Agri Kultuur August / Agustus 2016 | Page 36

E agles stand accused of killing lambs. But seeing an eagle at a lamb carcass is not sufficient evidence to pass judgment on him. To prosecute the guilty party, we need all the available evidence to prevent innocent parties, with-out trial, being sentenced to death. During this trial we shall be presenting some evidence which demonstrates that most of these lambs were dead before the eagle arrived on the scene of the crime, Eagles are scavengers, unlike the stealthy caracal or jackal, they will stand on a dead lamb in full view of people, a fact that sometimes wrongly leads to prosecution. Eagles often scavenge on the afterbirth of ewes during lambing season and sit and wait for her to finish lambing. In this document we would like to show you how to conduct an investigation on your farm to find out who the guilty party was. In the unlikely event that an eagle is implicated, at the end of this guide you will also find some tips on how to minimize these losses without having to resort to capital punishment. This individual still has a very important role in the community and the death penalty will leave a big empty space in the ecology of your farm. Did the lamb die before or after birth? As in any trial, certain lines of evidence carry more weight than others. Biologists often quote the low percentage of lamb bones in eagle prey remains. But they have no way of knowing whether the eagles killed or scavenged these lambs. The best evidence of lamb-killing comes from carcass inspections in the camps where ewes are lambing. Examinations are often the most reliable method of finding out how the lamb actually died. Extensive, world-wide investigations (including some in South Africa) repeatedly show that all predators (including dogs, caracals and jackals) rarely account for more than one percent of lambs born. As much as 15 percent of lambs born, however, usually die non-violently. The biggest killer of lambs, as most farmers know, is the lack of bonding between the lamb and its mother, and sub-sequent starvation and exposure. If the lamb carcass is relatively fresh (the best way to ensure this is to search the lambing camps early each morning), then the cause of death can usually be determined by a simple post-mortem examination which involves skinning the lamb, preferably from the top of the neck down. These are the signs to look for: Many lambs die before or during their birth and are dead on arrival. If the hooves still have soft membranes underneath, this indicates that the lamb has not stood up and walked around. If the lamb hasn't breathed, the lungs will be a deep scarlet colour rather than light pink and spongy. For the more serious investigator, look for a blood clot at the end of the blood vessel serving the umbilicus — absence of the clot indicates that the lamb was stillborn. A lamb that suffered during birth would be covered in bright yellow myconium and possibly died during or shortly after birth. Was the lamb healthy, did it drink before death? A healthy lamb will have solid white fat attached to the heart and kidneys. This fat looks red and jelly-like in a starving lamb. Heart fat is metabolized first. Other signs that indicate starvation are: the absence of milk or curd in the stomach; and the absence of white fluid (called chyle) in the lymph vessels draining the intestine, sometimes very difficult to notice. Predators often seek out weak individuals and this is an important element in natural selec-