[Muttley94]

Only 3-4 weeks to go before the fun starts, so while waiting I'm trying to make sure I have everything I might need. I have colostrum&bottles, a bottle of kick start, docking rings and a high energy lick which I gave the ewes a few days ago. Is there anything I've missed? Anything you guys would recommend? All suggestions are much appreciated  

[jaykay]

Yes, all of that 

I have a prolapse harness, but that's because Roughs are prone to prolapses.

In my lambing bucket I also have dagging shears (for clipping long wool hiding teats), lubricant in case of having to 'go in', antibiotics in the fridge ready, for the same reason, stock spray to mark the ewe and the lambs that belong to her before I turn them out, iodine or blue spray for navels, a couple of pieces of baler twine for feet and a piece of washing line for head, in case a lamb needs 'organising' in order to come out properly.
Oh, and a book and a torch 

[Muttley94]

Getting the lube and stock spray tomorrow from the vets, and will ask about the antibiotics then. Which naval spray would you recommend? Dagging shears, right I'll look into that as well I'm sure I have baler twine somewhere and some washing line, hope I don't need it though! Got some books and a torch with spare batteries too thanks!

[jaykay]

Well everyone says use iodine but I have always used the blue Terramycin spray you use on feet and never had any problems. I find it easy to use too.

I jag any ewe with antibiotic if I've had to intervene inside.

I use the dagging shears because Rough Fells have very long fleeces and sometimes the lambs spend ages sucking on wool. Maybe I won't need them so much now I have Shetlands instead.

I've only ever once needed the baler twine, to untangle twins - it was helpful to keep hold of the leg I'd traced as belonging to the first head out, while I tried to find the other one attached Mainly any intervention I've had to do has been to straighten legs or push a lamb back to get a head in the 'divng' position that had got tipped back. That's all and it's far less alarming than it sounds. You take a deep breath, make yourself calm down and then you can do it 

[Muttley94]

Ah I see, think I will pick that spray up tomorrow too. I have 4 mules and a jacobs so maybe I won't need the shears. If it gets more complicated than head/legs back I might just leave it to the vet haha though I should get experience for my second year. "deep breath, keep calm and get on wi t'job" was some advice I got from an old Yorkshire man when I was on holiday there, seems pretty sound

[Anke]

I am using arm length disposable gloves if  have to go in. I have so far not had to jag with antibiotic after intervention, but all of mine were pretty minor - usually just bringing the legs out, putting head back in etc.

Also very short fingernails, no jewellery either.

I use Bactakil on navels.

[Muttley94]

What would you say are the pros/cons for gloves compared to no gloves? So if i can't bring it round and out I will phone the vets and they will probably jag the ewe, at least I don't have to worry about not doing it right  Bactakil? Never heard of it, will ask tomorrow what they have in stock and see what they say. Thanks for all the advice!

[Haylo-peapod]

In my first year of lambing I lost a couple of lambs to watery mouth - possibly they didn't get enough colustrum.
I now give my newborn lambs a dose of Spectam to guard against this.

[smudger]

Have a look at Sallyntnorth's post's - good advice especially stuff for the medicine cabinet like PSF which CAN be added to milk (unlike the rehydration stuff vet sold me which needed to withold milk before and after... not much good when trying to get a poorly lamb to feed and get energy  .  So good idea to research the best products ie some prevent and some prevent and cure (eg for watermouth). Again refer you to sally's posts.

Vet won't give you antibiotics etc unless they have seen your flock within last 6 mths.

Problem is you can buy all this stuff and never need it or you open it for 1 or 2 lambs and then its wasted (I gave my stuff to neighbour for free who helped me out but he said next year we would share the cost, so something to look into).  I had to buy a bag of powder milk (min 20kg) and only made up a few litres out of it...

[Muttley94]

Spectam, ok thanks I'll get that today too if I don't need some stuff then I will just give it to the vets incase anyone else can use it. I'll go look at Sally's posts now. Thanks for all the help

[Anke]

Re gloves - you should always use them, I for example have not yet jagged a ewe after helping with a mispresentation, I always have a clean glove in my pocket - it means if I am busy with something nearby (I also have goats kidding at the same time as lambing, plus getting the garden sorted etc etc) I can quickly put on a glove and help without having to try and wash my hands, clean finger nails etc etc.. Really the price of gloves (I am still on my first box after 4 years of lambing and they don't go off) is minute compared to the possible loss of a ewe/bottling her lamb(s), so i don't think there is an excuse.

Bactakil comes in a handy spray bottle, doesn't mess your fingers up or the lambs belly (Don't get the purple version though), good allrounder for the holding.

[feldar]

Please you should use gloves for your own protection too, a friend of ours spent 4 wks in hospital when infection got into his hand from lambing a ewe with campylobacter

[SallyintNorth]

You should certainly be using gloves if you're after anything other than healthy lambs, yes.  And any shepherd with a female partner who is or could be pregnant should definitely be using gloves, too - ideally probably for handling all lambing fluids, whether internal or external, I guess?  (One of our up-to-date biologists will hopefully come in on this one...)

[Muttley94]

Well that's me got gloves now too! Suppose you can never be too careful with hygiene and looking back, I went to a friend's house and got to help with some lambing (only carrying lambs to their pens as I was about 13) and, even though we washed our hands meticulously, I was ill for a few weeks and always wondered if that was the cause. Is there much difference between terramycin and bactakil? I've got terramycin ordered at the vets as they had none in stock. So if I use Spectam that covers this watery mouth?

[Bramblecot]

The full lenth gloves bought this weekend were £10 a box so that works our a 20p a pair, and the short gloves are even cheaper.