Last ewe had twins yesterday. She was not progressing so pulled first lamb. It was a job as it was a tight exit. Second lamb was coming backwards. Pulled as well. She cleaned them but noticed when second lamb tried to stand his back legs weren’t working properly. I thought something was broken. He also got a bit cold so fully dried him and put him under lamp.
Had vet out who detected no breaks. No dislocation. He did have sensation in his feet. They said either pts or could try an anti-inflammatory as they said it could be swelling around nerves. After he got warm he was eager to move and get a drink which we helped him with. Because of this I felt he should have a chance.
Throughout the day and night we helped him get a drink but the although she will allow him to suck with us there the ewe really doesn’t seem to like him. When he moves towards her she shies away and nudges him back with her head. But the nudges are getting harder. The other lamb is a lot bigger but pretty quiet. I understand the birth was probably difficult for them all. The second lamb with the leg issue looks quite underdeveloped compared to the first. The ewe had a shot of AB/AI midday.
This morning she has not eaten her cake which is worrying me as they usually hoover it up. She ate it yesterday, and had hay, drank and was passing out the other end okay. Could the poorly lamb being there have an affect on her? Someone suggested tying her to the pen if she wasn’t taking to it, but would think that would only be if the lamb was independently trying to drink and getting pushed away.
The vet said leave the lamb till Friday and if no better pts. I don’t know whether to take him out of the pen now and bottle him and see if she improves? If I do that do I just put him in a pen by himself? I had him in the one next door to her last night for a few minutes and he just tried to get back in. Sad as he baas sometimes when she baas and tries to go to her but she is not interested. It’s like she thinks it’s not her lamb, or as we think she senses he’s not right and doesn’t want to bother with him.
I feel like we are finishing lambing these girls as we started