[HamishMcMurray]

We have a ewe who suffered a prolapse 4 days ago. The vet sorted her out and put a stitch in which we've had to remove as she wasn't able to pee very well. Immediately after removing the stitch she started to prolapse again but we already had a prolapse harness in place so we pushed the little that came out back in again and tightened the harness. As far as we can tell from watching her closely, she can pee a lot better and the harness is doing it's job.

Our concern is that once she goes into labour (due sometime this week) and we remove the harness to let her lamb, how will we stop the prolapse but allow the lamb to be born? Could anyone who's been through this give us any advice?

Thanks.

[Freddiesfarm]

There is a fabulous way of trussing them up with thick bale twine which you can do and not have to remove it for them to lamb.  I had a few this year and using the twine method I had no issues with lambing and none of them did a full prolapse post lambing either - was rather pleased actually.

There are diagrams in the Sheep Keepers Veterinary Book of how to do it.  Basically strapped them up like a christmas present!

If you can't find the pics I will try and scan pics for you

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

There is a product called a Ewe Truss as well.

Im not supposed to post links, but take this link as an Idea of what you are looking for rather than a sales pitch.

https://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk/sheep-truss-lambing-truss-p-2234.html

Thanks

[HamishMcMurray]

Thanks for the link. That looks like what we've got already but I can't see how a lamb will get through that small square. Would a lambing truss be different to a 'regular' truss in that the 2 small horizontal straps are stretchy?

Thanks

[jaykay]

We use a harness, to good effect usually. This year, our ewe put out both lambs and her lamb-bed early through it - so although it was a sad outcome, as we lost her, I have stopped worrying that lambing can't start/happen with a harness on.

So, if you are around all week, I would leave the harness on, keep her inbye and watch her closely and take it off when you see the water bag appear.

[supplies for smallholders]

Hi,

As above.

The "Square" straps at the vulva apply pressure to the walls to keep everything inside - hence it MUST be pulled very tight.

When the water bag appears, or the water breaks then remove the rear straps.

The harness can also be used to retain a ewe spoon if you want a belt-and-braces approach, but the harness alone will do the job.

Good Luck

[shep53]

As said as soon as you see waterbag remove the harness ,two sets of twins from prolapses all ok this morning. remember if shes prolapsed once she will very likely do it again or worse and geneticaly her daughters will be more prone and sons will pass it on to their offspring.

[HamishMcMurray]

Thanks all for the help. This is our first year lambing and we're learning loads while going grey in the process. We've not used the spoon as the harness seems to be holding everything in place. It's not mega tight but we're checking on her every hour between 6am and midnight and at 3am. As the sheep are kept outside (they have a shelter they can use) and therefore in sync with day/nightime I've been told that they will most likely lamb during the day. This has been the case with our two previous lambers last week but obviously not guaranteed. I am planning on increasing the number of checks between midnight and 6am once I think she's close to lambing which should be later this week.

When she goes into labour my idea is to cut the two small horizontal straps and leave the vertical straps in place with the hope that they will offer some support while she lambs. I can quickly remove the whole thing if she looks like she's struggling. After lambing I'll put a new harness on her for a couple of weeks to make sure she's OK.

jaykay: Good to hear that they can lamb through the harness in an emergency but sorry to hear of your loss.

shep53: Good news for you on the lambing front. We don't plan to have her lamb again or lamb from any of her offspring (boys or girls). We only got her last year and don't know her full history although this isn't her first time to lamb.

[VSS]

You could try using a proplapse spoon - likethis one http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PROLAPSE-SPOON-/280622121843

They can usually lamb perfectly well over the spoon, so it can be left in place. We very rarely have a prolapse, less than 0.1% of our ewes over the last 13 years, but when doing lambing for others have found that spoon generally work well.

[Freddiesfarm]

The only trouble with the spoons is that it is a foreign body and I have had a ewe get a bit smelly with one in for too long.  I prefer the christmas parcel technique and have had much better results with it than anything else.