Just when you think all is tickety boo - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Monday 14 April, 2014

by Rosemary Champion at 2:58pm in Sheep 4 comments Comments closed

Niamh cucked out, eventually, a 6kg ewe lamb yesterday - both well. That left four to lamb. Jura and Juno were trying to kill each other - not sure if it was hormones or being stir crazy, but I've penned Juno for her own safety.

This morning, I could hear Lyra chuckling to Niamh's Lamb and I guessed she was starting. After an hour, there was much heaving but no lamb (she's a fourth timer expecting a single); I had a feel, wasn't sure and called the vet (my usual MO).

Vet lambed a big tup lamb. Lyra is fine but I fear we're going to lose the lamb. He's obvioulsy inhaled some fluid but there's something else "not right" with him. He's obviously having some breathing issues but his heart and lungs are functioning well, and the lungs are fully inflating (according to the vet). But he has NO vigour. I mean NONE.

I've rubbed and rubbed him; laid him over my knee, so he's upright rather than flat out; he's had KickStart and I've just stomach tubed 100ml of colostrum into him. That was a sweat - haven't done it for real for thirty years. Practicing on a dead lamb just isn't the same - although this one's LIKE a dead lamb, tbh, apart from the breathing.

He's now under a heat lamb with him mum, propped up by a rolled up towel to keep him on his chest. I can't think of what else I can do. If anyone has any ideas, I'm happy to hear them.

This is our sixth year lambing and we've only lost three lambs before this. I'm feeling a bit gutted. Poor Lyra - I think she knows.