Author Topic: Hello from Sunny Suffolk (Read 9427 times)

t1mfletcher · « **on:** May 04, 2014, 09:51:22 am »

Morning all,

After several years of reading the comments and advice in these pages, I've decided (out of necessity) to dive in and join up so I can ask a question. But let me introduce myself first: I'm a city worker who retains his (in)sanity by keeping sheep on a smallholding. Been raising our own lambs for 4 years, so still very new at this - but I am already familiar with the "warm forearm" sensation of assisting births!

I have a first time mum who produced a ram lamb, unassisted 3 days ago. She has bonded well with the lamb - cleaned it up, talks to it, nuzzles it, tells it to get up when she thinks it's being a lazy teenager, but ..... whenever the lamb approaches her to feed (he knows where to go), she turns round to look at it.

I left them to get on with it for the first 12 hours or so, thinking they would eventually get the hang of it, but the lamb didn't get there at all. I eventually had to hold the ewe still, sometimes standing, sometimes sitting on her bum. I've kept doing this for the past 2 days hoping that they would eventually get the hang of doing this on their own, but no. the ewe is producing milk, and the lamb knows where & how to feed - he fills himself up in about 10 minutes. when i leave them alone, she doesn't push him away even when he's trying to feed - she just keeps turning round. when i went out to see them first thing this morning, she was lying on the floor and he was headbutting her all over giving a pretty clear message - any other ewe would have got the message.

Is this is case of a ewe that doesn't want to be a mum? Have I got 30 days of ewe-hugging (or bottle feeding, if i can get him to take it) in front of me, or are there any tricks I'm missing?

starting to get thoughts of mutton stew .....

all and any advice would be very welcome! thanks

Rosemary · « **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2014, 02:59:37 pm »

First time mums can be funny. I'd persevere with getting the lamb to feed from the ewe - she's got more chance of getting the hang of it that way than putting the lamb on a bottle.

And hellp and welcome

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2014, 12:14:34 am »

Can't help with advice but wanted to say

Treud na Mara · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2014, 10:06:57 am »

and welcome,
In my very limited experience this year so far, turning mum over and letting the lamb suckle is a pain but in the long run it should be a shorter run of intensive input and seems to be more successful from the lamb's point of view. I would keep them penned up together for a bit longer than usual which should also help. And hopefully in a month's time you can look back and wonder why you were so worried!
Good luck with it all anyway.

t1mfletcher · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2014, 02:15:44 pm »

well thank you all - it's reassuring to know that someone else would do what i'm doing ..... keeping them in the barn and going in to hug the ewe to let the lamb feed. i'm moving them to a slightly larger area today so they can stretch their legs and put a creep pen in for the lamb with hay, pellets and water so he soon as he can digest it he can reduce his dependence on his reluctant mother,

it's strange, she's much less resistant to being held now - just a forearm across her breastbone is enough to stop her walking forward away from the lamb. but the moment i step away, they just go round and round in circles! the lamb is getting strong enough to keep this game up for quite a while now, but she doesn't stop to let him feed.