Author Topic: How to get a ewe to milk (Read 16541 times)

ThomasR · « **on:** March 17, 2016, 10:07:26 pm »

Hi
One of my ewes has just had twins. She has a big bag but no milk is comming through. Is there anyway to get milk to come through? At the moment they are getting tube fed colostrum and they will be on powdered milk tomorrow and will try a bottle. But is there anyway to get the ewe to "milk" and feed her lambs as she should?

Brandi · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2016, 11:24:34 pm »

The imprtant thing is that the lambs have had colostrum. In terms of bottle feeding, whilst you will need to do so if they're not getting any milk from the ewe, particularly if they are weak, it is a very fine balance as they need to be hungry enough to suckle to bring the milk down. You will need to assist them in suckling for a few minutes at regular intervals. Is the ewe eating and comfortable in her surroundings? I presume they're inside ? Which is good in terms of ease of management and ensuring that lambs are getting enough. Some native breeds do not like being inside which can affect lactation. Has she lambed before? Her milk should come in a day or two, if not vet may advise regarding oxytocin, best of luck, it is worth persevering

Backinwellies · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2016, 06:49:01 am »

keep lambs slightly hungry ( if they are strong enough) so they will keep trying to suckle mum .. this is what will stimulate milk letdown. Always get them to suckle a bit before feeding them.

Then as Brandi says ... ring vet after a couple of days oxytocin may be needed ... but hopefully all will be improving by then.

SteveRat · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2016, 09:29:49 am »

I find it helps to milk the ewe to get them started. Often the teats get blocked with a waxy plug. A sponge with warm water and a gentle (but firm) milking will normally get them started. You are not milking her dry - just enough to get the milk flowing.

Good luck

Big Light · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2016, 09:38:46 am »

Thomas try stripping the teats to get the milk though and unblock them first but if she has a big udder swollen and Hot / lumpy then it may be mastitis and will need quick treatment - google mastitis for images or put up a post but if it is the quicker you get on to it the better or her udders won't function then she's only use for mutton

ThomasR · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2016, 07:19:20 pm »

We have a aged to get a small amount of milk comming out but barley anything. We are treating her for mastitis as the vet said to. Just hope this isn't a recurring problem, checked another ewe with a big bag and no milk coming through but she hasn't lambed yet.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2016, 08:49:27 pm »

First timers can somethimes take a while to let down. I always test for milk while she's licking off the lambs, using a dairy teat wipe first. Sometimes you have to be pretty forceful to get the plug at the end of the teat to release.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2016, 09:02:35 pm »

Don't try to get milk out of a ewe that hasn't lambed yet.

When you're new to it all, it can be very difficult to get the milk to flow. You'll get better at it with practise.

ThomasR · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2016, 07:15:04 am »

We have just had a heb lamb and she has no milk in one teat and hardly any in the other. Her lambs are healthy just a bit wet and hungry. I have stomach tubes them just now but is there anything I can do to stop it happening again. They are not too thin. Condition score of 3-4 on some

Backinwellies · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2016, 08:31:41 am »

They really don't have much for a couple of days (colostrum is very thick and taken in very small amounts.

Blind teats (ie those which do not produce any milk is a genetic thing so nothing you can do except cull post lambing)

You will have to take one of those 2 off and foster or bottle feed if she only has one working teat after a couple of days but persist with getting them to suckle for now to stimulate milk let down. (then top up feed by tube or bottle.... milk from mum if she has some)

Hevxxx99 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 29, 2016, 06:37:12 pm »

I've got one now!

Not a first timer: she had a lamb last year and was an excellent, milky mum. This year she has twins and a big udder but seems very unwilling to produce milk. I can express a little but really not much flow at all.

She's a bit dim and very shortsighted which doesn't help. She is favouring one lamb over the other to a point where, given the lack of milk flow as well, I'm thinking I may have to hand rear the other. I've already topped up her colostrum as she really wasn't getting much of a look in. I think was getting disheartened with the lack of flow when she did get to a teat as well.

Will consider getting the vet out to check for mastitis if no improvement by tomorrow, but there is no heat or lumps etc as far as I can tell. Perhaps she's just fed up with me poking around!

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #11 on:** March 29, 2016, 06:39:41 pm »

Probably would be best to get vet out if no milk flow. Sometimes if the ewe has had a stressful birth she doesn't let down for a couple of days, if not resolved by then the vet would be the best thing. I hope all goes well with the rest of lambing! All the best

Red · « **Reply #12 on:** March 30, 2016, 09:31:02 pm »

One of my old faithfuls lambed his morning to triplets (lost 1!) but no milk, just very small drops of custard ... Called vet out and we have prem lambs, looked like she's lambed at least a week early, very tiny lambs and not quite fully formed I.e. Looks like possible eye lid problems. The lambs are trying to feed and she is mothering well so on the advice from the vet ... Patience is required and helping the ewe to feed until she has her own milk so regular bottle whilst sat next to ewe ... My advice is ring your vet!