[macvity]

hi all here.i have a ewe that lost her lamb.will she be ok without lamb.will she dry up or will i have to get lamb for her.thanks

[devonlady]

Contact your local lamb bank/sheep farmer. She will be much happier with a live lamb

[Me]

Unless she hates it! Bringing in baby lambs is a biosecurity disaster so only do it after consideration

[Marches Farmer]

Might take to a new lamb if you can find one within a day or two.  Around here the dead lamb is often skinned and the skin tied onto the new lamb for a day. We prefer to put her in an adopter - once her milk has gone through the lamb and out the other end she'll usually accept it.   She'll start to dry up in a day or so if she doesn't have a lamb to suckle. Might pine for her lamb, might not.  More likely if she's lambed before and knows the score. It's probably easier on the ewe if she's away from other ewes and lambs for a few days, although the company of an old ewe or hoggett can help.

[Anke]

I would think you may struggle getting a good lamb right now, probably better to have her drying up.

If her udder is very tight and possibly hot - ease her out a bit (put her on her bum and strip some milk out). No concentrate and I would even only give either last year's hay (but not if mouldy) or straw. Check udder dailry until it stays slack. As now no greens about, she should dry off quickly.

If the lamb was born dead or you needed to assist a shot of Betamox will also help preventing metritis and/or mastitis.

[Old Shep]

was she full term?  If not, of course don't mother on a lamb.  If you get a spare lamb be prepared to hand rear it if she totally rejects it.