The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: shropshire_blue on March 26, 2012, 06:21:44 pm

Title: Harsh first lesson!
Post by: shropshire_blue on March 26, 2012, 06:21:44 pm

Well, today was my first day ever lambing.

I was up at 6am to help on a neighbour's flock.  I got to his farm and we wondered down the field checking for lambs and saw a couple of singles looking healthy, and then a ewe on her back.  We ran over to her and she'd had a prolapse.  It looked like intestines hanging out of her.  He had a feel around and tried pushing it back in, but it wouldn't go, so she was put out of her misery.   :bouquet:

I'm hoping it's not like this every day!

If it were my flock I think I'd have called the vet out, but I guess there comes a point where it just doesn't make sense to.  I think it must be very hard and take a lot of experience to make life and death choices like that.  I know we kill and eat the lambs anyway, but this seems different for some reason...

Title: Re: Harsh first lesson!
Post by: princesspiggy on March 26, 2012, 06:24:59 pm

i think prolapses reoccur and chance of infection is high.
bit a of a rough start for you but all downhill from now on!
 ;D

Title: Re: Harsh first lesson!
Post by: Haylo-peapod on March 26, 2012, 06:38:37 pm

Really sorry to hear that shropshire blue.
Such a shame your first day lambing was so traumatic.
I guess if the sheep belonged to a smallholder the vet would have been called out, but it sounds as though the prolapse was pretty bad so I don't know if anything could have been done to save her.
I guess commercial farmers get to kow what is recoverable and just have to accept some losses. Still tough though.
I really hope that your next lambing day is more positive, that you learn lots and are rewarded with some bonny lambs.  :sheep:

Title: Re: Harsh first lesson!
Post by: shep53 on March 26, 2012, 08:09:26 pm

If a ewe pushes so much that she tears a prolapse of cervix and pushes out intestines, then she is in intense pain and  needs put down quickly . You can if near to lambing perform a ceasarian  the moment she is dead

Title: Re: Harsh first lesson!
Post by: jaykay on March 26, 2012, 08:50:52 pm

I've had ewes with prolapses that I've 'managed' until they've lambed.

But last year I had one that did this, lambs, lamb bed and all her insides out across the field. All we could do was get the neighbouring farmer to come and shoot her immediately  :'(

It's rare and I hope you don't have to deal with anything so horrid again, mainly lambing is pretty good  :)

Title: Re: Harsh first lesson!
Post by: princesspiggy on March 26, 2012, 10:14:07 pm

i never realised the intestines could come out too...ouch, poor thing.