The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Madmandy on April 22, 2019, 10:03:35 pm

Title: Ewe Appears To Be In Lamb ??
Post by: Madmandy on April 22, 2019, 10:03:35 pm

So, I have a ewe that appears to be in lamb,  she hasn't been with a tup to our knowledge however there was a lamb tup loose on the road which I guess could have got into the field although the other 10 or so ewes are not in lamb.
Clues are her size and shape !!  She is a huge ewe as it is but lumpy both sides now, her udder is firm and enlarged, but not massively so.
We could get anything out of her teats today but how close to the birth would we be able to do that ?

Title: Re: Ewe Appears To Be In Lamb ??
Post by: SallyintNorth on April 22, 2019, 10:13:22 pm

I wouldn’t be trying to get milk until the lamb is born. 

If the udder is firm she’s almost certainly in lamb.  It will probably get very big and firm, and the teats stick out turgidly, before she lambs - but they don’t all do this.  Her vulva will get big and swollen, but some do this some time before they lamb and some not until a few hours before.

She’d have been the only one cycling when the tup got in, by the sound of it.

Hope it all goes well :)