[SavageU]

For our location and with it being our first time, I feel more comfortable lambing inside.

We've already had ringwomb, bad presentation and dead twins unfortunately, so not the start I wanted, or the outcome for the poor ewe either, she was sad and sore after.

Ended up a vet job and she said there was nothing I could have done.

[SallyintNorth]

 

If the vet said there was nothing you could've done then there really wasn't. 

Ringwomb is not common but it happens.  An inexperienced shepherd should absolutely call the vet, and even experienced hands will often end up doing so after trying to help her open up (for a short while, gently.  If you haven't been shown how and how to know when to stop, then don't try it yourself, call the vet.)

Dead lambs are the most difficult to get out, and are almost always presented badly because a live lamb participates in its presentation and a dead lamb does not.  Dead lambs happen to all of us - and it's well known and quoted that most of your lambing problems will happen at the beginning, or less commonly the end, of your lambing period.  Again, even very experienced farmers often end up getting the vet to deliver dead lambs, because they're very difficult to deliver and not only can the vet can do a caesar if needed, but the vet can administer drugs to help the ewe recover that the farmer may not keep - or be able to keep - on hand.

So, do not beat yourself up, you did nothing wrong and made the right choice in getting the vet.  Try not to dwell on the disappointment, but look forward to the live lambs that will come.  And know, we have all been there, we all know how you are feeling, and we are all here if you want to talk    or just cry     

[Penninehillbilly]

   Again, even very experienced farmers often end up getting the vet to deliver dead lambs, because they're very difficult to deliver and not only can the vet can do a caesar if needed, but the vet can administer drugs to help the ewe recover that the farmer may not keep - or be able to keep - on hand.

Sally, The vet refused to do a caesar on my goat, due to bacteria? a kid left in, vets next day, goat was closing up, she decided to pull dead kid out.
2019. the goat screaming as vet pulled still haunts me.  . We ended up losing Candy the mum as well .
We don't go to that vet now, another vet at same practice left a triplet in after insisting there were no more. But that's another horrible tale, and another dead goat 

[twizzel]

   Again, even very experienced farmers often end up getting the vet to deliver dead lambs, because they're very difficult to deliver and not only can the vet can do a caesar if needed, but the vet can administer drugs to help the ewe recover that the farmer may not keep - or be able to keep - on hand.

Sally, The vet refused to do a caesar on my goat, due to bacteria? a kid left in, vets next day, goat was closing up, she decided to pull dead kid out.
2019. the goat screaming as vet pulled still haunts me.  . We ended up losing Candy the mum as well .
We don't go to that vet now, another vet at same practice left a triplet in after insisting there were no more. But that's another horrible tale, and another dead goat 

The risk of peritonitis to the mother is very high when taking a dead decaying calf/lamb/kid out of side door I think 

[SallyintNorth]

I didn't want to get too graphic, but there are other techniques the vet can and will use too, which in general, a sheep farmer would neither be able nor want to, or at least, a small-scale one certainly wouldn't. 

@PennineHillBilly those are some awful experiences.  I'm glad you changed your vet.  Some vets really shouldn't offer a farm animal service :/

[SavageU]

Thought I would update the thread. The two ewes that were hobbling are now nicely managing.

The one that was really hobbling,  it still looks a little tender but she is bearing weight now and walking more normally now, so satisfied whatever it is will be sorted with a clean up, trim and a spray.

Lambing is...not going well.

First ewe, wouldn't progress, rang vet - ringwomb and bad presentation, also early labour...2 small dead lambs.

Second, prolapse, rang vet, csection. One lamb managed minutes, the other an hour and the ewe died the day after.

I have felt like a deer in the headlights quite honestly. I have rang the vets in a timely manner and it still hasn't meant a good outcome for the lambs, they just don't seem interested if they live or die.

Everyone is telling me that it's hard for sheep and sometimes that's the way it goes but WOW, quite the experience.

[twizzel]

Lambing is a great time of year but it’s also really stressful and can be overwhelming. You have to pick yourself up from a bad lambing and move onto the next. I remember the 2nd or 3rd year I lambed my little flock, I had a uterine prolapse, ringwomb and subsequent caesarean, countless legs back, watery mouth, ewes having triplets that were scanned for singles, you name it they threw it at me! It was a baptism of fire. But I got through it and you will too, learn a lot along the way and next year will be better 

[SavageU]

That sounds rough going @twizzel.

I just feel, quite genuinely that without someone at the side of me I aren't skilled enough yet to get a hand in there and feel for shoulders and legs. The first ewe it was awful the vet had her hand in for so long I just knew the lambs were dead.

I am trying to pick myself up and it has definitely made me think that I need back ups in the room (not bagged up in the house) and set up a proper area for myself, so I am learning about what works for me and how I want it to work next year.

I just feel massively cheated out of 4 lambs and having to watch the ewes go through some traumatic births without a lamb to lick after.

[twizzel]

Where are you? There may be a member that’s not too far that can be a lambing buddy. Does your vet run lambing courses, or is there a sheep farm nearby that would let you get a few days experience lambing?


Sadly there will always be losses. And there will be ewes who have a straight forward lambing with a live lamb to reward them and they won’t want it 

[SavageU]

Yorkshire.

I do have people locally I can call upon, if my ewes weren’t imminent I would do that. I suppose I feel cheeky and some peoples attitude is to ‘let them fail and figure it out on their own’

I do have someone I can ask with a big set-up about an hour away for some experience which I will look into.

I definitely learn by doing.

[Bywaters]

Donaldsons run lambing courses
PRobably starting soon
Not much help for this year but maybe piece of mind and a help for next ?

Donaldsons are Huddersfield based and are of Yorkshire vet fame

[SavageU]

It’s just too far in an emergency Huddersfield. Will have a look at their courses though, thank you.

[Bywaters]

it was for the lambing course that I mentioned it

[SavageU]

I had a look and they do have a branch locally.

Thank you, I will enquire. Spoke to a friend and she said that she’d been on 4 lambing courses!

[SavageU]

Rand Donaldsons and they have some lambing courses on offer.

Cold buffet included! Not close, but not so far I need satbav for NYorks moors so that’s a bonus! X