[Stanlamb]

Have a dilemma ...  two ewes.  Ewe A - prolapsed prior to lambing, stitched several times, failed induction and finally Caesarian when she lost so much condition.  Two live lambs, one dead.  Milk supply diminished and I ended up supplementing both lambs from around 3 days post birth.  One lamb is flying and clearly getting enough from her.  The smaller lamb won't take more than 600mls each day and is noticeably smaller than brother but has lost the hunched up look.

Ewe B, triplet mum who has successfully raised triplets last year.  Milky ewe but two big ram lambs are pushing smaller ewe lamb out.  Brought them in from the field on Sunday when it became apparent that the smallest lamb wasn't doing.  Really struggling to get her on the bottle.  Maybe 100mls at a time, a real battle, then she's straight into mum looking for milk but invariably gets pushed out by brothers.

Vet says ewe a will die unless I get her out (not eating much, barely drinking although has tucked into hay with gusto this past 24 hrs).  The lamb will not come to me for a feed unless I catch him - and that's funa dn games!

Am now contemplating putting both ewes out but holding both weaker lambs in as orphans but am worried that it might all go wrong, lambs won't take bottle, distressed ewes etc.  Don't have a teeny field where I could catch the lambs.  So I either keep them in and risk the ewe or take the lambs and put ewes out.

Any words of wisdom please?

Thanks

[mowhaugh]

Personally I would lift the two weaker lambs, have them on bottles and put the ewes out with the lambs that are doing well.

[jaykay]

I think that's the easiest solution to manage too.

I hear you about distressed ewes, but they've each got some lambs left, so they'll get on with things I think.

Otherwise, could you piece off a bit of field with hurdles, and make some sort of race with them too, for the catching and feeding? - can you tell why I have to buy new hurdles each lambing - the ones I have become integral parts of my holding!

[ZaktheLad]

I would also take the 2 weaker lambs put inside under a lamp for a couple of days together until you get them drinking properly from the bottle.  May take a while for the small ewe lamb to get the idea but lots of patience will do the trick.  Probably the rubber teat she dislikes after getting used to her mothers teat.  Perhaps try a smaller teat on the bottle and wet it before putting in the lambs mouth. 

I would definitely then get the 2 ewes and their remaining lambs outside in the fresh air so they can nibble at the grass and get some exercise - will do them the power of good.

Good luck with them all.

[Stanlamb]

Thanks everyone!  I got a stall ready for the lambs last night but then began to doubt my own judgment on it!  Wish me luck with the little ewe lamb - a smaller teat is a good idea which I'll definitely try - heat lamp too.  Shall I tune her some to make up what she won't take from a teat or let her get hungry enough to take more the next feed?  Not sure the 300mls she took yesterday would be enough without any supplementation from the ewe
Thanks again.

[ZaktheLad]

Have you got any kick-start - if so, I would give her one squirt of that in her mouth and you will notice that it makes a huge difference to her.  Will give her a real boost and extra energy.  That in itself might encourage her to start sucking with more vigour on the teat.   I would go for little and often to start with on the amount from the bottle but if she really will not take the teat at all after a feed or two then consider tubing to get something in to her.  Really can't stress how brilliant Kick-Start is as a pick-me-up for young lambs though (or older ones come to that).

[Bramblecot]

I give Kick-Start to anything small or slow.  the vet just smiled when I showed her, but it can't do any harm

[ZaktheLad]

I give Kick-Start to all of my new lambs - big, small, weak - all of them.  One squirt really gets them up and thriving and doesn't do any harm at all.  I do only have a few girls though so one bottle with the 25 doses will be enough for all my lambs (unless they all had triplets!).  Wouldn't be cost effective if you had a large flock!

[SallyintNorth]

Another fan of Kick-Start here.  Anything weak, cold, miserable - one squirt. 

Definitely remove the weaker lambs in these situations.  I've seen it many times - the ewe has put so much into growing the lambs inside her, the effort to also feed all of them pulls her down.  The lambs drop one by one and then the ewe gets mastitis.

Many times I've ended up with only one lamb on a triplet mum - she can be so pulled by the pregnancy and birth that even rearing twins is too much.

So take the weaker lambs off and get them on the bottle.  They'll feed eventually, they always do.  Although sometimes they drive you crazy before they do! 

[Foobar]

If you don't have kick start, make up a 10% glucose solution and give 50 to 100ml (depending on size of lamb) via stomach tube.  It works wonders.
(you can buy powdered glucose from places like countrywide for a few quid, v cheap, and it lasts years.)

[Rosemary]

Another fan of Kick-Start here.  Anything weak, cold, miserable - one squirt. 

And another. I've often thought about having a sook myself 

[SallyintNorth]

Another fan of Kick-Start here.  Anything weak, cold, miserable - one squirt. 

And another. I've often thought about having a sook myself 

 

Lucozade for him, Irn Bru for me.  Instant energy 

[Anke]

I would also take the weak lambs off the ewe, but I have had my two spare (small twins actually) dying on me last year after they had been on the ewe for a few days and probably managed to get e.coli infection (rattle belly) while trying desperately to suckle from mum. They just never picked up, despite drinking well for a few days on the bottle.... just watch out and maybe give AB's?? Don't know what your situation is.

Both my ewes raised stonking big singles...

[Stanlamb]

Thanks everyone.  I'm glad I was thinking along the right lines!  Job done.  Triplet mum was very stroppy (great mother) but both ewes are now grazing very happily in the sunshine (what a wonderful combination - grass and sun!) and the lambs are huddled together looming rather scared and puzzled.  Will call with the vet and see if they have Kickstart and meantime bottle feeding will begin in earnest!  Groan.

[Foobar]

Kickstart isn't prescription, so you should be able to get it at any agri merchant.