Author Topic: Lambing now...advice needed :) (Read 6138 times)

Fieldfare · « **on:** April 29, 2012, 10:18:09 pm »

...hi all- a ewe has lambed at approx 8pm tonight (Castlemilk Moorit). I couldn't find the afterbirth and she has what looks like the umbilical cord hanging out. I have brought her and the lamb in overnight- she is pawing the ground and not lying down at all. She is cleaning and suckling the lamb. What am i expecting to happen next- the afterbirth pops out? or another lamb? She doesn't look overly distressed. I will check her again in 1 hour but then plan to leave her all night until about 6am. Does this sound a sensible approach? What if at 6 she is the same?

Any advice on this would be greatly received

colliewoman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 29, 2012, 10:22:50 pm »

I wouldn't worry about the afterbirth yet, but If she's pawing the ground I would be tempted to look/feel for another lamb

Brijjy · « **Reply #2 on:** April 29, 2012, 10:49:26 pm »

Does sound to me like there could be another one in there. Keep an eye on her but don't be tempted to go and help too soon. Good luck.

woollyval · « **Reply #3 on:** April 29, 2012, 11:12:18 pm »

Mine all paw ground for ages even if ony one!

All sounds very normal to me and primitive sheep like CMs are very unlikely to have problems. If it were me I'd tuck them up with hay and water and go to bed....!

Fieldfare · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2012, 12:54:29 am »

Thanks for your comments but a very loud Aaaaagghhhh!!! I left her at 10pm ish- went back at about 11pm and there was a 'dead' lamb on the straw... very cold and lifeless- tried to warm it and unblock airways- swung it by the rear legs to no avail- no sign of life at all. I'm sort of thinking that I should have left her to complete her lambing in her chosen spot as I have done my others? Maybe this confused her and she didn't realise she had another lamb on the way? Or didn't feel 'bonded' to the lambing pen? (the 1st one is large and very precocious) It didn't look very well 'licked' but looked freshly dead (still pink mouth- and perfect as far as I could see- a lovely looking specimen). The afterbirth is out so I think no other complications. Maybe it is just one of those things? It was her 1st lambing. I have 2 more to lamb so any comments would be really helpful

norfolk newbies · « **Reply #5 on:** April 30, 2012, 08:40:02 am »

Hi Fieldfare
I had the same situation (details on other thread). I left first lamb and mum to bond for 30 minutes and went back to find the same thing that you found ( with similar results).
However no pawing of the ground, but lots of attention to first lamb (also first time mum).
For another ewe (prior to lost lamb, which was the last ewe to lamb) there was a huge amount of pawing, after first, with no second lamb ( and I waited for AGES and was about to investigate due to lack of afterbirth, when it appeared ......after 3 hours).
Forum has been very supportive and made me feel a bit less guilty, but I will be scanning next time!

So sorry for your loss
Jo

in the hills · « **Reply #6 on:** April 30, 2012, 08:44:13 am »

Fieldfare really sorry

just seen your post.

Only this years lambing experience, so maybe shouldnt comment ....... you may well know more than me but if it helps at all my twin lambers just looked uncomfortable after their first delivery. Only one out of all my ewes did the pawing thing, anyway. The twinners did tend to the first lamb but remained standing, turning occasionally, hunching their backs infrequently and stopped licking on and off and stood still and sort of staring. We were lucky in that we had guessed after our first set of twins that another two ewes may twin .... just by size. They did and the second lambs were all born within 30 minutes or so.

If there had been a delay we would have been like you and not known whether or not to intervene. So sorry and hope the next lambings go well

dixie · « **Reply #7 on:** May 01, 2012, 08:45:42 am »

It's difficult to understand why this happens sometimes but it does, the lamb could have died during birth, or just after, it's almost impossible to be there for every birth, and if you were it may not have made any difference, I lambed a ewe with twins last year first one perfect, waited a couple of mins and the second one appeared, I helped it out and it was dead, nothing I could do, just remember where you have livestock you have dead stock.

Fieldfare · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2012, 10:24:36 pm »

Hi all- thanks for the advice and for sharing your own experiences on this topic- this was very useful to enable me to work out what happened. This mother and remaining lamb are now fine and outside (kept them in for 2 days). Next time I think I will recognise the signs of not having finished giving birth and stick around for a bit longer- anyway, who knows it may have already been dead. 4 lambs are now in the field- 3 have entered a mad dashing about stage and are amazing to watch. The ram is also in there and occasionally gets a bit excited chasing the lambs around a bit (it looks like in play- so bar an accident I think it is OK). He also gets very aroused by ewes who have given birth which is interesting behaviour!

Fortunately it has not rained for a whole day

which certainly makes things a little less worrying when you have days old lambs

tizaala · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2012, 07:17:09 am »

I would scan next year if I were you, then mark the ewes so you know who's expecting what, I would definately get the ram out now before any ewes get covered too early and lambs get damaged..

MrsJ · « **Reply #10 on:** May 03, 2012, 08:43:26 am »

I've been told that ewes give off a hormone to bring the milk in when they have lambed. It's this that confuses the ram and makes him a bit bonkers for a while.

Fieldfare · « **Reply #11 on:** May 03, 2012, 11:30:30 pm »

Hi all- the ram has calmed down. I think the trick is to pen mothers and lambs up for a few days so that the 'bonkers pheromones' reduce. No harm at all has been done to the lambs (they actually really like each other and I think some of the chasing was in play- see picture!) and it is great to see them living a semi-wild life. As regards him covering the ewes- does anyone know when this is likely to happen?