[ScotsGirl]

Are there any Suffolk experts out there? We had two ewes last year which lambed January and seemed to keep their weight ok.


I had to sell one as related to my ram And the other is due any time. My worry is that she has been far too thin for my liking over last few weeks, her hips and backbone are very prominent and her belly is almost dragging on ground rather than the normal pregnant looking belly.


She seems happy enough and always calling for food but they are greedy. I have been trickle feeding since early December but upped food over past month. I have tried to give her extra but was warned not to over feed as they can have big lambs.


Should I worry?

[Marches Farmer]

Have you wormed and fluked her recently?  She'll be growing the lambs off her own back, so watch out for signs of twin lamb disease.  How much hard feed are you giving her each day?   I'd go with up to 500g top quality 18% protein ewe nuts twice a day + ad lib first quality hay and house her so she doesn't have the challenge of keeping warm out in a cold, wet field.

[Pedwardine]

Don't want to alarm you unneccessarily but have you considered that she may have had a rupture/hernia as her tummy is 'almost dragging on the ground'? It is more common in an older ewe as result of many year's lambing and general wear and tear resulting. How old is she? If it is the case she'll have difficulty lambing as she won't be able exert the strain from her supporting tummy muscles. Do you know when she is due? You may require a C section on her.

[ScotsGirl]

Don't say that! She is only two and this is her second lambing. It's a slight exaggeration, there must be about 4" from ground and udder like a cow! She doesn't seem distressed but I reckon she is about 147 days today.
I'm giving at least 500g of nuts and hay.

[Pedwardine]

Didn't intend to upset you hon. If she's only two then it's unlikely. I only mentioned it as you hadn't mentioned her age. Just was concerned as a result of your description of her tum. She's probably just extremely close and ready if she's 147 days.

[shep53]

Sounds like she is carrying big lambs and maybe a lot of them , its to late to put condition on her now you need to hold her until she lambs then really feed her.   500g of what quality ? i personally would up slowly to 800gms give her a lifeline bucket to cover mins vits and improve colostrum and a glucose bucket to try and cover any potential TLD , may be feed her in 3 feeds to not over load her, and if not done then worm her after lambing. 

[ScotsGirl]

Will worm after lambing although poo normal. They have lifeline bucket and I'm feeding 18% nuts. Started giving them third feed as no grass at moment. My Southdown x has just had twins so that might spur other two on.


My first time delivering a lamb backwards. Scary as couldn't work out which way to get second back leg up, it was trapped but got out alive. It was a big lamb.

[shep53]

Well done sounds like all is under control    once she's lambed you need to step up the feed for her and maybe think about creep feeding the lambs to ease the pressure on the ewe

[ScotsGirl]

Well the belly contained two large ewe lambs. Vet said to feel it for fluid this morning and to feel lambs but she wasn't impressed. Not the tamest ewe but obviously the nudge I gave set her off.


Had to pull first out as leg right back, had terrible job finding it. I always hope if both legs and head make it to exit they must belong to same lamb! She would lie so I had to get it left handed, still numb wrist.


Anyway I think both ok although much slower to move than mule x suffolks.

[colliewoman]

If it should happen again, as soon as you have that first leg put a cord round it.
Then feel up the leg, never losing contact up the shoulder/hip round the back of the head/bum and down the other side. Unless you have Siamese twins then you can be sure the legs belong to the same lamb
Also front legs, the joints all bend the same way, hind legs the joints go one one way and one the other
Well done, go have a nice cuppa

[Marches Farmer]

If using a lambing rope make sure you put it above the foot.

[SallyintNorth]

If using a lambing rope make sure you put it above the foot.

and that it is 100% clean and sterile

[colliewoman]

If using a lambing rope make sure you put it above the foot.

and that it is 100% clean and sterile

Absolutely, and also please don't use baler twine like they do round here [size=78%], and I always place it so the rope is on the front of the foot between the cleats so when you apply gentle pressure the claws don't damage Mum's insides[/size]

[ScotsGirl]

The problem I had was she pushed harder than I could hold back the lamb so every time I moved off the head to find the leg it shot forward again.


Doing ok but real lazy feeders. One is feisty but first one struggled a bit. I managed to milk off some colostrum but so thick I had a job to give it to her. Anyway done the trick and she was feeding before I came back in.


Fish and chips now and a good nights sleep!

[ScotsGirl]

Pic of newbornsnewborns