[onnyview]

So, last year red stripe, one of our Hill radnor ewes lambed, but the lamb died after a few days (took advise about leaving her to it and not to tube feed the lamb  ) red strip got mastitis, which was treated with antibiotics.

She is a lovely ewe and I wanted to give her another go this year and so put her in with the earlies to lamb, hoping to foster her lambs on if worst came to worst and the mastitis had caused permanent damage.

 2 days ago she lambed two beautiful twin ewes. No milk let down at birth  . All ewes lambing after her produced twins.
 Tube fed both lambs 75--100 mls of colostrum straight away. Checked half an hour later, lambs cleaned and dried by mom and heads up on both lambs. Still no milk from mother, teats look like barrage balloons now but STILL no milk coming from the ends. Bottle fed lambs again (100mls of colostrum) and I am now thinking the worst for the ewe. Five hours later and her teats are full of milk- but the efforts of me and hubby have failed to get anything from her teats. Lambs have by now had about 400mls of colostrum and are looking well.

As a last resort we take ewe to the vet - expect a poor prognosis--- but who finally managed to unblock her teats!

Took Rec Stripe  home, turned her over and got largest lamb to suck straight away, but smallest reluctant so topped up with milk and left them all to it. Topped up both lambs at 1.30am and left them both until 6.00am this morning. One teat looked normal size and largest lamb suckling well, smaller lamb not so keen, offered bottle and she took a bit.

 This afternoon, both teats back to normal size and smallest lamb turned her nose up at the bottle and went to feed from mum.

I am sooo happy that I stepped in straight away and fed them colostrum as I am sure neither one would have survived. I am also very happy I listened to hubby who thought she was worth taking to the vet and not giving up on her just yet!

[feldar]

Well done and good for you just goes to show patience reaps rewards, give yourselves a very large pat on the back.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Gosh that must be such a satisfying feeling. Bet you will be caught creeping out in the wee hours just to watch them drinking and sleeping!!

[kanisha]

 :love:aahh lovely photos pleeease

[woollyval]

 

[Fleecewife]

That is great news  .  The moral of the tale is to deal with the problem, whatever it is, quickly and decisively for positive results.  Dithering around wondering 'should I, shouldn't I' seems to end in failure.
Yes, piccies please 

[SallyintNorth]

Great story, great result.   

Well done for going with your gut instinct - and for giving her a chance with the vet, too.

The only reasons I wouldn't tube colostrum into a lamb I was worried about would be :

• if I thought it already had a full stomach and I'd bloat it
• if I thought it had scours or watery mouth and the colostrum would make it worse (in which case I'd use Rehydion in water, or PSF)
• if it was so cold it was past coping with food in its stomach, in which case I'd get it warm and then get some food into it

Dot's Thermovite paste sounds like something you could use in all the above circs except being too cold.  Dot, you will have to work on those folks to produce it in smaller quantities so we can all buy some!

[Rosemary]

Congratulations - well done you. And Red Stripe and OH too 

[Remy]

How rewarding for you, well done for persevering! 

[Blinkers]

Excellent result 

[Fronhaul]

Good news  .  Hill Radnor lambs are so special as well.  Just been watching twins jumping around in a field of Shropshire ewes and lambs.  Little thugs among the sedentary Shropshires and so worth watching. 

[landroverroy]

 That is really great news
 Do you happen to know what the vet did to unblock the teats?
 
By the way, I can't see any reason why  anyone would advise you would not give a new born lamb colostum if in doubt. Good job you ignored them this year.
If it's not had any it will die anyway if it doesn't get any.
 If it's had a feed, then a bit more won't do any harm. You wouldn't mistake a lamb that's full to bursting with one that's had nothing.
 If it's got scours or watery mouth then you are too late, it's not new born, as these conditions take at least 2 days to develop. Colostrum should be given within the first 12 hours after birth.
 If it is new born, cold and floppy then colostrum is essential. The act of giving warm colostrum by stomach tube has an instant effect of warming and reviving and bringing it back to life.

[colliewoman]

  If it is new born, cold and floppy then colostrum is essential. The act of giving warm colostrum by stomach tube has an instant effect of warming and reviving and bringing it back to life.

Not wanting to cause a fuss, but now I am confused as I have always been taught that if a lamb is hypothermic, then you must warm it first then feed it or give intraperioneal (sp?) glucose?
Any thought's most welcome

[squeasy]

Our vets gave us the following info:

Check for abnormalities and towel dry (if wet)

Take temperature (Normal temp: 39-40C)

Temp: 37-39C  Any age  Looks like it can swallow -stomach tube colostrum

Below 37C less than 6 hours old   warm  once temp is 37-stomach tube colostrum warm to 39C and return to ewe

Below 37C  more than 6 hours old  Head up able to swallow - stomach tube with colostrum, then warm, at 39C return to ewe

Below 37C more than 6 hours old  Head down unable to swallow - intrapertitoneal glucose then warm, once 37C stomach tube colostrum at 39C return to ewe

Colostrum: 200ml/kg body weight in first 18 hours of life over several feeds.

Stomach tubing: 50ml colostrum / kg body weight 3/day

Intraperitoneal glucose: 10ml of 20% glucose/kg body weight (use 2.5cm 19 gauge needle on 50ml syringe)
Inject 1cm to side and 2.5cm below navel at 45degree angle to the skin (towards tail)

Hope that is useful!

[sabrina]

Well done.