The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: beagh-suffolks on February 13, 2015, 11:25:31 pm

Title: anyone ever had any experience of this?
Post by: beagh-suffolks on February 13, 2015, 11:25:31 pm
was lambing a ewe today , she had a set of twins both living, when i pulled the first lamb i got it nearly out then its hips got jammed stuck, wouldnt budge at all, eventually with quite a bit of force we got her out, the second one came flying out on its own..anyone ever have this happen? ive never saw this before..
Title: Re: anyone ever had any experience of this?
Post by: mowhaugh on February 14, 2015, 03:38:36 am
It is very rare that I actually lamb a sheep, ours hardly ever need assistance, but we do lamb everything indoors so I do see a lot lamb, my best guess would be that she was having a contraction, and so just needed to let it pass  Otherwise, no, that does sound unusual.
Title: Re: anyone ever had any experience of this?
Post by: moony on February 14, 2015, 08:10:43 am
Agree with Mowhaugh. Its just a contraction clamping down on the lamb. Assisting isn't my thing, anything we need to gets its p45 so others may be more insightful.
Title: Re: anyone ever had any experience of this?
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 14, 2015, 08:42:29 am
This is not unusual with meat lambs with 'good conformation'.  I am always banging on about it not being the head that matters when looking at easy lambings, but being the shoulders and hips.  In meat lambs, these should be the widest parts!

If it's just a one-off, don't worry about it.  If you get several, you may need to think about changing your tup for one with slightly less development in the gigot area ;)
Title: Re: anyone ever had any experience of this?
Post by: farmvet on February 14, 2015, 09:50:46 pm
Yes as SallyINT  says its not uncommon in chunky lambs & calves. Often rotating the calf/lamb  a bit towards 90degrees helps, plenty of lube & if there's room sliding a hand ( finger in lambs) under the leg to straighten the stifle. Often the stifles are catching on the pelvic brim & all the muscle mass is jamming up the pelvic canal. Once you've got this far its too late for a casear.