The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Friday Farm on May 11, 2015, 05:36:07 am
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We have three Wiltshire Horns and had a ram with them this winter. One miscarried, one lambed five days ago and the last one has anothe week or two to go. The one with the lamb seemed to bond with her ok when they were in but once out she wouldn't stand to let her feed. We were adviced to tether the sheep and make her stand for feeds in the hope that she would get used to feeding and accept the lamb again. She is very grumpy and butts the lamb away when it gets near her. I've just been out there and held her to let the lamb feed, and afterwards she really went for the lamb butting it up against the wall. I let the sheep out and left the lamb in as I got worried she would get injured.
What to do? I really don't want to bottle feed but will this work? Would the sheep actually really hurt her own lamb?
Anna
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May not help your question but I had a ewe in my distant past who regularly had twins and always 1male and 1 female. The ewe was OK with themfor48hrs and then she always let rip at the female. She would knock her across the pen into the hurdles with such a wallop !!. The ewe would let it feed if the male was having a feed but not if she got there first. Every year I took the female lamb away and bottle reared it !! I was desperate for her to have 2 males or 2 females just to see what she did but alas it never happened before she was culled. :idea:
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I've had this before & usually with Wiltshires (but not always)
My answer has been to bottle feed the lamb and cull the ewe straight away---maybe you have more patience though
Funnily enough I have just had a yearling ewe do the same thing (first one for quite a few years) ---she is in the cull pen and will be at market next week
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I'm bottle feeding a Wiltshire twin as the ewe would only feed one
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Tie the ewe up, if she doesn't take it in three days then she likely won't. I had a ewe refuse to acknowledge her lamb, a week later she decided she loved her. Blooming hoggs ::)
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Had the same problem this year with a ewe (born last year) so still a bit young herself. Mothered it fine while inside but rejected it point blank, with the head butting etc as soon as turned out. As I have no other orphan lambs (and work full time so don't have the time to bottle feed) I brought both back in and put mum in headstocks (made from an old pallet). lamb can feed as mum can stand up and lay down and has access to hay and water but cant turn round and butt the lamb. introduced lamb to creep feed from week 2 and have just turned both out we are now week 6! (did turn out again in-between but ewe carried on not letting it feed and butting, so brought it back in again). lamb is now old enough and eating enough creep and grass that if mum doesn't let her feed now, it shouldn't matter, however there has been no butting at all this time on turn out, and both are grazing nicely side by side, (although have not seen lamb feed from mum, lamb has access to creep in creep feeder). it is a bit of a faf, but ewe is now on cull list as do not want the hassle next year. what you do really depends on what you have time/energy for.
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Hello all and thank you! My very experienced neighbour came around and tied her up in her pen, so the lamb is feeding and the sheep has food and water. Don't like the idea of leaving them there for six weeks, but if that's what it takes.....
Just hope the next one works out better!
Anna
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First timer? They can be difficult. Perhaps too the more she would nt let the lamb feed she was getting uncomfortable with her bag, perhaps now she s feeding the pressure will be off, bet you she loves her baby by the end of it all.
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Aw thanks. Yes she's a first timer, and she seemed to bond beautifully with the lamb to start with, cooing and sniffing her all the time. I let them out as she was getting very restless, mayby that was a mistake.
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Ahhh they either take to it like a duck to water or some take a little time, they get quite spun out by it all x
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don't panic, I've had some that only take 3 days in the stocks to come round, but just not the last one!
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I just spoke with husband who is at home (I ran away to work!), and he says the ewe keeps moving so the lamb can't really get to her still. We've decided to go out regularly and keep her still, give it a couple of days and see what happens. Bloomin animals! We've only got three sheep: one miscarriage, one rejection - please please pretty please let the third one go smoothly!
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I had one a few years ago just like this. We tried everything but she would not feed her lamb. I put them out with the others to see if that would help and she did appear to look after it but still not feed. In the end I bottle fed her lamb but left it with her. The lamb got pretty good and would sneak a feed from the other ewes. I still bottled fed though and she grew well. Her mum was culled that autumn.
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Ours don't go out for at least 36.-48 house and then into a small social group. N a first timer, mmmm she d be close at hand for at least a week. They're a pain and some do become excellent the next year, but if not they're marked.
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Ive had this senario with a few of my first timers so they get a few days with their head in the adopter and this has sorted the problem so far.
Good luck with the next one too lamb!
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I know I'm being soft but I hate this! The sheep is tethered but I still have to push her to the side and hold her or she won't stand still for the lamb. She (the sheep) doesn't seem to be eating or drinking.
When the lamb starts feeding the sheep flinches, and she grinds her teeth. Someone who knows about sheep (ie not me!) has checked for mastitis, and that's definately not a problem.
Just needed to vent really. Sigh.
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Lambs suckle little and often and if she's not being suckled regularly her udder may be full and very uncomfortable. Can you try stripping her out to get things to a more normal level then try putting the lamb on a short time later?
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I'm just going to go out there more often to start with. Thanks for the tip.
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Good news! It took six days, but we let the sheep and lamb out yesterday and they are fine. I'm so pleased we stuck to it (credit to my husband I would have given up). We're keeping them separate from the rest as not to upset the harmony.
Thanks for all your advice and support.
Anna
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That's great news!
Much of the time its about keeping going, the last of my ewes who didn't want to be a mother went out Monday and they look to be doing well.
Keeping an eye on them now is key though :thumbsup: