The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Momosmum on May 19, 2011, 09:53:43 pm
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Hi all
We have a 1 week old lamb with a not very good Mum (first time) who didn't suck for about the first 12 hours (and I gave a bottle of colostrum). Then he seemed to be feeding OK and I have kept both Mum and lamb in. Today when watching them she doesn't seem to want him to feed. When he goes under to suck she immediately moves so he can't latch on. Could she be sore? or just bored?
Any thoughts or ideas?
Thanks
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She could be sore or even have mastitis. With mastitis the udder would be inflammed, hot, hard, tender to touch, and the milk may look abnormal. She may also be off colour herself but not always. This will need antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. If the lamb hasn't been sucking that much and she's producing lots of milk she might just be too full of milk, in which case you will have to milk some out and then the lamb will have a chance to latch on.
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The other thing to check is whether the lamb has just had all of the milk - it's painful and pointless letting him suck once she's empty, so she won't. I've been caught out a few times this way, thinking the ewe needed holding for the lamb to suck but then discovering that the lamb had already emptied both tanks!
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IF no physical damage ,there are two reasons for the problem mostly in gimmers. 1 she is a poor mother and there is no strong maternal bond . 2 she is short of milk and the lamb tries constantly to get what is not there.