencies.
Treatment
The behavior depends entirely on the condition of the ewe, and is decided with the veterinarian.
Never pull on hanging membranes. The tearing tears the lining of the uterus, causes bleeding, leaves pieces inside and allows germs to enter deeper. This is the most common and most damaging error in sheepfolding.
Also, do not cut the part that hangs without veterinary advice.
Manual removal of the placenta is not systematically recommended in sheep: it damages the uterus and delays healing. The veterinarian only practices it in specific situations.
When the ewe is in good health, without fever, close monitoring is often the best option: the envelopes will eventually come off on their own.
When the ewe has a fever, no longer eats or loses its milk, the situation becomes metritis: antibiotics and general support are put in place by the veterinarian.
Take care of the lambs at the same time: colostrum, warmth, and artificial breastfeeding or adoption if the udder does not fill.
Any medication administered imposes a waiting period for meat and milk: ask for it and respect it.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Take care of the ration for the last third of gestation: neither thin ewes nor too fat ewes, sufficient energy and protein intake when needs explode.
Ensure appropriate mineral supplementation, particularly selenium, vitamin E and iodine when the region's soils are poor. Have this supplement defined by the veterinarian rather than buying at random: excesses are not trivial.
Prevent gestational toxemia and calcium deficiency through appropriate feeding and a gradual transition before lambing.
Organize clean lambings: individual pens cleaned and re-mulched, monitoring, measured and hygienic intervention when necessary.
Limit heat stress and transport at the end of gestation: shade, ventilation, fresh water as desired.
Note each non-delivery. If it becomes frequent, it is no longer an individual accident but a herd problem: deficiencies or abortive disease.
Systematically isolate an aborted ewe and collect the abortion and placenta with gloves.
Possible complications
Metritis, then generalized infection and death of the ewe in neglected cases.
Ewe which does not come in milk, with mortality of lambs or lastingly delayed lambs.
Chronic inflammation of the uterus and infertility in the following campaign.
Weight loss and poor recovery.
Damage to the uterus caused by removal of the placenta, sometimes irreversible.
Delay in the diagnosis of an abortive disease present in the herd, although non-delivery was the signal.
When to see a veterinarian
The membranes are still in place beyond half a day to a day after lambing.
The discharge becomes foul-smelling.
The sheep has a fever, stops eating or loses its milk.
She is not giving milk and her lambs are weakening.
You are not sure if she has delivered, or if a second lamb has come out: have her checked rather than waiting.
Retention follows an abortion or a stillborn lamb.
Several sheep show non-deliverance in the same campaign: we must look for a common cause.
Never try to remove the placenta yourself, even if it appears to be loose.
Prognosis
A ewe which remains in good general condition and whose placenta detaches alone recovers without any after-effects.
When the infection sets in, the prognosis depends on the speed of treatment: treated early, the ewe most often recovers; neglected, it can die or remain infertile.
The fertility of the following campaign is the real issue: a ewe having metritis after non-delivery has a greater risk of remaining empty.
At the herd level, the prognosis is good when the cause is identified: a deficiency is corrected, an abortive disease is managed, and the frequency of retention falls.
Frequently asked questions
How long should you wait before worrying?
In sheep, the placenta is normally expelled within a few hours of giving birth. Beyond half a day to a day, you should talk to the veterinarian, especially if the ewe is not in great shape. Waiting several days means letting an infection take hold.
Can I gently pull on what is hanging?
No, never, even gently. You would tear the lining of the uterus, leaving pieces inside and causing the microbes to enter deeper. This is the most common error and turns a minor incident into a serious infection.
A single sheep has not delivered, is this serious for the flock?
An isolated case after a difficult lambing is often an accident without consequences. On the other hand, several non-deliveries in the same campaign, especially if abortions accompany them, must seek a common cause: deficiency of trace elements or abortive disease in circulation. This is a signal not to be missed.
Should I give selenium to my sheep?
Maybe, but not by chance. Deficiencies in selenium, vitamin E and iodine actually promote non-delivery in certain regions, but excess selenium is toxic. Supplementation is defined with the veterinarian, depending on the soil and the ration.
References
FAO — Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 11 August 2026
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