Author Topic: Pregnant ewe feeding another ewe's lamb (Read 1759 times)

SaraC · « **on:** March 15, 2022, 09:08:53 pm »

I have a ewe that is "helping"

her daughter feed twins. So I accept that her colostrum has already gone for when her lamb/s are born any day now, but what should I do?

Should I automatically feed the lambs powder colostrum when they are born?

shep53 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 16, 2022, 09:53:41 am »

YES you need colostrum in some form either powdered or from another ewe or goat or cow for 2-3 feeds on the first day and make sure to keep her daughter and twins well away for say 2 weeks or maybe 2 months as the older ewe has bonded with them and will let them suckle to the detriment of her own lambs , this situation does happen and only keeping them in different fields out sight solves the problem

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** March 16, 2022, 12:52:50 pm »

Yes you have to be a bit ruthless in keeping them apart right now. It looks as if the older ewe is helping her daughter with her lambs, but in fact she is stealing them. This can lead to a big problem when the new lambs are born. I would shut the daughter and her lambs inside somewhere, away from the ewe still to lamb, until she has her own, the daughter's lambs have settled back with their mum and the older ewe has accepted her lambs.
There will be a whole lot of desperate yelling, but persevere.
Next year, anticipate this and step in immediately.

SaraC · « **Reply #3 on:** March 16, 2022, 05:55:58 pm »

Thank you both for your replies. I have the colostrum packet and bottle on standby! Fortunately the daughter has bonded with the lambs, she feeds them and they go to "grandma" for snacks.
Fleecewife you're probably right about stealing them. She had stillborn twins last year and was really upset for days, but didn't steal any then (I was looking for it), but maybe she's making up for it this year.
I only have a few sheep, so I might hold off seperating them until she's lambed and then see what happens. But I've cleared out a space in the barn with access to another field just in case.
Thank you again for the advice.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2022, 10:12:53 am »

Quote from: SaraC on March 16, 2022, 05:55:58 pm

I might hold off seperating them until she's lambed and then see what happens.

The longer you leave her with her grandlambs, the more likely she is to reject one of her own lambs.

I'd always rather every adult sheep has another for company, but if you can't manage this at the mo, then better to move the lambed ewe, as she at least has her lambs for company.

SaraC · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2022, 07:19:24 pm »

Thank you Sally for your reply. I'm waivering in my resolve not to move daughter or 'ma just yet. Some of my hesitation is that they're behind electric fencing which works fine unless there is a stronger motivation ie "whose stolen my lambs!"

I had a cade lamb last year that regularly used to come out every time she saw me becuase she presumed it meant food! So that means moving the pregnant ewe into the barn and I worry it will stress her too much if I do it before the lambs are born, so the lesser of the evils is the risk of bottle feeding again - aside from the obvious colostrum at first.

I'll update when I know the outcome!

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2022, 08:18:56 am »

it's always a judgement call, and every situation is unique. Our job is to make sure you have all the facts and insights we can share, your job is to make the call for you, your sheep and your situation.

Yes, please do let us know how it all turns out. Hopefully a pair of happy families, all lambs being fed

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2022, 10:39:31 am »

I would either put the daughter and lambs in the area you've made in the barn, or the mum with a buddy.
Apart from, as I understand it, colostrum is produced near lambing, so maybe still time to build up for her own lambs, natural colostrum has the 'local antibodies', so better than a packet.
I agree with others, I think you are going to give everyone more problems leaving them together at this stage.
But also as Sally says, you have to decide what suits you.

Sara, I see you are new on here, you will come to realise these people give the best on advice on sheep, they not beginners

.

shep53 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2022, 02:05:40 pm »

2 things bother me , it reads like the option of removing the in lamb ewe with a friend or 2 is a non starter same as removing the lambed ewe & lambs from in lamb ones as there are only 2 sheep and the older ewe is going to go nuts trying to get to the lambs maybe to her detriment , Not sure what will happen if the lambs stop suckling the older ewe ?will back pressure cause drying off or mastitis since the teat plug has been removed ? normally the udder will remain soft and loose until just before lambing so i don't know the answer . I have seen plenty of ewes that have pinched a shearlings lambs and been penned up wrongly and then days later produce their own lambs which you have to remove as the ewe has bonded with the older lambs and has no colostrum for the new borns , so no udder problems

Fleecewife · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2022, 06:47:17 pm »

No, SaraC says she 'only has a few sheep', not 2 sheep

When this has happened in our flock, it has always been within 2 or 3 days of the 'thief' ewe lambing. Sara has weighed up the pros and cons for her situation so we can but sit back and see if all turns out well. I think she will be looking out for udder problems, which is half the job

SaraC · « **Reply #10 on:** April 07, 2022, 01:19:11 pm »

I promised to update, but now I'm just left scratching my head. I'm still waiting for grandma to lamb. It's been 165 days since the ram came out and I don't think there have been any unauthorised visits. The ewe is absolutely fine. She's eating well and will charge across the field if she thinks I have a treat.

I'm sure it's a lamb (or 2) and not fat, but now getting worried that it's been so long. Although looking back on the last couple of years she has always been the last to lamb, it's just that this year I remembered to write the date down the day we took out the ram.

FYI - I am new here, but a long time lurker and have taken lots of advice given from people on this forum.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #11 on:** April 07, 2022, 01:37:59 pm »

The ewe had milk, yes? And presumably still has a developed udder? 165 days is a long gestation for a sheep, yes, but not impossible. (Ask me again in a fortnight, though, and I might say different then...

)

Thanks for the update, I am even more interested to know the final outcome now!

shep53 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 07, 2022, 05:31:49 pm »

The mean average gestation period is 147 days and all books etc say max 157 days ,the longest iv'e ever had is 154 days in big pure suffolks

landroverroy · « **Reply #13 on:** April 07, 2022, 05:44:22 pm »

I would be suspecting that one of the lambs is hers. A ewe that far overdue (even if it were possible) would not be capable of charging across a field. The most I would expect her to achieve would be a fast wobble. But in any event, there's nothing to be gained by separating them now. In the unlikely event of her finally lambing - you have colostrum so all is not lost. In the meantime you have a set of contented ewes and lambs and in this case I would say if it's not broken then don't mend it.