[AliceJ]

An older ewe lost her single lamb today after it escaped through a tiny gap into  field with horses. Is it worth speaking to a vet tomorrow to try and reduce the risk of mastitis with drugs or should we just milk her off a bit and hope for the best. She was a super mum and is so sad, won't stop crying... it's heartbreaking.

Thanks

[waterbuffalofarmer]

when you say escaped has it died? I would try and maybe adopt another lamb onto her, it would probably stop her from calling all the time. Is she very motherly towards other lambs but her own at all? You could speak to your vet if youre not happy with it. For the time being I don't really have any more advice. I hopr thid helps anf that you find a solution soon and please do keep us updated on how you get on.

[devonlady]

Go to your nearest sheep farm and ask if they have a triplet you can borrow, they may not be able to help but won't mind you asking and will surely help if they can.

[Buttermilk]

How old was the lamb?  She may not take to another lamb if more than a week old.

[Sbom]

Skin her lamb and get a foster for her

[henchard]

Skin her lamb and get a foster for her

+1

Skin the dead lamb, put the skin on a foster lamb (tie it with string underneath the stomach) and pen them together for a few days. It'll start to stink after a few days but you should be able to take it off after 5 days or so.

[Fleecewife]

How awful - I assume the lamb was trampled?

You have a choice, depending on how old the lamb was and if you have a fostering candidate.  The ewe would likely adopt if her lamb was just a few days old, otherwise you can dry her off, whilst watching carefully for mastitis, and she will get over her lamb in a few days.

[Marches Farmer]

If the lamb was up to about four days old I'd skin the dead lamb and get one (from a flock of known health status) to adopt on.  Failing that I'd milk off the ewe a little - part of her distress is probably her udder being so painful.  Freeze the colostrum to use next year.  If we have lambs that are small enough to slip under or between the rails of the hurdles that make up the mothering up pens we use thin planks cut to the width of the hurdle, about 20 cm high, with two holes drilled near the top in the middle, so we can tie them in place around the middle vertical bar to prevent escapes.

[fsmnutter]

If the lamb was up to about four days old  Freeze the colostrum to use next year.

Colostrum is only produced in the first 24 hours. Any milk you take after this will be useful and nutritious for feeding lambs, but colostrum for the first feed really needs to have been taken from a ewe within 24 hours of birth.

[GrannyAching]

If you go the skinning route, remember you need to get the anus area from the dead one as this is a key smell zone. You might also have to consider tying the ewe up for a few days. There is lots of advice on the web if you don't have anyone local who can help.

If you decide not to foster you will need to dry the ewe off (even if you take colostrum first), if you keep milking her she will keep producing. You will need to cut the food right down.

Good luck.