[Paulie]

Hi, I know this was discussed recently, but need to know I'm doing my best.
My second ewe, wiltshire, lambed twins on Sunday, she's always been thin, she is butting 1 of the lambs away and has done since day 1 but seemed to managing both, and does appear to want both. Yesterday lamb 2 started to get vocal and I hadn't seen her feed it for most of the day so I topped up with a bottle twice. The lamb is very active despite looking empty. I always see her feed both at bedtime as she's very distracted and if catch hold of lamb 1 she allows lamb 2 to feed.

I'm giving the ewe cake but she's not eating it,1 have her in the garden with loads of grass, I gave her a drench last night and this morning.
What else can I do?
How much and how often should I top the lamb ? And should I be topping up 1 or both lambs.
Ideal outcome to healthy lambs and definitely no pet lamb.

Advice very much appreciated :-)

[Buffy the eggs layer]

Ok,


 well you have got the ewe on grass which is great for her rumen and her milk. Does she have much of an udder? Could she be short of milk?


Has she had twins before and accepted both? Is she favoring the strongest lamb?


Is she missing teeth / having difficulty eating the concentrates? Would she eat something softer or more exciting like course mix with molasses on?


Has she got a Lifeline twin lamb bucket? This will give her energy protein and an important source of calcium.


If the lambs stay with her but get their milk from you they will still be her lambs not your "pet lambs"


Hope that helps,

[Foobar]

Try her on some molassed coarse mix as Buffy suggested.  Top up both lambs with bottles until she has more milk or until weaning, leaving them on her.

[Paulie]

Thanks guys.

She has a large udder, she raised twins  fine last year, yes she's favouring the stronger lamb,
I've not checked teeth as yet but she is on a mallased course mix, she has the pre lambing lifline ewe and lamb bucket.

So leaving both lambs with her and topping up both is a good plan ? :-)

[Foobar]

If she has a large udder then she is producing enough milk.  Are both teats ok? Is there any heat in the udder?  Check for mastitus.
Does the lamb that she doesn't favour have sharp teeth?


I would keep doing as you are - encourage her to let the 2nd lamb drink from her whenever possible - maybe over time she will get more used to it.  In the mean time, keep topping it up.  If the 1st lamb seems to be doing fine then don't both topping that one up.

[Paulie]

Thanks guys, more info, she's got a full mouth, lambs teeth don't seem sharp, checked udder, feels warm and sort of lumpy but not entirely sure how it should be, she has milk in both teets. Lambs just had a good feed on mum and I've just seen her sneak a drink from my other ewe. So other than query mastitis :-/ I'll going with foobars plan. Thank you x

[Buffy the eggs layer]

her udder should feel warm so thats ok. If it felt very hot ( like sunburned skin ) looked red, was hard then it would indicate mastis. Foobars got this one covered but from a behavioural point of view if the weaker / smaller lamb was slow to respond at birth the ewe could feel that there was something wrong with it.


In terms of the lambs behaviour, they will see their ewe as mum rather than you if they remain with her, even if its you that supplies the milk.

[Paulie]

Thank you so much for your help. 

[Paulie]

Foobar, now having been topping up lamb for 3 days and got to grips with his mouth I think you are correct and he does indeed have sharp teeth! Any advise on how to deal with this or is it to late with him being a week old tomorrow? Is this somthing I can deal with being a first timer or should I seek experience?

Thanks