I drove past Denis the sheep farmers flock of pregnant ewes earlier.  I saw one of them on her back, trying to roll.  I rang Denis' mobile ( I make more calls to him than almost anyone else to report his sheep/lambs on the lane etc), but got no reply so left a message.  I pass his house en route to home, so as it was still l'heure de la soupe, I called in to tell him.  Immediately we both went to the field and he ran across to roll the ewe back on to her feet.  Unharmed, she scampered off to join her friends.  He's already lost one recently to the same problem.  

Recent light rain has apparently revitalised some acarien (perhaps a harvet mite) who then crawl into the sheep's wool making them itchy.  The sheep roll onto their back to scratch the itch and then get cast.  Result (very soon after) is one dead sheep.  In this case certainly 2, as she is definitely pregnant.

He lamented the fact that not many people would have bothered to let him know ..........  Not even the Fench locals.  Made me feel I'd established som entente cordiale.