[Damsonjammer]

My first post here, lambing for the first time and hoping someone can give me some advice! I have a Shetland ewe who had twins just over 2 weeks ago, very easy birth, was a very attentive mum, but 3 or 4 days ago I noticed her walking away or kicking at them when they tried to feed. She does allow them to feed sometimes, usually for 10-12 secs before walking away. I've noticed she doesn't have a very full udder compared to my other ewe that lambed twins 4 days later and when they do get to feed they are nudging her very vigorously. I have checked her temp for the past 3 days 39.8c, and felt her udder, not excessively hot and not lumpy ( have had mastitis myself so know about that  ) The lambs are starting to pick at the feed I give her - mainly coarse mix as she doesn't like nuts. Is she encouraging them to start eating solids by restricting their access to the milk bar, or just finding the whole process of feeding them difficult so avoiding it as much as possible? I would imagine when she does fill up she will get relief from them suckling. The lambs themselves seem fine at the moment, playing in their gang, so am I just doing the over-anxious mother bit?

[Anke]

Have you tried to get some milk out of the udder? As in, has she got any?


There isn't much you can do, other than to encourage the lambs to eat creep/mix when she is fed, as they will not go onto the bottle easily at two weeks old.


May also be that they do get enough, and it just seems she is not letting them feed.


Can you weigh the lambs now and a few days/a weeks time again to see if they are putting on weight?

[SallyintNorth]

If you're certain she doesn't have an infection in the udder - and check her teats too, sometimes the teats can get cut - then it sounds like she's rationing the milk.  No necessarily a problem - lambs are very greedy if you let them be!

If the lambs seem generally well-fed - nice rounded tummies when you hold them up by the front legs - and are clearly healthy and happy from your description, I wouldn't be too worried.  But if you do have some better grass you could put the mother on, that would help the milk supply more than anything. 

[shep53]

From everything you've described , she does not have enough milk to cope with 2 growing lambs , as they get older they demand more  peaking at 5-6wks old .