Page 9 - Clinical Connections - Summer 2023

Pathology
LAMB PREDATION: WHO DUNNIT?

Henny Martineau, Head of Veterinary Forensic Pathology and Lecturer in Anatomic Pathology

e have been collecting data from but badgers may also play a role.
sheep farmers on the predation of Since the 1992 Protection of Badgers Act,
W lambs by wild animals in the UK. there has been an increase in the badger
Predation is defined as “the act of a predator population and, somewhat unsurprisingly,
species catching, killing, and subsequently an increase in claims that they kill lambs.
eating parts of their prey.” Predation of However, there are no recorded patterns
lambs by wildlife not only causes detrimental of predation by badgers in the literature.
suffering to lambs and ewes but can also Therefore, another aim of this study was to
have a significant emotional and economic find what criteria farmers use to decide if a
impact on farmers. lamb has been killed by a fox or a badger. A lamb with missing head and tail, which can
The aim of the research is to improve the One way of helping to identify the indicate that it was scavenged by a fox
current understanding of the incidence of predator species is to perform a post
lamb predation throughout the UK, identify mortem examination on the dead lamb. At
risk factors involved, and find out more post mortem, the first thing to determine is
about possible species contributing to these whether the lamb was really predated or
losses. actually scavenged after it died from another
I developed a particular interest in this cause. We do this by looking for evidence
area after my involvement in an investigation of fresh blood associated with wound
into the cause of a series of cat mutilations edges, which would indicate the animal was
across England. Originally thought to be bleeding and therefore alive at the time of
caused by a human (aka ‘the Croydon Cat the attack.
Killer’), we used DNA analysis and detailed If there is no blood, then we assume
post mortem examination protocols, to show the body parts were removed after death One aim of the RVC study is to find what
the injuries to be consistent with scavenging (scavenged) and the lamb likely died criteria farmers use when deciding if a lamb
has been killed by a fox or a badger
by a fox after the cats had died. The causes from another cause. Then we look for the
of death were variable, but to our surprise patterns of mutilation i.e. specific parts of the in the skin and underlying soft tissues,
some of them had been predated by foxes. carcasses that are missing, which can differ or marks from claws or teeth on fractured
between predator species. For example, bones.
Foxes and badgers when cats are scavenged by foxes, the By combining the post mortem findings
Previous research has shown that more most common missing body parts are the of predated lambs with DNA analysis of a
than half of farmers reported the loss of at head, neck and tail, but when they are swab from the mutilation site, which should
least one lamb to fox predation in their most scavenged by coyotes, removal of internal have saliva from the predator species, we
recent lambing season, while another study organs is more common. can get more accurate information on the
indicated that predation by wildlife was the particular predator species involved in the
main cause of lamb mortality. Other evidence of the predator involved lamb death. Availability of lamb carcasses
In the UK, foxes are considered to be one can be in the form of excrement on or near for PM can be a challenge however, as
of the main wild predator species for lambs, the carcass, puncture wounds from teeth predators often remove the carcass or
farmers do not have the time to save them
during the busy lambing period.
Part of this research is being performed
by final year veterinary student Hasita
Dodhia as part of her eight-week research
project, which takes the form of a short
questionnaire. We currently have 184
responses, which goes to show what a
relevant topic this is for farmers.

For the Diagnostic Pathology Service,
please call:01707 666 208
Email:
Foxes are considered to be one of the main wild predator species for lambs in the UK diagnosticlabs@rvc.ac.uk

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