OK, I haven't got this one figured out, so let me write it down while it's fresh in my mind, and let's see what you all think. Please be gentle though - this hurts.
So today was the earliest day I thought any ewes might lamb, though after surprise twins yesterday, I have been keeping a close eye all day.9pm: First-time lamber (2 yrs old) standing up and looking decidedly uncomfortable. Strained and did a wee poo, but that was all. Decided to keep an eye.
11 pm: Similar. No discharge from vulva.
12:30am: Now standing in the corner of the field, straining and clearly in pain. Foaming at the mouth (the foam looked like frothy milk). Chomping with jaws and grinding teeth. Decided to bring her inside. Wouldn't follow a bucket (IME with a Zwartbles, this means imminent death is pretty much guaranteed
), so put a halter on her and pushed gently from behind, to walk her the 50 yards into the shed.
Checked dilation - four fingers inside easily, but definitely not my whole hand. Couldn't feel any lambs. Ewe clearly in distress, but still no real clue as to why. Went inside to tell the Shepherdess something was wrong.
Went back outside two minutes later, and she was lying in the pen, legs stretched out, and having some kind of seizure (the ewe, not the Shepherdess). I'll be honest, I didn't have a clue what to do at that point. After perhaps a minute, it was clear she was dead or very nearly, so (look away now), I grabbed a knife and pulled the lambs out of the side door - one already dead, and another I couldn't revive
. The lambs looked perfectly normal. No sign of yellow slime etc.
The only thing I can add is that she had a reasonably sized bag and very small teats (but I don't think unusually so for a first timer). The teats were not engorged. However, when I squeezed them, what came out didn't look like colostrum - it was light green coloured and watery.
Honestly, my first question at this point (1.45am) is Glenlivet, Laphroaig or both? Sod it. Both.
Second question - what the hell just happened?