The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Dans on May 06, 2017, 07:11:32 pm
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Ok so I know people have lambs every day but it's our first and I kind of want to shout it from the roof tops.
We checked the ewe at 2:45 and although she was on her own she was up at eating, not pawing at the ground or stargazing. We needed to empty the trailer at the tip (a battle with dog rose) so we headed out. Got back at 4:15 and as we drove past the field it looked like there was something poking out from her, but could have been the tree behind her. Went straight to check and there was the head, a couple of minutes after the rest was out. Head looked clear of the bag and then we heard some bleeting. I managed to stay on the other side of the fence for the whole thing!
She had a good lick but seemed reluctant to have the lamb between her legs. We kept an eye as we have a breeding pair of crows (possibly ravens, they are huge) who are covering our land with the remnants of their kills and scavagening, they were circling. We left them for an hour and after it looked like the lamb had a feed and then we brought them in. Not sure if I carried the lamb right as she nearly lost interest when she saw the rest of the flock.
In now and we think the lamb has fed. Realised I didn't check she had milk but will do that if there are any issue at the next check. The lamb is a boy and weighed 2.85kg, no idea if that is good or not. He seems healthy and has had a poo. She's not passed the afterbirth but I think she has 24 hours before I need to worry about that. She now seems to be freaking out a little at the umbilical cord touching her legs so I hope she passes it soon.
I guess not much point in this other than to :excited: Pictures as soon as I get them off OH's phone, although there are some slightly blurry ones on the facebook page.
Dans
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Congratulations! Given she was at that point when you saw her you know precisely the answer to your previous question on how long between checks.
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Yay! Your first ever lamb is a big event, definitely something to shout about. Well done both, and of course your ewe who just sailed through it, as they do. :sheep:
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Well done you and well done Arya. :thumbsup:
To see if lambie has fed, hold lambie up by his front legs, his back against your shins. Either side of his navel and down to between his back legs - if it isn't nice and plumply convex, he hasn't eaten enough. Check this boy so you know what it looks and feels like when it's right, so you'll know when it's not right ;)
You're off! ;D
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Hmm I think he is feeding but maybe not enough. I just went out to check again and did the holding him up trick but the belly wasn't round, it wasn't sunken either though. He had just finished feeding from her right side, and was slurping quite loudly. I caught her to see if I could see an issue at the source.
The udders don't feel hot, lumpy or solid. I didn't get any milk at all from the right and saw some milk on my hand from the left. He went back onto the left when I stepped out.
Not sure if I'm being an anxious shepard and worrying over nothing. Will keep checking on him through the night :-\
Dans
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Finally had a chance to look at the pictures.
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Well done! and right on cue! Good luck with the others. After your first few you will ID what 'normal' behaviour is and be able to relax a bit. The best bit of advice would be to be vigilant but not over-check them as you could do more harm than good (get some sleep!). In my experience once a lamb is up and dry it will be fine- and too much checking will stress ewe and lamb. I notice purple spray on the navel- I never use this. I never move a lamb until ewe has given it a very good licking (1 hour after birth?) as the bond is initially weak but increases gradually with time. Hold the lamb low and back away from the ewe ensuring lamb is close and in her sight. Getting the lamb to bleat is good but she will respond to you bleating in a high pitch as well if it is quiet. If she seems more interested in flock or gets stressed then proceed more slowly or abandon for a bit so she reacquaints with lamb and start again.
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Would we be better off getting some iodine? We asked the vet but she said she would use the foot spray if she was us. :-\ Or do you not use anything when you bring them in [member=10275]Fieldfare[/member]?
We gave them a good hour, and I did do the stopping, letting her get reaquainted with the lamb, but he wasn't as happy about being moved as the ones on TV!
I decided that offering a bottle wouldn't do much harm and may help, but he wasn't interested at all, even in milk on the teat so maybe he is drinking from her fine. Still no rounded belly but I'm pretty sure he did a wee when I went in. Will give them one last check before bed in an hour then go to sleep and keep everything crossed.
I'm not sure how you all do this year after year, lamb after lamb.
Dans
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he wasn't as happy about being moved as the ones on TV!
The ones on TV aren't primitives ;)
I'm not sure how you all do this year after year, lamb after lamb.
It really does get easier. Honest :hug:
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Lamb not empty + lamb appeared to be sucking on left + no milk in left teat + milk in right teat = sounds like lambie had drunk all there was on the left.
Every year we have people (usually but not always newbies) sure that a ewe hasn't any milk because they can't express any. If the lamb has a good appetite, it's quite possible it's drunk her dry :D. So being able to identify an empty and / or genuinely hungry lamb is a really key skill. You'll get there :hug:
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Thank you for your patience. I am looking forward to knowing more of what is normal. We thought watching lots of lambing live but give us a baseline for normal but I think the difference in breed may change things a little. OH should finish work at about 12:30 so will check on them before he comes to bed. He'll check to see if the little one is wee'ing and if so I'll leave them be until dawn.
Dans
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being able to identify an empty and / or genuinely hungry lamb is a really key skill.
whispers. I'll let you into a secret. None of us were born knowing it, either. We all had to learn, just like you. ;)
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So he is OK this morning. He had a wee but it was a drip drip rather than a stream, and he seems so ineffective at the teat. But his stomach still isn't sunken, he isn't bleeting and he doestrogen move around, albeit somewhat shakily.
I took a little video of his feeding attempts. If anyone could have a look and tell me if he looks OK it'd be much appreciated.
https://youtu.be/veGdV3I59HM
Mum has hay and we have given some nuts last night and this morning but would really like to get them on to grass.
Dans
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When he gets up does he stretch? If so, he's a contented lamb. Get them out onto grass. Don't be too quick to jump in with a bottle. A full lamb wont look for the teat and the more he sucks off the ewe the more milk she will produce.
Iodine for navels.
A wagging tail is a good indication he is latched on and getting milk.
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Hi Dans. Yep, that's a perfectly normal new lamb feeding. He's getting what he needs each time - it's funny how much they get in a short time. Ewe is being perfect and long suffering standing for as long as necessary. Then he toddles off and even makes his own bed in the straw.
With primitives, can't speak about commercials, having a 'rounded belly' doesn't mean like a cricket ball, it just means the sides are filled out, not caved in, or the belly hollowed by the lamb being hunched and arched. From the pic his sides are not caved in and he's perfectly content.
Leave them to it now and go and get on with something else - your first lambing has gone fine.
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We always say that sheep don't read the books...
When he gets up does he stretch? If so, he's a contented lamb.
It's an encouraging sign, yes, but it's not absolute. I have had undernourished lambs that stretched when they stood up - but who were not getting enough milk to keep a fly alive.
A wagging tail is a good indication he is latched on and getting milk.
Absolutely not. Their tails wag when their minds are on milk, but it is not any kind of an indication that they're latched on and actually feeding. I have seen no end of lambs wagging their tails while they suck on wool, while they're seeking the teat (but not yet found it), even when nibbling my trousers ::)
Again, it's an encouraging sign, but don't rely on it.
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We have seen him waggling his tail when you can see the teat next to his mouth and he is feeling around for it everywhere but where it is!
We asked a local smallholder who is experienced with lambing to come and have a look. He said lamb is being a little slow but he is getting what he needs, mum definately has some milk which is good.
We let them out of the pen as the lambing area has access to outside and it got quite warm in the polytunnel today. Came home and he was all curled up not moving much and still being a bit pathetic with the milk. Put them back in the pen as it was getting nippy and he ran around like a crazy thing trying to get back out! Checked the security camera and found this so I guess he is plenty fine and just goes very quiet when we are around!
https://youtu.be/0oYEwfMuOTU
Dans
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Fab footage - what type of camera are you using and how is it powered/broadcasting?
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It's a Y-cam, we picked it up on an amazon deal of the day after we discovered we'd had people out in the driveway sniffing around whilst I was on the land with the house unlocked.
It runs off mains power and broadcasts via wifi. It has motion sensor for 2 areas and infra-red to see in the dark. We decided to relocate it to the lambing area to give me an extra bit of piece of mind and the sheep some sense of privacy and I've been really happy with it so far.
Dans
Edit to add I found it but it's way up in price, we paid £99 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Y-cam-HomeMonitor-HD-Pro-Recording/dp/B00K4NLF2K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494188074&sr=8-2&keywords=y-cam (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Y-cam-HomeMonitor-HD-Pro-Recording/dp/B00K4NLF2K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494188074&sr=8-2&keywords=y-cam)
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Hi Dans- congratulations again! That lamb looks lovely! Mum and baby look well bonded. I find that 9 times out of 10 you don't need to act with Castlemilks (and if you are worried sometimes better to stand back). Nature will get it right (usually). You will lose the odd lamb/or ewe but with your good husbandry throughout the year and your close interaction with your vet things should go smoothly (and your flock is almost closed and small so at low disease risk). I have only once had the need to help a lamb drink once born healthy (it was a small twin ewe and all I did was hold it onto the teat so it get a few gulps of milk/colostrum- in retrospect it would prob. have been OK, I think). The main problems I have with lambs is ensuring that the physical env. is safe (water troughs? gaps in fencing? etc.). You just need regular watching.
Navels? really no need to spray them with anything. I have never had any problems.
Feeding in the lambing pen? I ensure ewe has ad lib nuts, water (lamb-safe) and minerals.
Op? Yes went well! Am 3+ weeks into recovery (a bit sore and with disturbed sleep!) but also having to slow myself down...
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You must be so happy - well done :) - they look fine dont they - cute as a button.