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Author Topic: lamb problem  (Read 13533 times)

tom1984

  • Joined Mar 2011
lamb problem
« on: March 28, 2011, 07:35:29 pm »
A bit of a problem for you all to think about and if you're of a nervous disposition, please look away now! Had a lamb born three nights ago and over the last day and night has developed a crusty lump of poo over its anus. It seemed to strain and nothing would happen so i tried to wipe the crusty deposit away with straw. It came loose and poo flowed freely once more. Just went to check on lamb (an hour later) and backside all covered in poo.
My question is, have i accidentally ripped off the poor little thing's arsehole? There was no blood or anything so i don't have a clue what's happened. Can they be born without anal muscles, just a hole?

bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2011, 07:42:39 pm »
Cant remember the name for it - but there is a rubbery bit of s**t that they have to pass first - its normal.

Sometimes it does get stuck and it needs helping along - sometimes it all sticks round there tail and goes like a 'crystal feel'

Its prob got a little upset cos it couldnt pass for a while.  Keep an eye on it, sounds like normal really.

I have been know to have a finger with vegitable fat on making sure that the little blighter can get that first bit out successfully :) lol

Baz

shep53

  • Joined Jan 2011
  • Dumfries & Galloway
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2011, 08:15:32 pm »
Happens often shows the lambs getting plenty of milk,the stuff is so sticky try getting of clothes or hands,will change after first week , keep clean or as youve seen the lamb gets bunged up.

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2011, 08:26:25 pm »
Meconium is the first little black plug of poo they have to pass (at least that's what it's called in  humans)
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andywalt

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • kent
  • observe react administer enjoy !!
    • photos
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2011, 09:08:50 pm »
yup ive had a lamb this year with the same thing, i noticed the tail was stuck tight to its bum, it was like very thick toffee, real tough stuff like glue, I had to peel it off and clean its bum and it took about 3-4 days before it cleared, but perfectly normal now !!
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MrsJ

  • Joined Jan 2009
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2011, 09:43:00 pm »
yep - lamb poo is really sticky. 

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2011, 01:22:14 am »
It's worth checking all lambs bums whenever you are in the field to make sure the tail isn't stuck down with yellow poo like that. Here it's a job for OH to clear - he doesn't seem to mind being covered in s**t when it's come out of a cute little lamb  :D  Sometimes it needs Swiss Army knife scissors to cut away, but you have to VERY careful when doing that and only cut through the wool the poo is stuck to.  We also tend to carry baby wipes around at lambing time as they are great for cleaning up bums - and for cleaning yourself up afterwards.  So no Tom you haven't torn its bum off, but if you hadn't removed the plug the lamb could well have died of the blockage.
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bazzais

  • Joined Jan 2010
    • Allt Y Coed Farm and Campsite
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2011, 02:25:18 am »
Baby wipes are a god send - f*** lamb s**t stinks.  Makes me wretch everytime - normal sheep s**t is OK, happy to walk round with that on my hands but lamb s**t!!  argg..

You'll probably be cleaning s**t from its arse until you get rid of it or it dies so may as well start when its young ;)

Baz

TheCaptain

  • Joined May 2010
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2011, 10:05:30 am »
Baby wipes are a god send - **** lamb s**t stinks.  Makes me wretch everytime - normal sheep s**t is OK, happy to walk round with that on my hands but lamb s**t!!  argg..

You'll probably be cleaning s**t from its arse until you get rid of it or it dies so may as well start when its young ;)

Baz


 ;D   ;D   ;D   ;D

It's true though.  I had one little guy go downhill in hours, and like you, found a massive dried lump of cack stuck to his rear end.  Once removed, the poo flowed freely and all was well with the world again.  It was everywhere and I had to throw out my favourite work gloves as the smell just wouldn't come out.

Baa!

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2011, 11:16:48 am »
You can see why the mums are not too keen to clean their lambs bums themselves  ;D 

This is a bit horrible, but we used to have a huge bitch - Anatolian Karabash X Irish Wolfhound - whose job was to guard the flock and whenever we had a lamb with a sticky bum plug we would present it to her to clean up.  She thought it was great, did a perfect job with her teeth and tongue, and any lamb she had cleaned would become her special friend forever  :D  Sadly she died a few years ago so now it's OHs job, but he doesn't use the same method  ;D ;D
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2011, 01:04:30 pm »
You can see why the mums are not too keen to clean their lambs bums themselves  ;D 

This is a bit horrible, but we used to have a huge bitch - Anatolian Karabash X Irish Wolfhound - whose job was to guard the flock and whenever we had a lamb with a sticky bum plug we would present it to her to clean up.  She thought it was great, did a perfect job with her teeth and tongue, and any lamb she had cleaned would become her special friend forever  :D  Sadly she died a few years ago so now it's OHs job, but he doesn't use the same method  ;D ;D

 ;D ;D ;D ;D

VSS

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Pen Llyn
    • Viable Self Sufficiency.co.uk
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2011, 04:13:45 pm »


This is a bit horrible, but we used to have a huge bitch - Anatolian Karabash X Irish Wolfhound - whose job was to guard the flock and whenever we had a lamb with a sticky bum plug we would present it to her to clean up.  She thought it was great, did a perfect job with her teeth and tongue, and any lamb she had cleaned would become her special friend forever  :D  Sadly she died a few years ago so now it's OHs job, but he doesn't use the same method  ;D ;D

I know what you mean. My Jack Russell used to gather up and eat any afterbirths she found and would even dig in the lambing pens to find them. Now she is no longer with us, I have to clear them up. For some reason the cats (which seem to eat everything else - even been known to eat a dead piglet) won't touch them.
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Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #12 on: March 29, 2011, 05:06:21 pm »
Muscovies love afterbirth too  :D  Unfortunately their stomachs are not quite as big as the average placenta so there would always be a bit left trailing.....on which I always felt obliged to pull to prevent them choking....OK I won't take that one any further  ;D ;D  Animals are very basic creatures, aren't they  ;D ;D  Now our sheep mostly eat their own afterbirth, so there are not many to pick up.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

TheCaptain

  • Joined May 2010
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2011, 05:12:47 pm »
I know what you mean. My Jack Russell used to gather up and eat any afterbirths she found and would even dig in the lambing pens to find them. Now she is no longer with us, I have to clear them up. For some reason the cats (which seem to eat everything else - even been known to eat a dead piglet) won't touch them.

My Jack Russell is also keen on this - Petal ate the majority of hers at the weekend, I took the rest out to dispose of only to find it haring across the garden in her gob!  Don't mention the eating of dead piglets - it's forbidden fruit on this forum and rules and Regulations Police will be out to tell you off.  Although, thinking about it, I doubt DEFRA have written anything about cats eating dead piglets...

NLL

  • Joined Apr 2010
Re: lamb problem
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2011, 06:04:58 pm »
its the one job no-one tells you about when you buy sheep.The smell is just horrid.

 

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