Dead lamb
Posted: Sunday 27 March, 2011
Just when you think things are going smoothly, Mother Nature sends something to trip you up.
Went out to check Lyra at lunchtime. She had a drink but wouldn't eat; watched her for a bit and thought she was straining. Phoned the vet right away and he came out. Turns out the single she had was actually a twin. Of course the second lamb was dead - it was an awful presentation, coming back first, not even "normal" breach. I couldn't feel it in the womb or the birth canal.
The vet lambed it and has given Lyra a long acting antibiotic and painkiller, so it's a case of TLC now. I've soaked some sugarbeet for her and I'll cut some ivy; she's also developed a taste for oatcakes, so we'll try them too. Vet says the best thing is that she has a live lamb and that will be incentive for her to survive.
So many lessons to be learned. Must confess to feeling a bit sorry for myself, like I've let her down. But hey ho, I'll have a cup of tea then go and see if I can persuade her that standing up would be a good idea.
Update at 5pm - Lyra is up, had a drink and suckled her lamb. Just off to give her some sugarbeet.
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Comments
Simon
Rosemary - had you had the sheep scanned and the scan just showed a singleton?
Rosemary
Denise, I did that but didn't feel another lamb. Don't know if it had already moved into the birth canal.
Simon, they were scanned by the vet, but he couldn't tell how many lambs, just if they were in lamb or not. Don't think I can sue him for that :-)
Simon
I was interested as I was talking to the farmer with land adjoining ours - his sheep come freely onto our land at present as we have no animals yet - and he has his sheep scanned and marked with blue or red as single or twins - not sure if this is done by a repeat scan later in the pregnancy. Your lamb picture is great!
Simon
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denise newey
Monday 28 March, 2011 at 12:10am
Sorry to read about the dead lamb. A tip I was given to check for a further lamb was to gently push up against the ewe's tummy just in front of her udder. If there is a further lamb you will feel the bones of it's frame. We do this to all our ewes and it's saved the life of one or two lambs for us. Hope that helps you