lamb presentation at birth

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Lambing Problems Can Arise from Abnormal Birth Positions

Assisting sheep giving birth starts with understanding birth positions.

Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Lyn Brown, Shear Perfection Ranch – Lambing is always an exciting time on the ranch, but it can also be a scary time for the first-time shepherd. What are the things we want to see; what are the signs that there could be a pending lambing problem?

While a majority of ewes have very few lambing problems, we still need to be armed with knowledge when those rare instances arise.

These suggestions are not intended as veterinary advice or to be a substitute for professional veterinary care. Rather they are intended to assist you in recognizing potential lambing problems, so you know when you may need to call for professional help.

Suggestions here are only stopgap measures for emergencies when veterinary care is unavailable or delayed in response to lambing problems.

Initially, the most important thing you need to be able to recognize is the difference between a normal and an abnormal birth position.

Normal Presentations

Figure One shows the normal (anterior) birth position for a lamb: Both forelegs first, with the head resting on the legs.

You can tell if the lamb is right side up or upside down by looking at the feet. If the bottom of the forelegs’ feet face the ground the lamb is right side up.

Although this is a normal position, if the lamb has a large head or shoulders you may still need to assist. This assistance usually can be accommodated by slipping a couple of fingers between the lamb and the ewe’s vulva and massaging the vulva over the head or shoulders a little at a time.

Figure Two is considered a normal posterior birth position, hind feet first with the bottoms of the feet facing the sky. While this isn’t considered to be an atypical position (in fact, it’s seen quite often with the second of twins), you will more often need to assist with the birth. It’s best to have obstetrical gloves on hand for lambing, if available, also clean rags or towels.

Once the hind legs are out, take hold of them with the clean rags or towels and when the ewe has a contraction pull firmly to free the lambs rump. Once you have its rump out, keep pulling to clear the lambs head as quickly as possible. Be careful not to break the umbilical cord during this process: As long as the head is not out the lamb is dependent on the umbilical cord for oxygen.

As soon as the lamb is out, hold it by the hind legs and clear the fluids from the mouth and nose.

Abnormal Births

Figure Three shows the “one foreleg and head” presentation. This can cause a lambing problem.

Try elevating the ewe’s rump, sometimes the lamb will go back into the womb and will reposition itself into the correct presentation. But chances are you will have to go in and locate the other leg.

Hold the leg already out with one hand and feel for the second leg with the other. Make sure to run your fingers along the length of the leg to be sure you have a front, not a back leg.

Once you’re sure you have the other front leg, hook your fingers beneath the knee and pull it forward beside the other leg. Do this slowly, as too much aggression here could push the head back into the womb and out of position for birth.

Once both legs and head are in proper position, gently pull, timing your pulls with the ewe’s contractions.

Figure Four shows both forelegs correct, but the lamb’s head is down. This is usually easy to deal with. Again, you can try to elevate the ewe’s rump as suggested for the presentation shown in Figure Three. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, then locate the lamb’s head and place it above the forelegs, in the typical birth position.

If the lamb’s head continues to flop out of place, either guide it out with fingers or in extreme cases a sterile cord may be tied around the lower jaw and slight pressure maintained while gently pulling forelegs.

Figure Five shows forelegs in the correct stance, but the lamb’s head is turned back.

Basically this is the same problem as shown in Figure Four, but in this case, you may need to push the lamb back into the womb a bit in order to be able to turn its head forward.

In Figure Six , the lamb’s head is entering the birth canal, but no feet.

This is a difficult presentation. Unless it’s a very small lamb and a large ewe, there’s no way for a normal delivery.

You’ll need to push the lamb’s head back in, then reach in and bring its forelegs forward under the head. You’re fighting the ewe’s contractions, so this can be a difficult and exhausting process. Go slow, being careful not to break the lamb’s umbilical cord.

In Figure Seven , the hind legs are coming first, but the lamb’s body is upside down. (Hint: if the bottom of the lamb’s hind feet is facing the ground, the lamb is upside down.)

A large ewe may be able to pass her lamb in this position without assistance. The second lamb in a set of triplets is often in this position. If assistance is needed, pull both hind legs gently and proceed as in Figure Two’s presentation.

Figure Eight shows the lamb’s breech, rump and tail coming first, probably the most difficult positioning to recognize and correct.

If the ewe’s labor is in its early stages, give the process some time to see if the lamb will realign on its own. It’s often hard for one’s hand to tell a rump in the birth canal from a head: Tails can feel like ears!

Take some time to explore the lamb’s body and figure out where all its parts are. As the ewe’s labor advances this can become difficult; the hocks of the hind legs could even lodge against the pelvic bone. You’ll have to fight the ewe’s contractions in moving the lamb away from the birth canal until you can bring the hind legs towards you and then follow the instructions for the presentation shown in Figure Two.

Having said all this, real-life situations aren’t always as simple as we would like them to be. Remember you’ll often be dealing with twin or multiple births: Legs, heads, ears and tails can become entangled. Stay calm, working first with what you can see. Follow the exposed limbs into the birth canal, following the contour of the lamb to give your mind’s eye a full picture of the position of the lamb.

If multiple lambs are present you may need to push the second one back in order to free the first.

Additionally, you’ll likely need more than one person to do this: One person to hold the ewe and the other to assist the ewe in her delivery of the lamb. The adult with the smallest hands is assigned the delivery assistant position.

Don’t let this article scare you away from assisting with  sheep giving birth  on your homestead or ranch. In my experience (more than 20 years with an average of 50 lambs per year) 95 percent of births are perfectly uneventful with no lambing problems. (I give some of the credit for that to the fact that I raise California Red Sheep, which are easy lambers and great mothers.)

It’s my hope these tips on avoiding lambing problems will give you the knowledge you need when the rare birth complication arises. At the very least it should help you give your vet the information he or she needs to assess your situation.

Countryside is home to sheep! magazine , and features great tutorials on topics such as  raising sheep for profit and sheep fencing . 

Originally published in sheep! January/February 2014 and regularly vetted for accuracy. 

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C460 Lambing/Kidding and Difficult Births (Dystocia)

Introduction: Sheep and goats are gregarious by nature and any act of withdrawal is a sign of a problem or pending parturition . An animal that seeks seclusion by moving off from the rest of the group may actually be in the early stages of the birthing process. During this period, the ewe/doe may experience a "stress syndrome" or what is often called first stage labor. A basic understanding of the stages, progression, and position of a normal birth is essential. A list of lambing/kidding supplies can be found on page B528 .

Stages of the Birthing Process:

A.     Stage 1:

Some signs that may be seen include uneasiness, kicking, pawing the ground, lying down and getting up frequently, and sporadic urinating or attempts at urination. There may also be some vaginal discharge and obvious uterine contractions. Visible signs of early labor may or may not be seen in all animals. This stage lasts 1-8 hours and may be longer in first time mothers. Stage 1 ends with the fetal parts entering the birth canal.

B.     Stage 2:

Visible signs of second stage labor include appearance of the water sac and evidence of a foot or leg exiting the birth canal. This stage lasts about 1-2 hours (15 to 30 minutes per lamb/kid). Stage 2 ends with birth of the lamb/kid.

C.     Stage 3:

This stage is where the placenta or fetal membranes are passed. This occurs 15 to 20 minutes after the birth of the lamb/kid. Tradition states that it is not good for the ewe/doe to eat her placenta. In some cases, this is not true because it is a natural process that reduces predator attraction to the flock/herd or ewe/doe. The placenta is also rich in the hormone oxytocin, which aids in the milk let-down and the uterine involution processes.

When to Give Assistance:

• If an animal is in stage 1 of labor for longer than 8 hours.
• The mother has been straining for 30 minutes with no progress.
• The water sac is observed for longer than 1 hour and the animal is not trying to push.
• The animal is showing signs of severe distress or fatigue, including bleeding from the rectum of the mother or a swollen tongue of the lamb or kid.
• It can visually be determined that the lamb/kid is coming in an abnormal way. (For example, you see 3 or more feet, the tail, etc.)
• If the fetal membranes have not passed within 12 hours after delivery.

Dystocia (Lambing or Kidding Difficulty): Dystocia, or difficult birth, is common in sheep or goats and causes the death of many lambs/kids and ewes/does. Yearling mothers are much more susceptible to problems than mature animals that have given birth previously. Obesity and lack of exercise during late pregnancy increase the chances of dystocia.

The ability to recognize lambing/kidding difficulty is as important as proper technique in relieving dystocia. A common error of the inexperienced producer is to intervene too early in the birthing process. Because it increases the risk of infection of the female reproductive tract, vaginal examination of the ewe/doe should not be performed unless completely necessary. A good rule of thumb is not to intervene as long as progress is being made . When a ewe/doe has been in full labor for 30 to 40 minutes with no progress, examine her to determine if the baby is positioned correctly. Because it often leads to hemorrhage , shock, trauma, and infection, never try to force the cervix open.

There are a few hard and fast rules about handling dystocia, and gradually developing expertise through experience is often the best way to learn. Beyond simple assistance, the novice should call a veterinarian when in doubt about proper procedures. Many animals die because of prolonged manipulation of lambs or kids in the birth canal and excessive force used to remove them. Never try to pull or remove a lamb/kid that is in an abnormal position . The position of the lamb/kid must be corrected before attempting to remove the lamb/kid. Excessive force can result in shock, hemorrhage, trauma, infection, fertility problems, and very possibly an eversion or prolapse of the vagina and uterus.

Causes of Dystocia:

• Failure of the cervix to completely dilate.
• A lamb/kid that has an extra large head and shoulders or is just an overall large lamb/kid.
• Twin lambs/kids coming simultaneously.
• A ewe or doe that was disturbed during the initial phases of lambing/kidding.
• A lamb/kid that is not in the proper presentation, position, or posture.

Once it has been determined that an animal is having difficulty, the following steps should be taken:

• Clip excess and dirty wool or hair from around the anus and vulva.
• Clean the vulva, anus, and surrounding areas with dilute chlorhexidine (Nolvasan) or soapy water, removing all dirt and feces . Begin soaking sleeves and equipment in a bucket of dilute chlorhexidine. Re-scrub whenever the ewe/doe contaminates the area with feces during delivery.
• Carefully scrub hands and arms with soap and water, and apply a mild antiseptic.
• It is also recommended that during the lambing/kidding season producers should keep their fingernails trimmed very short. This will help prevent tearing the soft tissue of the reproductive tract when assistance is given.
• Next, apply liberal amounts of a lubricant jelly (K-Y™ Jelly, Lubrivet™, etc.) to a plastic obstetrical sleeve. This is one of the most important steps and should not be ignored ! It is almost impossible to use too much lubricant. Mothers that have been in labor for a long period often have a dry birth canal or vaginal area. Failure to properly lubricate the birth canal usually results in trauma and tearing of the soft tissues, a very difficult birth, and the prospects of infection after delivery. It is often recommended to put lubricant in the birth canal and even in the uterus before handling the unborn lamb/kid.
• Shape the hand into a natural wedge, with the fingers tight together. Then insert the hand with gentle force into the vagina and pelvic areas. Any forward movement should be done during the breaks in the uterine contractions. Forcing the hand forward during a contraction or with a significant amount of effort can cause severe injury and possible death to the ewe/doe and baby.
• Presentation - This refers to whether the lamb/kid is coming head first, backwards or sideways.
• Position - This refers to whether the lamb/kid is right-side up or upside-down.
• Posture - This refers to where the legs of the lamb/kid are in relation to its body.
• It should be determined if the front or hind legs are coming through the birth canal. This is done by understanding that the joints on the front limbs flex in the same direction. The joints on the hind limb, however, flex opposite of each other. In the case of twins, any combination of front and hind limbs may be present.
• Pinching between the toes and having the lamb/kid pull away.
• Placing a finger in the mouth and feeling the lamb/kid suckle.
• Gently poking the eye - the lamb/kid usually moves its head.
• Checking rectal tone by placing a finger in the rectum - the tissue around the finger should contract.
• A dead lamb/kid may be more easily removed by having a veterinarian perform a fetotomy . This method may also be safer for the mother.
• A dead lamb/kid, if not removed within hours, will severely compromise the health of the mother.
• A weak, yet live lamb/kid, needs fast removal. This may mean a cesarean section.
• No progress is made with 30 minutes of skilled effort to correct the problem.
• After a few attempts, the exact presentation, position, and posture cannot be determined.

Assisted Deliveries:

Delivery of a lamb/kid in normal presentation, position, and posture using chains/handles:

• Clean the vulva and surrounding area and use a lubricant (J-Lube, etc.). Use sleeves and equipment soaked in Nolvasan (Chlorhexidine) to reduce contamination.
• Chains or straps should be placed on both front legs with one loop of the chain/strap above the first joint (fetlock) and a half-hitch between the fetlock and the hoof.
• If the ewe/doe is down, traction should first be placed on the lamb’s or kid’s lower limb. (If the mother is standing, place traction on either limb.) The shoulder of this limb should be pulled through the birth canal. Often, it is possible to feel the shoulder come through the birth canal. Traction should then be placed on the opposite leg and the shoulder pulled through the birth canal. If the second shoulder cannot be pulled into the birth canal, a cesarean section may be necessary.
• Once both shoulders are through the canal, pressure can be placed on both limbs and the lamb/kid pulled until the chest is outside of the mother’s pelvis. Frequently, this is where the umbilical cord is compressed and the lamb/kid struggles to breathe.
• If the lamb/kid is fairly large, it should be rotated 45-90 degrees, allowing the widest part of the lamb/kid (the hips from side-to-side) to pass more readily through the widest part of the mother’s pelvis. Rotation of the lamb/kid is accomplished by crossing the legs and applying pressure to the upper limb and body while rotating.
• All traction placed on the lamb/kid should coincide with the mother having a contraction and pushing.
• If manipulations need to be performed, it is very beneficial to have a spinal block (epidural) administered. Consult a veterinarian for specifics.

Abnormal Presentations, Positions, and Postures:

All of the steps (1-7) outlined above should be followed in each dystocia case .

Delivery of a lamb/kid that is coming backward, but in normal position and posture:

• A large lamb/kid should be rotated 45-90 degrees before attempting to remove it.
• Traction should be applied from directly behind the mother in a slightly upward direction (towards the tail of the mother) until the hips of the lamb/kid are removed.
• At this point the lamb/kid can be rotated back to normal and removed routinely.

* Because the head of the lamb/kid is immersed in fluids during the delivery, the lamb/kid must be delivered quickly to avoid suffocation.

Normal presentation and position, except one or both front legs are retained:

• With one hand, try to cup the end of the hoof on the leg(s) that is retained. This will protect the uterus and allow the limb to be pulled towards the pelvis. Sometimes a chain can be placed on the retained limb for extra control.
• If more space is required, one hand can be placed on the chest or head of the lamb/kid. Then while pushing the lamb/kid back into the pelvis, the other hand can be used to cup and pull the retained limb into the pelvis.

Two front legs are coming through the pelvis, but the head is turned back:

• The head can be turned to either side, straight behind or even down between the legs. A lamb/kid in this position is often dead or very weak.
• For extra control, a head snare or a loop of sterilized rope can be attached to the mouth of the lamb/kid and around the pole of its head.
• It may also be necessary to push the body of the lamb/kid back into the uterus with one hand while positioning the head with the other. This allows that little bit of extra room that is often necessary.

Normal presentation, but upside down and leg(s) retained:

• Both front legs should be identified and pulled out of the vagina using the techniques found in the previous information.
• Once the legs are accessible, the lamb/kid is rotated to normal position by crossing the legs and placing pressure on the upper leg and shoulders, while rotating.
• The head should also be held and rotated along with the body.
• Once the lamb/kid is properly positioned, it can be removed routinely.

Backward presentation, upside down, and both legs retained (breech):

• Attempt to rotate the lamb/kid to an upright position. This is done by grasping one side of the baby (hock and/or front leg) and pushing down in a sweeping motion. (In some cases, it may be necessary to get the hind limbs out and use them to rotate the lamb/kid.)
• Once the lamb/kid is right-side up, but the legs are still retained, pull the hock of one leg into a flexed position. Then force the hock upwards and forward while cupping the hoof of that leg. Pull the foot towards the middle of the lamb/kid and backwards towards the vagina.
• The same technique is used to reposition the opposite leg.
• Once both legs are exposed, the lamb/kid can be delivered routinely.

Backward presentation and right-side up, but legs retained:

• Same as above without rotating the lamb/kid.

Four Legs in the Birth Canal:

• Make sure the legs are all from the same lamb/kid.
• If all 4 limbs are from the same lamb/kid, deliver the hind legs first. Delivering the hind legs first will allow the head to follow naturally.
• Rotate the lamb/kid if necessary, using the information found in the previous information.

Delivering Twins: 

With multiple births, it is common to have the legs of one lamb/kid and the head of another entering the opening of the birth canal at the same time. If front legs and a head are present in the birth canal, gently pull on the legs to make sure that the legs and head are from the same lamb/kid. If the legs and head are not from the same lamb/kid, take plenty of time to repel (push back) the head of the lamb/kid that is present and follow the legs up to the body of the other lamb/kid. Orient the legs and head of the same lamb/kid in the normal presentation, position, and posture for delivery. Deliver one lamb/kid, and then follow the same steps to deliver the second, third, etc.

If the problem is simultaneous delivery of twins, repel one back into the uterus while holding the other. This is accomplished by putting a lamb saver or snare over the head of the lamb/kid nearest the birth canal and holding it toward the rear of the mother while repelling the other lamb or kid. Do this carefully and gently, using lots of lubricant.

Common Mistakes:

• Check ewes/does often. Intervene if no progress is being made.
• Trying to deliver a lamb/kid that is in an abnormal position without first correcting the problem. Never apply traction to a lamb/kid with the head or leg back without first correcting the problem.
• Applying too much traction. No more force than the equivalent of two people manually pulling should ever be used.

Note: In most cases where assistance has been given, it is beneficial to administer antibiotics to the ewe/doe to help prevent potential bacterial infections. When questions arise, consult a veterinarian!

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The lambing process The lambing process has evolved over thousands of years and most ewes will lamb normally without any trouble or need for assistance. However, understanding the lambing process can help you understand when a ewe is ready to give birth and when it may be necessary to lend a helping hand. The whole lambing process is controlled by a complex series of hormonal changes. It is the lamb who decides when it is time to be born. When a ewe is getting ready to deliver her lambs, she may not eat. Her udder and teats will be distended. Her vulva will be dilated. She will appear a bit hollow just in front of her hips, and she'll be not as wide and full over the rump, because the musculature there will have relaxed. The process sometimes appears "confusing" to first-time mothers, especially yearlings. Lambing Lambing is divided into several phases. In the first phase, the cervix dilates and the birth canal is prepared for delivery. This phase lasts for approximately 12 to 24 hours. At the end of this phase, a clear-whitish discharge will appear. The presence of the mucous discharge means that lambing has begun. In the next phase, uterine contractions will increase. As labor progresses, the ewe will spend more time lying down on her side with her head turned in the air. Eventually, a large "bubble" or water bag will appear, break, and expel the water. At this time, the tip of the nose and front feet of the lamb can be felt. The lamb is expelled. As ewes often have multiple births, the same sequence of the rupture of the water bag and expulsion of the lamb will be repeated for the delivery of each lamb. Ewes will vary in the time taken to complete lambing. The last stage of lambing includes the expulsion of the afterbirth or placenta. The placenta is usually expelled 30 to 60 mintues after the delivery of the last lamb. If the placenta is not expelled after 24 hours, there may be a problem. The ewe will eat the placenta because her instincts tell her to hide evidence of lambing to protect her offspring from predators. The placenta should be discarded to prevent the spread of disease and scavenging by dogs. © Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1999. Dystocia: assisting with difficult births Dystocia (or difficult births) is one of the leading causes of newborn lamb death. A New Zealand study showed that dystocia accounted for about 50 percent of deaths among newborn lambs. There can be many causes of dystocia in a flock: 1) Abortion 2) Disproportionate size of the ewe and lamb 3) Malpresentation of the fetus 4) Failure of the cervix to dilate 5) Vaginal prolapse 6) Deformed lamb One of the most difficult aspects of shepherding is knowing when and how to assist a ewe during lambing and when to call for help. It is generally recommended that if a ewe has been straining for over an hour and has nothing to show for it, it is time to check things out. Before entering a ewe, be sure to remove watches, rings, and other jewelry. Wash your hands in warm, soapy water and clean backside of the ewe. Gloves or sleeves should be worn during the examination. Coat your hand up to your elbow with a non-irritating lubricant. The liberal use of a lubricant cannot be overemphasized. Bunch your fingers and thumb into a cone shape and insert them into the ewe's vagina. If the cervix is open, you should feel the lamb's nose. Next, you need to determine where the lamb's front legs are. If the presentation is normal, the ewe should be able to deliver the lamb on her own, unless it is too big for her pelvic opening. You should not keep pulling your hand in and out of the ewe and should not change hands without washing again. Getting the ewe to stand up or elevating her hindquarters will allow more room for repositioning and result in less vigorous straining. If you have worked for a half hour with no progress, it is a good idea to call a veterinarian or a more experienced shepherd. Excessive stress in pulling and delayed delivery can result in a dead lamb and serious injury to the ewe. A live lamb will assist to some extent with its own birth. There is never enough room in the birth canal to correctly position a lamb. The lamb must be returned to the uterus before any corrections can be made. You should not attempt to deliver a lamb when the birth canal is only partially dilated. This can seriously damage the ewe. After all deliveries, check to make sure that there are no other lambs remaining in the uterus. After any assisted delivery, you should give the ewe an injection of a long-acting antibiotic. Normal presentation Normal delivery is when the two front feet appear with the head resting between them. Rarely is any assistance needed. However, a small ewe may have trouble delivery a very large lamb. In this case, gentle assistance may be needed. You should pull the lamb downward during her contractions. Backwards A backwards (hind legs first) delivery is also a normal delivery. It is common with twins and triplets. You should never attempt to convert a backwards delivery to a "normal" frontwards delivery. Turning a lamb around can result in death of the lamb or damage to the uterus. Plus, it is not necessary. Elbow lock An elbow lock is a "normal" position except the lamb's elbows are locked in the birth canal. You will need to push the lamb slightly back into the birth canal to extend the legs. Leg(s) back If one or both legs are back, you need to cup the lamb's hooves in your palm and bring them forward. A small lamb may be pulled with one leg back. If you are not able to bring the legs forward, you should slip a lambing rope onto one or both limbs and push the head back far enough to allow the legs to be drawn forward. Head back If the front legs are forward, but the head is back, you will need to push the lamb back into the uterus, so you can turn the head around. You should attach a lambing rope to each leg so you don't lose them. The lamb should not be pulled out by the jaw. A lamb with a broken jaw cannot suck and will likely die. You can use the eye sockets to pull the lamb's head. Disproportionate size (tight birth) Many lambing difficulties are due to the disproportionate size of the lamb and ewe. This can be the result of a large lamb, a small pelvic opening, or both. It is most common with young ewes and flocks that have a majority of single births. Lubrication and gentle, but firm assistance will usually alleviate the problem. You may have to pull the skin over the head. Extending one leg at time may also help. Breech A "true" breech birth is when the lamb is positioned backwards, with the rear legs tucked under and only the tail near the opening. A breech birth is common when the ewe has been straining for a long time and there is very little discharge and only a small water bag. To deliver a breech lamb, the first thing you have to do is bring the rear legs forward by cupping the fetlocks in your palm. Once the rear legs are forward, you need to quickly deliver the lamb because once the umbilical cord breaks, the lamb will begin breathing and could risk drowning in its own fluids. Swollen head If the head has been outside the vulva for a long time, it may have become very swollen. The tongue may be sticking out. While it may appear cold and dead, a lamb can survive for long periods of time in this position. If the head is covered with straw and feces, it will need to be washed before being returned to the uterus. Plenty of lubricant should be used. Margarine is an excellent lubricant for this purpose. If the lamb is dead, it is often easier to remove the head. Simultaneous births Sometimes, lambs are presented with their legs intertwined. Before attempting to deliver these lambs, you need to determine which legs belong to which head. It may be necessary to repel one lamb to allow easy delivery of the other. Ewes carrying triplets often have a higher percent of malpresented lambs, so flocks with high lambing rates require closer supervision during lambing. Dead and deformed lambs The removal of delivery dead and deformed lambs often requires veterinary assistance. Deformed lambs often cannot pass through the birth canal. If a lamb is freshly dead, it may be possible to extract it, but lambs that have been dead for some time often must be removed in pieces. If your flock experiences excessive lambing problems, you need to consider your breeding and nutrition problems. For example, a lot of oversized lambs could mean you are overfeeding you ewes during late pregnancy or using too large of a sire breed on your ewes. In addition, ewe lambs should not be bred until they have developed sufficiently. The rule of thumb is not to breed ewe lambs unless they have achieved approximately 70 percent of the mature weight. Ringwomb Failure of the cervix to dilate is called "ringwomb." It is one of the most difficult lambing problems to deal with. True ringwomb does not usually repsond to any medical treatment or to manipulation of the cervix. A caesarian section is usually the only viable option to save the ewe and/or lambs. Ewes experiencing ringwomb should probably be removed from the flock. Ringwomb occurs most commonly in ewe lambs. Selenium deficiency is considered to be a contributing factor, but the condition is not fully understood. Its exact cause is unknown, though it is believed to have a genetic component. After Lambing After a normal lambing, the ewe can usually take care of her newborn lambs. It is best not to interfere. In unusual cases, it may be necessary to wipe the mucous from the lamb's nostrils to permit breathing. You'll want to make sure that the ewe claims each of her lambs and allows them to nurse. A vigorous lamb will get up and nurse within a half hour to an hour after birth. Make sure each lamb gets colostrum, the first milk produced after lambing. The lambing process <= SHEEP 201 INDEX

A guide to lamb presentation - aka ‘what’s going on in there?’

Bernice parker , 13 march 2016.

If you've been watching lambcam you'll have seen that sometimes our sheep get a little bit of help to give birth from our farm team. So for those of you who might be wondering what's actually going on in there...

As the ewe goes in to labour, her contractions push the lamb towards the outside world. The position of the lamb is known as ‘presentation’.  It affects whether the ewe will be able to manage the birth on her own or might need some help from the shepherd.

• Ideal: Head and forelegs first. The most streamlined position – usually no help needed.
• One leg back aka ‘Superman’: May need help to push the lamb back and straighten the leg.
• Two legs back: Needs help to push the head back and bring the legs forward.
• Head Back: Needs help to push the lamb back and bring the head forward.
• Backwards: Although the ewe can deliver the lamb herself, there is a risk of the umbilical cord breaking before the head is out. This may result in the lamb drowning before birth.
• Breech (bottom first): Help will always be needed to sort this one out.
• Multiple mix ups: Twins, triplets and even quads can be no problem to deliver if they come one at a time. But sometimes things get tangled up in there and help is needed!

Thanks to Wynfford the Training Lamb and Flat Eric for their modelling work

Tagged with

Bernice Parker

Comments - (1).

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Lambing and kidding cheat sheet for beginning small ruminant producers, introduction.

Lambing and kidding season is an important time for a small ruminant operation. Survival of newborn lambs and kids is paramount to the economic viability of the farm. The new lamb or kid crop is the product of investments and decisions regarding genetics, and the next generation sets the stage for the future of the flock or herd. During the period surrounding lambing and kidding, understanding and identifying normal versus abnormal behavior and physiology and knowing when to assist are essential to newborn survival, a healthy start to life, and productive individuals in the future. This guide is a simple reference for beginner sheep and goat producers experiencing the lambing or kidding season. It includes instructions for neonatal care.

Proper facilities will provide protection for newborn lambs or kids, increase their survival, simplify handling, and reduce labor during the lambing and kidding season. Prepare lambing or kidding facilities prior to the start of the season. Housing areas must be dry and well ventilated. Bedding should be kept fresh and replaced as needed to keep the environment dry and free of excessive manure buildup. While good ventilation is essential, it is important to minimize unwanted drafts by housing newborns away from windows or doors. Temperature should be monitored to prevent condensation and ensure an environment unfavorable to pathogen development. Excessive heat can be more detrimental than cooler environments. Good facilities and proper preparation are the first steps to a successful lambing and kidding season.

Essential Equipment

Below is a list of equipment you should have on hand at the start of the season. This list is not exhaustive; it is simply a guide to preparations. It is important to be prepared BEFORE lambing and kidding season starts. In case of a health crisis, it is beneficial to have proper resources to depend on.

• Examination and OB
• Antimicrobial soap
• Dry towels (several)
• Heat lamp(s)
• Veterinarian
• Trusted producer/mentor
• Notebook or digital record-keeping system
• OB lube/J-Lube
• Head snare (lamb/kid puller)
• OB leg snare
• Thermometer
• Syringes and needles
• Prolapse retainer and harness
• Cotton bandage padding
• Propylene glycol
• Vitamin B complex
• Selenium and vitamin E supplement

Tube Feeding and Orphan Lambs

• 60 ml (2 oz) syringes
• Esophageal tube
• Milking assistance device (not required but useful tool)
• Cups/container for milk collection
• Stored colostrum (frozen)

Lamb Processing

• Scale and lamb /kid sling
• Elastrator bands
• Needles (20 gauge)
• Syringes (5 cc)

*Administration of Bo-Se® and antibiotics should be done only under the guidance of a veterinarian. Work with your local veterinarian to determine needs, proper dosages, and timing of treatments.

Pre-Lambing/Kidding Behavior

This section describes normal behavior of ewes or does during the lambing and kidding process. Note that there is significant variation in these behaviors between and within flocks. First-time dams will act differently than mature females that have already experienced the birthing process. Young dams may be more nervous, restless, and agitated than mature females. They are also more susceptible to dystocia (abnormal or difficult birth) and may require assistance.

Frequent barn checks, especially at night, can result in producer fatigue. To reduce fatigue early in the season, night checks should not begin until the first lamb or kid is born. Frequency of barn checks will depend on age of dams, the mothering ability of the ewe or doe, facilities, and time of year. Mature ewes and does that are good mothers may require checks only once in a six to eight hour period. However, checks may be required every three to four hours for young ewes or does that are more susceptible to dystocia or females housed in facilities with minimal environmental protection. It is important to find balance between your well-being and the needs of your ewes or does during lambing and kidding season.

Following are normal behaviors that can be observed during lambing and kidding:

• Ewe or doe will become restless and separate herself from the rest of the group.
• Sometimes pregnant dams will refrain from eating as lambing or kidding becomes eminent (< 3 hours).
• Ewe or doe will begin pawing at the ground and appear to make a “nest.”
• Ewe or doe will make soft, short vocalizations as if she is calling to her lambs or kids. (This sound is distinct from the normal cry of a sheep or goat and can be easily recognized with experience.)
• Mucus will be discharged from the vulva.
• Active contractions will begin, during which the ewe or doe will arch her back and will repeatedly lie down and stand up.
• The water bag will be delivered first. Sometimes it breaks prior to delivery and all you will see is fluid (this is easy to miss).

What is a Normal Birth?

• Lamb or kid is delivered front feet first with head between the front legs just above the knees.
• Within 30 minutes of water bag delivery, feet should appear from the vulva.
• Following the appearance of feet, delivery should proceed without much delay (intervention is needed if progress stops or no progress has been made 30 minutes after water bag is delivered).
• Allow ewe or doe to complete the lambing process in the location she has chosen. In the case of multiple births, do not disturb unless necessary until all lambs and kids are born. Moving her will delay the birthing process for subsequent lambs or kids.

Recognizing and Addressing Dystocia

Dystocia is a general term used to describe an abnormal or difficult birth. Common dystocia cases include abnormally long birth time, head or shoulder lock, leg back (only one leg in birth canal), or breech deliveries (images of malpresentations can be found at the Alberta Lamb Producers website ). Fluids surrounding lamb or kid during delivery should be clear or have a slight yellow tint. A dark yellow or brown coloration indicates a stressful delivery.

• When progress stops! More than 30 minutes without progress means the ewe or doe likely needs assistance.
• Progress means the lamb or kid is getting closer to being delivered (in other words, more of the lamb or kid is visible with each contraction).
• Ewe or doe gave up or ran out of energy.
• Lamb or kid’s head or shoulder is locked by dam’s pelvis.
• One or more legs back (leg tucked under lamb or kid’s body and not in birth canal).
• Lamb or kid’s h ead is back behind dam’s pelvis and not in birth canal.
• Breech or backward delivery. (Note: True breech is when lamb or kid is being born rear first with both back legs tucked under its belly. This can be identified only by palpation.)
• Twins or triplets are tangled (two legs that don’t belong to the same lamb or kid have emerged).
• Dam’s c ervix is not dilated.
• Place halter on ewe or doe.
• Move her to a smaller pen.
• Have one person hold the ewe or doe’s head while another assists with the following steps.
• Wear OB glove.
• Be gentle and slow in your movements.
• Avoid unnecessary stress and damage to cervix or uterus.
• If two front feet and a head are located in the birth canal, gently pull the lamb or kid out by holding both front legs. Pull out and down firmly and steadily; be patient.
• If two front feet and a head are not in the birth canal, palpate past your wrist and locate leg or head. Work slowly and carefully to pull both front legs and head into the birth canal. Once the head and both forelimbs are in the correct position, deliver lamb or kid by holding both legs and pulling out and down firmly and steadily.
• Once successful delivery occurs, make sure the lamb or kid is breathing, step out of the pen, and let the dam take over.
• The first two joints on a front leg bend in the same direction.
• The first two joints on a back leg bend in the opposite direction.
• Palpate limb and manipulate joints. Is it a front leg or a back leg?
• When both back legs are in position, deliver lamb or kid as quickly as possible.
• When the lamb or kid is born bre e ched, its umbilical cord will break and the animal will take its first breath while its head is still inside. To avoid fluid aspiration, deliver lamb or kid quickly.
• The delivery process is no longer progressing and you are not comfortable assisting any further.
• Cervix is not dilated.
• You are unable to get the lamb or kid in the birth canal correctly or are unfamiliar with presentation.

Newborn (Neonatal) Lamb/Kid Management

Once lambs and kids are born:

• Remove mucus from around nose, mouth, and head.
• Gently tickle the newborn’s nose to cause it to sneeze.
• Gently pat lamb or kid on side to encourage breathing.
• Leave the pen and maintain your distance.
• Monitor from a distance.
• Observe for a second birth (always assume twins or triplets).
• Watch for lamb or kid to stand.
• Ensure that ewe or doe remains near newborn and licks off fluids.
• Watch for nursing to occur. Tail wagging by the lamb or kid is a very good indicator that colostrum or milk is being consumed.

Move pair to jug (one hour after birth):

• Clip newborn’s navel to 2 inches from the body wall. Caution: This step can result in excess bleeding if blood vessel is severed. Dipping in iodine without clipping is often sufficient to cause drying and prevent infection.
• Dip or spray newborn’s navel in iodine.
• Strip dam’s teats to ensure adequate milk flow. Apply pressure to the teat in a slight downward motion until milk flows.
• If unsure of pending additional births, palpate to confirm. Sometimes a ewe or doe will “give up” after the first birth and “forget” to deliver the second or third.
• Remove placenta from jug.
• The ewe or doe may eat placenta but it is best to remove it to keep jug dry.

Monitor pairs in jugs:

• A healthy, content lamb or kid will stretch when it first stands up.
• Does the mouth feel warm?
• Take rectal temperature. It should be between 101.5°F and 103.5°F.
• Palpate abdomen to check for fullness.
• An empty lamb or kid will have depressed sides and appear gaunt.
• Hungry lambs will vocalize frequently, and later become slow and depressed.
• Keep fresh water in buckets. Lactating ewes and does ALWAYS need water.
• Make sure hay is available. Lactation requires that the dam has sufficient nutrition. Failure to meet these demands can result in ketosis (metabolic disease resulting from negative energy balance).
• Is one side fuller than another?
• Is teat size adequate? Sometimes ewes and does will have enlarged teats that are difficult to nurse from.
• Milk down enlarged teats by hand and freeze excess colostrum for later use (colostrum can be collected within 24 hours of delivery).
• If mastitis (infection in the mammary gland) is a concern, take dam’s temperature (normal is 102.5°F) and contact veterinarian if temperature is elevated or further concerns exist.
• Process lambs and kids before removing them from jug (see “Lamb/Kid Processing” section).
• Monitor new pairs in mixing pens to ensure that lambs and kids can find their dam.

Monitor lambs/kids in mixing pens:

• Make sure lambs and kids are full and warm.
• When disturbed, sleeping lambs and kids should get up, stretch, and go find the dam.
• These lambs or kids need assistance. See “Starvation/Hypothermia Complex” section.
• Early attention is the key to lamb or kid survivability.
• Monitor udders for signs of mastitis.
• Observe ewe or doe appetite—feed refusal is first sign of a problem.

Starvation/Hypothermia Complex

Excessive chilling of lambs or kids or lack of nursing can cause starvation/hypothermia complex. Early diagnosis is imperative.

• Lamb or kid stops nursing; lack of nutrition results in chilled lamb or kid; chilled lamb or kid does not want to nurse; health status declines.
• Lamb or kid becomes chilled for any number of reasons; chilled lamb or kid does not want to nurse; continues to become more chilled as a result; health status declines.
• Not stretching upon standing.
• Hunched back.
• Lack of activity or vigor.
• Feed colostrum via stomach tube.
• Monitor for return to normal temperature.
• Return to ewe or doe.
• Place them in a warming box until temperature is normal.
• Feed colostrum via stomach tube. Do not feed colostrum until temperature is above 99°F.
• Lambs and kids raised naturally should acquire this quantity without assistance.
• Orphaned or unhealthy lambs or kids must receive supplemental colostrum.
• Colostrum can be collected from ewes and does and frozen for future use.
• Frozen colostrum should be reheated in warm water.
• NEVER warm colostrum in microwave.
• 10 lb. lamb or kid requires 1 lb. colostrum.
• 1 lb. is equivalent to 16 oz.
• Lamb or kid requires 16 oz or 480 mL of colostrum within first 24 hours of birth (within first 12 hours is ideal).

Lamb/Kid Processing

Identification

• Proper identification is essential to good management.
• Ear tag should be placed between veins of the ear.
• Ear tag number should be legible and recorded in record book.
• Lambs and kids should be tagged before leaving the jug.

Selenium Supplementation

• Many regions are deficient in soil selenium, resulting in low selenium in forages and increased risk of white muscle disease.
• The medication requires a prescription from veterinarian.
• Work with veterinarian to determine dosage.
• Give selenium supplement to lambs or kids prior to their leaving the jug.
• Removal of the tail on wool-type sheep is an important hygienic practice.
• Tail should be removed at the end of the caudal fold.
• Tails are commonly removed by banding, which should take place within 24 to 48 hours of birth.
• Use elastrator to expand band over tail, release elastrator, and let band roll off in correct position.
• Spray or pour iodine over band on tail to reduce risk of tetanus.
• Use fly spray and additional iodine as needed to manage flies and reduce infection risk in hot weather.
• Tail will fall off after a couple of weeks.

Castrating*

• Male lambs or kids should be castrated if they are going to be maintained long-term as nonbreeding animals.
• Castrating should take place within 24 to 48 hours of birth. It can be done later but is more stressful to the lamb or kid.
• Use same bands for castration and tail docking.
• Expand band over scrotum.
• Release elastrator, ensure both testicles are in scrotum before removing band, remove band from elastrator, and verify removal of both testicles.
• Spray or pour iodine around banded area to reduce risk of tetanus.

*Many markets in the eastern United States desire lambs and kids that are intact, so this step may not be necessary.

• Animal Agriculture
• Animal Husbandry
• Small Ruminant
• Beginning Farmer

Find more information at the following NC State Extension websites:

Publication date: Sept. 22, 2021 AG-909

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Lambing Management and Neonatal Care

CHAPTER 91 Lambing Management and Neonatal Care PAULA I. MENZIES PRELAMBING MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANT EWES Midgestation Approximately 40 days after the ram is removed from the flock, scanning for pregnancy using real-time ultrasound examination is recommended to identify those animals that are not pregnant. To improve nutritional management of late-gestation ewes, fetal number also should be determined and ewes classified by body condition score. Pregnant ewes can be grouped for feeding as follows: • Ewes with singles in good condition • Ewes with twins in good condition and ewes with singles in poor condition • Ewes with triplets or more and ewes with twins in poor condition One Month before First Expected Lambing Date The following management procedures should be performed routinely approximately 1 month before lambing: • Ewes should receive “booster” immunization with a multiway clostridial vaccine that includes antigens effective against tetanus, pulpy kidney ( Clostridium perfringens type D), enterotoxemia ( C. perfringens type C), malignant edema ( Clostridium chauvoei and Clostridium septicum ), and Black’s disease (Clostridium novyi). If the ewes have not had a primary series as lambs, or if the previous vaccination was administered more than 12 months previously, then a primary series should be given starting at 2 months before the first expected lambing date. A vaccine that contains antigens to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (the agent of caseous lymphadenitis) can be included if the disease is present in the flock. • Shear or, in sheep maintained outdoors in inclement weather, crutch (remove wool from the perineal or escutcheon area) all pregnant ewes. Shearing increases dry matter intake, is associated with improved fetal lamb growth, and improves udder cleanliness for nursing lambs. • Increase energy and energy density of ration. • Increase energy to ewes in poor body condition. • Loose, clean free-choice mineral formulated for sheep, with added salt to increase palatability, should be available at all times. Special attention should be paid to providing adequate calcium if cereal hays are fed; supplemental selenium, cobalt, copper, iodine, and molybdenum if regional soils and forages are known to be deficient; and vitamin E and vitamin A if stored feeds are fed. • If sheep are bunk fed, feeder space should allow all ewes to eat at once (i.e., a minimum of 40 cm [16 inches] of feeder space per pregnant ewe) ( Table 91-1 ). • If sheep are housed in a barn or dry lot, additional space must be allowed for pregnancy (a minimum of 1.4 m 2 [16 square feet] per ewe) (see Table 91-1 ). • Treatment with an anthelmintic is given to prevent preparturient rise in fecal egg count. This recommendation may be modified according to regional conditions. • If sheep are shorn or if warranted, treatment for external parasites (lice, keds, and mange) is given. • For ewes lambing at pasture, supplementation with a coccidiostat in the mineral premix may be helpful to reduce contamination of lambing grounds. Table 91-1 Housing Requirements for Ewes and Nursing Lambs Two Weeks before First Expected Lambing Date The lambing area is prepared as follows: Lambing on pasture: Straw bales are positioned to create a windbreak and to bed lambing grounds. After lambing is finished, straw can be gathered in and burned or composted. Protection against predators (e.g., guard animals) should be ensured. Lambing inside: Ventilation must be adequate for animal numbers. Temperature fluctuations where young lambs are to be housed should be avoided. Building or pens should be cleaned out and disinfected and fresh bedding applied to lambing area. Lambing and lamb processing equipment and medications should be available ( Box 91-1 ). Box 91-1 Lambing Equipment and Supplies Recommended for Sheep Producers Lambing Equipment Clippers or hand shears for crutching ewes Prolapse retainers and soft rope Chlorhexidine scrub for cleaning perineum Clean terrycloth towels Two clean buckets: one for warm water to wash, one for cold water to revive lambs Sterile lubricant (e.g., K-Y jelly) Plastic disposable rectal sleeves Nylon lambing ropes and lamb snare Identification Equipment Paint for spraying/branding lambs Ear tags and tagger Tattoo and ink (optional) Lambing diary Lamb Feeding Equipment Tube feeding kit with rubber tube and 60-ml syringe or 250-ml squeeze bottle Source of frozen colostrum (bovine, caprine, or ovine) Lamb milk replacer with nipples and bottles Lamb bar (optional) Equipment for fostering lambs (e.g., head gate) Lamb Processing Equipment 2.5% iodine for painting umbilical cord stump Sterile syringes: 1-ml, 3-ml, and 60-ml Sterile needles: 22-gauge and 20-gauge, 1-inch Empty Javex bottle with lid for sharps disposal Warming box for chilled lambs Digital thermometer with a readout to 36° C Equipment for tail docking and castration (rings, hot-docker, Burdizzo emasculators) Medications * Propylene glycol and drench gun or drench bottle Injectable vitamin E and selenium product labeled for newborn lambs Multivalent clostridial vaccine Tetanus antitoxin (optional) Contagious ecthyma vaccine (optional) Calcium borogluconate for subcutaneous administration 50% dextrose to be diluted for treatment of hypoglycemic lambs Oral electrolyte (registered for calf use) Antibiotics: penicillin and long-acting oxytetracycline Larvicidal anthelmintic * Provided for clients with an established relationship with the practitioner. PARTURITION (LAMBING) Gestation length varies considerably with breed of sheep. It also varies within breed with number of fetuses being carried. Triplet-bearing ewes usually lamb before single-bearing ewes bred on the same day. On average, sheep gestate for 145 days. Normal lambings have been reported as early as day 137, but generally sheep do not lamb earlier than day 142. At 1 week before the first expected lambing date (day 138 after the ram is introduced to the breeding flock), ewes should be observed every 4 to 6 hours. Diseases to observe for include signs of pregnancy toxemia, which include refusal to eat grain, opisthotonos, teeth grinding, fine muscle tremors, and coma; signs of hypocalcemia, which include stilted gait, excessive salivation, and recumbency with hind legs extended behind; vaginal prolapse; abortion; mastitis; and rupture of the prepubic tendon. If any of these conditions occurs, prompt treatment should be instituted. Signs of the first stage of labor include udder enlargement and engorgement with colostrum, relaxation of the pelvic ligaments, and vulvar swelling. The ewe will separate from the flock and begin nesting. If on pasture, she will seek an isolated spot with slight elevation or close to a fence line. Ewes may seek shelter, if it is provided, in order to protect their newborn lambs from inclement weather. Within a paddock, ewes may choose the same location in which to give birth, presumably attracted by the scent of birth fluids. In a pen, ewes may seek a corner or an open claiming pen. She will circle, paw at the straw, and bleat in a low voice. She will stop to smell any uterine or vaginal discharges. As the uterine contractions become stronger and the fetus moves up into the pelvis, she may lie down repeatedly and strain with the head raised. The second stage of labor generally takes less than an hour from the start of intense straining to the delivery of the lamb. Time to delivery of lambs is approximately 30 minutes or less for a single lamb and up to 2 hours for triplets. Labor in primiparous ewes may take longer. No preference in time of day to deliver has been observed, but if disturbed, the ewe may stop labor for a few minutes until settled again. Normal presentation of the lamb is described as anterior dorsosacral with front limbs extended and preceding the nose by approximately 6 cm (2 to 4 inches). Also normal but associated with greater risk to the safe delivery of the lamb is posterior dorsosacral with hind limbs extended. If delivery is delayed and the umbilical cord is compressed between the lamb and the pelvis of the ewe, the lamb may suffocate before delivery is complete. After delivery of the lamb, the ewe stands, causing the umbilicus to rupture. The ewe turns and begins to nuzzle and lick the lamb to stimulate breathing and to clean it off. INDUCTION OF PARTURITION Induction of lambing can be done if the breeding date is known within an accuracy of 3 days—for example, if breeding was synchronized using hormones and only one breeding opportunity occurred. Ewes will respond to an injection of dexamethasone (16 mg given intramuscularly [IM]) or betamethasone (10 to 12 mg IM) after day 137, but it is preferred to wait until day 142 to ensure good fetal viability. Commonly, producers may wait for the first few lambs to be born and then induce the rest of the pregnant ewes. Lambing generally occurs between 36 and 60 hours after induction. Induction is not associated with an increased risk of retained fetal membranes. In instances of vaginal prolapse or pregnancy toxemia, it may be advisable to induce as early as day 137, with the goal of saving the ewe. MANAGEMENT OF DYSTOCIA Common Causes of Dystocia Causes of dystocia may include the following: • Malpresentation of the lamb • Maternofetal disproportion • Poor cervical dilation • Uterine torsion • Uterine inertia Malpresentation of the lamb (or lambs) may manifest in any of various ways: one or both front limbs retained; head retroflexed; true breech presentation, in which the lamb is in the posterior dorsosacral position but the hind legs are flexed forward; dorsopubic or dorsoiliac position; and in the case of multiple births, presence of multiple limbs or heads, or of more than one lamb, in the pelvis at the same time. Maternofetal disproportion most commonly occurs when ewes that are carrying singles are fed too well in late gestation. Occasionally the ewe may simply have a congenitally small pelvis, or the disproportion may be the result of mating a small-breed ewe and a large-breed ram. Poor cervical dilation may be due to vaginal prolapse; improper presentation, position, or posture of the lambs; fetal death before stage 1 labor (e.g., from abortion diseases); or possibly damage to the cervix from chronic exposure to phytoestrogens. Ringwomb is the term used to describe incomplete cervical dilation that is unresponsive to manual dilation. The cervix is hard, as it is before stage 1 labor. This condition occurs more frequently in primigravida lambs but may be seen in sheep of any age. Most flocks experience occasional cases of ringwomb, but outbreaks in which up to 15% of ewes are affected have been described. Uterine torsion occurs occasionally and can be diagnosed on vaginal examination. It may be confused with poor cervical dilation. Primary uterine inertia may occur if the ewe is ill (e.g., from hypocalcemia or pregnancy toxemia); secondary inertia occurs when the ewe is exhausted after a prolonged labor. Correction of Dystocia The practitioner should ensure that the proper tools and protection are available and that the gloves are well lubricated (see Box 91-1 ). The uterine wall is friable, so only gentle manipulation is advised. A tear in the uterus leads to peritonitis, which is not well tolerated in sheep. If extensive manipulation is required, use of an epidural anesthetic procedure is advised. The epidural injection generally is performed at the sacrococcygeal space. After the area is clipped and disinfected, a 20-gauge needle is inserted at an angle of 20 degrees to the tail when held horizontally. Lidocaine hydrochloride is then injected at a dose rate of 0.5 mg/kg of body weight (1 ml of 2% lidocaine/40 kg). Additional analgesia may be obtained by combining xylazine with the lidocaine hydrochloride at a dose of 0.07 mg/kg of body weight (0.14 ml of 2% xylazine added to each milliliter of lidocaine hydrochloride). Adult ewes may range in mature body weight from 60 to 80 kg, depending on breed and maturity. This dosage may cause paresis and ataxia of the hindlimbs for up to 8 hours. With a retained front limb, if the lamb is small, sometimes it may be extracted by gently pulling with the leg still back. With large lambs, however (or small ewes), it is necessary to correct the limb position before delivery is attempted. It generally is necessary to repulse the lamb gently back into the uterus if possible and then, after tracing the limb from the shoulder and elbow, hook the retained leg below the elbow with a finger, bending the carpus and then the fetlock in order to raise the foot over the brim of the pelvis. The practitioner must take care to protect the wall of the uterus from the foot by cupping the foot in the hand. If the fetus cannot be repulsed or if room in the pelvis is insufficient to allow correction of the position, a cesarean section is indicated if the lamb is still alive, or if the lamb is dead, a partial fetotomy is indicated. Viability is determined by checking for the following: suckle reflex, gag reflex, corneal reflex. If none are present, a partial fetotomy is performed by removing the head and neck to increase room to reposition the leg. With lateral retroflexion of the head, again, an attempt is made to repulse the lamb in order to increase the available space for correction of the head position. A lamb snare around the head and front limbs can be used to help guide the head around. Traction on the lower jaw is avoided unless the lamb is dead, because this usually will result in a fracture to the mandible. If this maneuver is unsuccessful, cesarean section if the lamb is alive or partial fetotomy if the lamb is dead should be considered. With multiple fetuses, care should be taken to trace limbs and head back to the body and identify which limbs belong to which lambs before repulsion or extraction is attempted. Maternofetal disproportion may be present concurrently with malposture (e.g., head or limb retroflexion). Once the lamb is in the proper presentation, position, and posture, either soft ropes or the lamb puller can be used to apply gentle traction, ideally to both the front limbs and the head simultaneously. To determine if the lamb can be delivered vaginally, the examiner can assess whether both elbows and the head can be pulled into the pelvis at the same time. Inability to do so with relative ease indicates that vaginal delivery cannot be done safely for the ewe or the fetus. Plenty of lubrication is used to assist extraction. While the lamb is being pulled, after the thorax is clear of the vagina, the lamb is rotated approximately 30 degrees to prevent hip lock. With poor cervical dilation, the practitioner attempts gentle manual dilation, keeping the hand and arm well lubricated. If after 10 minutes no progress is observed, the problem may be true ringwomb. In this condition, the cervix does not undergo the normal parturient softening. The cervical softening process starts with the prepartal drop in progesterone. This triggers an infiltration of leukocytes, which causes collagen degradation and hence softening. The cause for failure of the cervical softening process is not known. Some success at treatment has been reported with application of an estrogen product or prostaglandin E 2 α to the cervical area, or with injection of such agents, and followed in a few hours by oxytocin. The alternative is cesarean section. With uterine torsion, the practitioner must determine the direction in which the torsion has occurred and then either gently flip the uterus around or hold the fetus and have assistants roll the ewe in the opposite direction of the torsion. In approximately 50% of the cases, poor cervical dilation is present even after detorsion has been accomplished. Cesarean section should be considered in those cases. If uterine inertia is due to hypocalcemia, the ewe is given parenteral calcium before delivery. This is done by slow intravenous administration of 50 to 100 ml of a commercial calcium borogluconate solution, followed by an additional 50 to 100 ml injected subcutaneously. After delivery of the lamb primarily responsible for the dystocia, oxytocin (30 to 50 IU) can be given (unless the dystocia is due to uterine inertia). After 10 minutes, the vagina is checked for the presence of additional lambs. If uterine inertia is present, both horns are carefully explored to their ends to locate more lambs. Cesarean Section Anesthesia for performing a cesarean section can be obtained using one of the following methods. A line or inverted “L” block of 2% lidocaine (without epinephrine) can be given on the left flank if a flank laparotomy will be performed, or given ventral midline if that approach will be used. For the left flank only, paravertebral anesthesia to block the T13, L1, and L2 paravertebral nerves is achieved using the following method: The midpoint of the first lumbar process is confirmed by palpation, and a 6-cm spinal needle is inserted 2.5 to 3.0 cm from the midline along a perpendicular line running from the midpoint of the first lumbar transverse process to the spine and at a depth of 4.0 to 5.0 cm. The needle may need to be directed forward to walk it off the front of the transverse process. After the needle is felt to penetrate the ligament between T13 and L1, 4 to 5 ml of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride is injected to block the 13th thoracic nerve. the needle is retracted and an additional 2 ml is injected to block the dorsal branch of the T13 nerve. The needle is then withdrawn and redirected caudally to block L1 and is walked off the back of the first transverse process. Another 4 to 5 mL is given; then the needle is withdrawn slightly and another 2 ml is injected. To block L2, this technique is repeated but just anterior to the second lumbar process. An epidural using lidocaine, xylazine, or a combination of both (as described previously) may be used in conjunction with a line or inverted AL block. Surgical technique is standard. If the fetuses are dead, the uterus should be packed off using sterile drapes before an incision is made. After the first lamb is extracted, both horns should be carefully explored to the tip to detect the presence of more lambs. The practitioner should avoid incising any caruncles because this may result in excessive bleeding. After suturing, oxytocin is administered once and parenteral antibiotics are given for 3 to 5 days. Fetotomy Not uncommonly, a dystocia may not be detected until the lambs have died, or in some instances, have become emphysematous. If the lambs cannot be pulled, a fetotomy is preferred to a cesarean section. If the fetus is emphysematous, the uterus also may be compromised and friable. A subcutaneous fetotomy can be performed using a finger knife to avoid vaginal or uterine damage. Again, oxytocin and antibiotics are given at the completion of the procedure. CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE NEONATAL LAMB Resuscitation of the Newborn Lamb Lambs normally will begin to breathe within 30 seconds of delivery. Techniques to stimulate the lamb that is slow to breathe include rubbing the head and thorax vigorously with a dry towel, pouring cold water in the ear, and stimulating the sneeze reflex by tickling the nostrils. Swinging the lamb may help extract fluid from the nose but makes it difficult for the lamb to breathe because of centrifugal pressure on the diaphragm. Mouth-to-nose resuscitation should not be done because of the risk of contracting a zoonotic infection from the lamb, such as Chlamydophila abortus or Coxiella burnetii infection. A technique of inflating the lungs that has been used with some success is as follows: A lamb stomach tube is inserted into the esophagus of the lamb. By means of gentle pressure applied with a thumb and forefinger, the esophagus is closed off distal to the end of the tube. The other hand is used to close off the mouth and nostrils. The clinician softly blows once into the tube. With the esophagus closed off, the air will be forced down the trachea into the lungs. The tube is removed after delivery of one breath, and the lamb is reassessed.

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April 9, 2018

Lambing problems: tricky births and how to deal with them

Jack Smellie looks at what to do when lambing and kidding doesn’t go to plan

This third part of our series on lambing and kidding looks at some of the more common difficulties you might be faced with. With the best will in the world, you may have done everything by the book but still have a difficult birth. Or you may realise that you have overlooked something. Hindsight is, of course, a wonderful thing.

When things go wrong!

A vet once told me that around half of the emergency livestock breeding issues her practice was called out to could have been avoided, or resulted in happier outcomes, if either the owner of the stock had been more aware or if the vet had been called sooner: a sobering thought! To counter that thought, how often DO things go wrong? Let’s take two extremes. Mark Hughes from Wales had to assist just three of 128 ewes (mainly Badger Face) during his 2017 lambing. And, over a period of nine years, during which we have lambed and kidded Badger Face and Shetland sheep and Anglo Nubian X and Boer goats more than 40 times, we have had to assist/get help just once! For five years, however, we also ran a small herd of pygmy goats and, looking at those kidding statistics, we (or our vet) assisted with almost 25% of the births.

Lack of birthing issues can be put down to choosing good stock and managing that flock well over the years. But equally, problems that arise are not always the fault of the breeder. We had two accidental matings with our pygmy goats, both with goats under a year old; the resulting problems we then had were definitely our fault. But two sets of abortions and some bad presentations were probably not!

Incorrect presentations

One of the most common birthing issues among sheep and goats is incorrect presentation, briefly mentioned in the last article.

You can find online diagrams that show the multitude of ways unborn lambs and kids can get themselves tangled up and in the wrong position. It’s good to know what you might have to deal with, but essentially, in terms of working out what is going on, you are initially relying on what you can see (or not see).

If a ewe/nanny has been straining for a while and you have seen nothing at all, no water bag, nose or toes, you might be dealing with a severe incorrect presentation such that the poor lamb or kid is not even at the top of the birth canal, or you might simply have a very large lamb or kid that is in the right position but just too big to come out. If you see a water bag and maybe just a nose (and no toes) or toes (and no nose), or just the one toe, you may have something as simple as one leg bent back or, in the case of no nose, a backwards or breech birth (i.e. it is the back feet you can see, not the front).

The key with all of this is time and activity. If the expectant mums stops all activity or keeps straining, but with no joy, then it is decision time for you. Do you get the gloves on and lube up or call the experienced neighbour/vet? You have to do one or the other. There are all sorts of considerations here: if the water bag burst a while ago but the lamb or kid is still in the birthing canal, they are in danger of breathing in the birthing fluid; if kid number one is stuck, what might be happening to kid number two; if kid number one is out, where is kid number two (or did the scanner lie?).

The decision to enter the ewe or nanny to find out what is going on must not be taken too hastily or too tardily. In the last article, we mentioned the half hour slots as being reasonable time frames between each stage (e.g. water bag bursting to kid out) and an hour being too long, but the truth is you need to get to know your individual animals to find out what is ‘normal’ for them.

A helping hand!

The other important point to note is that you must still work ‘with’ your ewe or nanny here. If you have had to do something as simple as correct a bent leg, or you have worked out that the kid/lamb is rather large but with your help should still hopefully be able to come out naturally, then if and when you help by pulling, do so when mum is having her next contraction. If you pull whilst the ewe/nanny is having a rest between contractions, then at best your pulling will have no effect and at worst really hurt her and possibly damage the newborn. Similarly, if she obviously wants to shift to get into a more comfortable position, let her. Of course, if time gets to be a critical factor, you might just have to get down to it and get the lamb/kid out for the sake of all concerned. In some circumstances, your vet should be able to give you advice over the phone rather than coming out: better for your wallet and also for mum and youngsters as hopefully this means a resolution is reached more quickly. Jayne Carter, from Lancashire, passed on a great tip from her vet when a second lamb was being very tardy in making an appearance. Jayne had already established that it was presenting incorrectly, but over the phone her vet advised turning the ewe on her back as that gave more room for Jayne to work out what position the lamb was in. Fast forward 20 minutes and said lamb was out with its brother and being licked furiously by a much relieved mum.

There will be occasions when an incorrect presentation or a large lamb or kid may well require a caesarean – which, of course, should only be done by a vet. It is not practical to rush the poor animal to a lovely clean, sterile room. A top tip from Mark Hughes is that when setting up your lambing area/shed, you should try to create a space for a vet to be able to work as cleanly and securely as possible, just in case.

We had to have a couple of caesareans performed when we ran our pygmy goat flock. Aside from worrying as to whether you will have a live mum and offspring at the end of the procedure, caesareans are quite fascinating to watch. From the minute the animal is given a local anaesthetic, to watching the vet slowly cut through the three layers of stomach muscle and the womb itself, to then seeing a (hopefully) live animal being extracted, is amazing to watch. Even more extraordinary is witnessing what appears to be the far more haphazard task of putting everything back together. Both times we have witnessed this, it did rather seem that we were watching the equivalent of a sleeping bag being stuffed back into its compression sack.

We weren’t, of course. What we were watching was a vet working very quickly because speed is of the essence: the ewe or nanny has just had major surgery and, aide from the risk of an infection getting in, there is also the small matter of her new youngster to clean and feed. Fortunately, the maternal pull is strong and, assuming all is well, the new mum will probably welcome the her newborn whist the vet sews her back up.

Bonding issues

Unfortunately, a difficult birth can sometimes lead to post-birth difficulties too. This is not always the case, but sometimes the ewe might be too tired or too traumatised to start to take care of her newborn; if so, your help is needed to get the lamb/kid dry and suckling. It is important to do all you can to try to ensure mum accepts her newborn and wants to look after it. This is for a variety of reasons, mainly to do with the fact it is healthier for the animals but also for you in terms of workload. Bottle feeding is fun, but jolly hard work and can cost money.

Sometimes your newborn might need a bit of TLC away from mum but can then successfully be returned. Nicola Morris from Cornwall had to take a kid to her house to warm it up after it got cold and wet from snow which got into the barn. The next day the kid was returned and mum only needed a bit of persuasion to accept him again.

If, for whatever reason, a bond does not form, you do have the option of finding another ewe or nanny to take on the rejected youngster. There are various ways of doing this, depending on the circumstances, but success depends on fooling the ‘mum’ into thinking the ‘interloper’ is actually hers – and the way to achieve this is through smell. If you have had a ewe giving birth to a dead lamb (or the lamb died shortly after birth), then skinning the dead lamb and putting its skin onto the lamb you want adopted can work a treat. We did this last year with a shearling Shetland ewe and the effect was instant! Another tip is to chose a ewe that is due to have a single, and plan it so that when she gives birth, the lamb to be adopted is ‘in the way’ such that the birthing fluid and new lamb are born directly on top of him/her. Jayne Carter successfully achieved this with a lamb that had been rejected by its mother and was delighted when the ewe turned around and seemed totally unphased to find two lambs waiting for her, rather than just one. The adoptee was three days old by this stage as well.

Even when you do your best…

Some things will be beyond your control and sometimes you will lose lambs and kids that weren’t destined to live no matter what you did, or didn’t do. Rachel Edwards from Carmarthenshire lost one lamb due to the ewe rupturing its uterus/bowel, but amazingly saved the first by getting it out when she realised the ewe was struggling. We lost twin kids one year because the mum contracted tick-borne fever and aborted. The important thing is always to learn from any losses you have.

Relax and enjoy

We end as we started by reiterating what a magical time lambing and kidding is. So, be as prepared as you possibly can be, and then relax and enjoy it!

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Solving lambing problems arising from abnormal positions.

Lambing is always an exciting time on the ranch, but it can also be a scary time for the first-time shepherd. What are the things we want to see, what are the signs that there could be a pending lambing problem. While a majority of ewes have very few lambing problems, we still need to be armed with knowledge when those rare instances arise.

These suggestions are not intended as veterinary advice or to be a substitute for professional veterinary care. Rather they are intended to assist you in recognizing potential lambing problems, so you know when you may need to call for professional help.

Initially, the most important thing you need to be able to recognize is the difference between a normal and an abnormal birth position.

Normal Presentations

– The normal (anterior) birth position for a lamb: Both forelegs first, with the head resting on the legs. You can tell if the lamb is right side up or upside down by looking at the feet. If the bottom of the forelegs’ feet face the ground the lamb is right side up.

Although this is a normal position, if the lamb has a large head or shoulders you may still need to assist. This assistance usually can be accommodated by slipping a couple of fingers between the lamb and the ewe’s vulva and massaging the vulva over the head or shoulders a little at a time.

–  Hind feet first with the bottoms of the feet facing the sky is considered a normal posterior birth position. While this isn’t considered to be an a typical position (in fact, it’s seen quite often with the second of twins), you will more often need to assist with the birth. It’s best to have obstetrical gloves on hand for lambing, if available, also clean rags or towels.

Once the hind legs are out, take hold of them with the clean rags or towels and when the ewe has a contraction pull firmly to free the lambs rump. Once you have its rump out, keep pulling to clear the lambs head as quickly as possible. Be careful not to break the umbilical cord during this process: As long as the head is not out the lamb is dependent on the umbilical cord for oxygen. As soon as the lamb is out, hold it by the hind legs and clear the fluids from the mouth and nose.

Abnormal Births

– The “one foreleg and head” presentation. This can cause a lambing problem. Try elevating the ewe’s rump, sometimes the lamb will go back into the womb and will reposition itself into the correct presentation. But chances are you will have to go in and locate the other leg. 

Hold the leg already out with one hand and feel for the second leg with the other. Make sure to run your fingers along the length of the leg to be sure you have a front, not a back leg.

Once you’re sure you have the other front leg, hook your fingers beneath the knee and pull it forward beside the other leg. Do this slowly, as too much aggression here could push the head back into the womb and out of position for birth. Once both legs and head are in proper position, gently pull, timing your pulls with the ewe’s contractions.

– Both forelegs correct, but the lamb’s head is down. This is usually easy to deal with. Again, you can try to elevate the ewe’s rump as suggested for the presentation before. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, then locate the lamb’s head and place it above the forelegs, in the typical birth position.

If the lamb’s head continues to flop out of place, either guide it out with fingers or in extreme cases a sterile cord may be tied around the lower jaw and slight pressure maintained while gently pulling forelegs.

– Forelegs in the correct stance, but the lamb’s head is turned back. Basically this is the same problem as above, but in this case, you may need to push the lamb back into the womb a bit in order to be able to turn its head forward.

– The lamb’s head is entering the birth canal, but no feet. This is a difficult presentation. Unless it’s a very small lamb and a large ewe, there’s no way for a normal delivery. You’ll need to push the lamb’s head back in, then reach in and bring its forelegs forward under the head. You’re fighting the ewe’s contractions, so this can be a difficult and exhausting process. Go slow, being careful not to break the lamb’s umbilical cord.

– The hind legs are coming first, but the lamb’s body is upside down. (Hint: if the bottom of the lamb’s hind feet is facing the ground, the lamb is upside down.)

A large ewe may be able to pass her lamb in this position without assistance. The second lamb in a set of triplets is often in this position. If assistance is needed, pull both hind legs gently and proceed as in posterior normal presentation.

– The lamb’s breech, rump and tail coming first, probably the most difficult positioning to recognize and correct.

If the ewe’s labor is in its early stages, give the process some time to see if the lamb will realign on its own. It’s often hard for one’s hand to tell a rump in the birth canal from a head: Tails can feel like ears!

Take some time to explore the lamb’s body and figure out where all its parts are. As the ewe’s labor advances this can become difficult; the hocks of the hind legs could even lodge against the pelvic bone. You’ll have to fight the ewe’s contractions in moving the lamb away from the birth canal until you can bring the hind legs towards you and then follow the instructions for the posterior normal presentation .

Real-life situations aren’t always as simple as we would like them to be. Remember you’ll often be dealing with twin or multiple births: Legs, heads, ears and tails can become entangled. Stay calm, working first with what you can see. Follow the exposed limbs into the birth canal, following the contour of the lamb to give your mind’s eye a full picture of the position of the lamb.

If multiple lambs are present you may need to push the second one back in order to free the first.

Additionally, you’ll likely need more than one person to do this: One person to hold the ewe and the other to assist the ewe in her delivery of the lamb. The adult with the smallest hands is assigned the delivery assistant position.

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Lambing Management and Neonatal Care

Prelambing management of pregnant ewes, midgestation.

Approximately 40 days after the ram is removed from the flock, scanning for pregnancy using real-time ultrasound examination is recommended to identify those animals that are not pregnant. To improve nutritional management of late-gestation ewes, fetal number also should be determined and ewes classified by body condition score.

Pregnant ewes can be grouped for feeding as follows:

• • Ewes with singles in good condition
• • Ewes with twins in good condition and ewes with singles in poor condition
• • Ewes with triplets or more and ewes with twins in poor condition

One Month before First Expected Lambing Date

The following management procedures should be performed routinely approximately 1 month before lambing:

• • Ewes should receive “booster” immunization with a multiway clostridial vaccine that includes antigens effective against tetanus, pulpy kidney ( Clostridium perfringens type D), enterotoxemia ( C. perfringens type C), malignant edema ( Clostridium chauvoei and Clostridium septicum ), and Black's disease (Clostridium novyi). If the ewes have not had a primary series as lambs, or if the previous vaccination was administered more than 12 months previously, then a primary series should be given starting at 2 months before the first expected lambing date. A vaccine that contains antigens to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (the agent of caseous lymphadenitis) can be included if the disease is present in the flock.
• • Shear or, in sheep maintained outdoors in inclement weather, crutch (remove wool from the perineal or escutcheon area) all pregnant ewes. Shearing increases dry matter intake, is associated with improved fetal lamb growth, and improves udder cleanliness for nursing lambs.
• • Increase energy and energy density of ration.
• • Increase energy to ewes in poor body condition.
• • Loose, clean free-choice mineral formulated for sheep, with added salt to increase palatability, should be available at all times. Special attention should be paid to providing adequate calcium if cereal hays are fed; supplemental selenium, cobalt, copper, iodine, and molybdenum if regional soils and forages are known to be deficient; and vitamin E and vitamin A if stored feeds are fed.

Housing Requirements for Ewes and Nursing Lambs

• • If sheep are housed in a barn or dry lot, additional space must be allowed for pregnancy (a minimum of 1.4 m 2 [16 square feet] per ewe) (see Table 91-1 ).
• • Treatment with an anthelmintic is given to prevent preparturient rise in fecal egg count. This recommendation may be modified according to regional conditions.
• • If sheep are shorn or if warranted, treatment for external parasites (lice, keds, and mange) is given.
• • For ewes lambing at pasture, supplementation with a coccidiostat in the mineral premix may be helpful to reduce contamination of lambing grounds.

Two Weeks before First Expected Lambing Date

The lambing area is prepared as follows:

• Lambing on pasture: Straw bales are positioned to create a windbreak and to bed lambing grounds. After lambing is finished, straw can be gathered in and burned or composted. Protection against predators (e.g., guard animals) should be ensured.
• Lambing inside: Ventilation must be adequate for animal numbers. Temperature fluctuations where young lambs are to be housed should be avoided. Building or pens should be cleaned out and disinfected and fresh bedding applied to lambing area.

Lambing and lamb processing equipment and medications should be available ( Box 91-1 ).

Lambing Equipment and Supplies Recommended for Sheep Producers

Lambing equipment.

Clippers or hand shears for crutching ewes

Prolapse retainers and soft rope

Chlorhexidine scrub for cleaning perineum

Clean terrycloth towels

Two clean buckets: one for warm water to wash, one for cold water to revive lambs

Sterile lubricant (e.g., K-Y jelly)

Plastic disposable rectal sleeves

Nylon lambing ropes and lamb snare

Identification Equipment

Paint for spraying/branding lambs

Ear tags and tagger

Tattoo and ink (optional)

Lambing diary

Lamb Feeding Equipment

Tube feeding kit with rubber tube and 60-ml syringe or 250-ml squeeze bottle

Source of frozen colostrum (bovine, caprine, or ovine)

Lamb milk replacer with nipples and bottles

Lamb bar (optional)

Equipment for fostering lambs (e.g., head gate)

Lamb Processing Equipment

2.5% iodine for painting umbilical cord stump

Sterile syringes: 1-ml, 3-ml, and 60-ml

Sterile needles: 22-gauge and 20-gauge, 1-inch

Empty Javex bottle with lid for sharps disposal

Warming box for chilled lambs

Digital thermometer with a readout to 36° C

Equipment for tail docking and castration (rings, hot-docker, Burdizzo emasculators)

Medications *

Propylene glycol and drench gun or drench bottle

Injectable vitamin E and selenium product labeled for newborn lambs

Multivalent clostridial vaccine

Tetanus antitoxin (optional)

Contagious ecthyma vaccine (optional)

Calcium borogluconate for subcutaneous administration

50% dextrose to be diluted for treatment of hypoglycemic lambs

Oral electrolyte (registered for calf use)

Antibiotics: penicillin and long-acting oxytetracycline

Larvicidal anthelmintic

PARTURITION (LAMBING)

Gestation length varies considerably with breed of sheep. It also varies within breed with number of fetuses being carried. Triplet-bearing ewes usually lamb before single-bearing ewes bred on the same day. On average, sheep gestate for 145 days. Normal lambings have been reported as early as day 137, but generally sheep do not lamb earlier than day 142.

At 1 week before the first expected lambing date (day 138 after the ram is introduced to the breeding flock), ewes should be observed every 4 to 6 hours. Diseases to observe for include signs of pregnancy toxemia, which include refusal to eat grain, opisthotonos, teeth grinding, fine muscle tremors, and coma; signs of hypocalcemia, which include stilted gait, excessive salivation, and recumbency with hind legs extended behind; vaginal prolapse; abortion; mastitis; and rupture of the prepubic tendon. If any of these conditions occurs, prompt treatment should be instituted.

Signs of the first stage of labor include udder enlargement and engorgement with colostrum, relaxation of the pelvic ligaments, and vulvar swelling. The ewe will separate from the flock and begin nesting. If on pasture, she will seek an isolated spot with slight elevation or close to a fence line. Ewes may seek shelter, if it is provided, in order to protect their newborn lambs from inclement weather. Within a paddock, ewes may choose the same location in which to give birth, presumably attracted by the scent of birth fluids. In a pen, ewes may seek a corner or an open claiming pen. She will circle, paw at the straw, and bleat in a low voice. She will stop to smell any uterine or vaginal discharges. As the uterine contractions become stronger and the fetus moves up into the pelvis, she may lie down repeatedly and strain with the head raised.

The second stage of labor generally takes less than an hour from the start of intense straining to the delivery of the lamb. Time to delivery of lambs is approximately 30 minutes or less for a single lamb and up to 2 hours for triplets. Labor in primiparous ewes may take longer. No preference in time of day to deliver has been observed, but if disturbed, the ewe may stop labor for a few minutes until settled again. Normal presentation of the lamb is described as anterior dorsosacral with front limbs extended and preceding the nose by approximately 6 cm (2 to 4 inches). Also normal but associated with greater risk to the safe delivery of the lamb is posterior dorsosacral with hind limbs extended. If delivery is delayed and the umbilical cord is compressed between the lamb and the pelvis of the ewe, the lamb may suffocate before delivery is complete. After delivery of the lamb, the ewe stands, causing the umbilicus to rupture. The ewe turns and begins to nuzzle and lick the lamb to stimulate breathing and to clean it off.

INDUCTION OF PARTURITION

Induction of lambing can be done if the breeding date is known within an accuracy of 3 days—for example, if breeding was synchronized using hormones and only one breeding opportunity occurred. Ewes will respond to an injection of dexamethasone (16 mg given intramuscularly [IM]) or betamethasone (10 to 12 mg IM) after day 137, but it is preferred to wait until day 142 to ensure good fetal viability. Commonly, producers may wait for the first few lambs to be born and then induce the rest of the pregnant ewes. Lambing generally occurs between 36 and 60 hours after induction. Induction is not associated with an increased risk of retained fetal membranes. In instances of vaginal prolapse or pregnancy toxemia, it may be advisable to induce as early as day 137, with the goal of saving the ewe.

MANAGEMENT OF DYSTOCIA

Common causes of dystocia.

Causes of dystocia may include the following:

• • Malpresentation of the lamb
• • Maternofetal disproportion
• • Poor cervical dilation
• • Uterine torsion
• • Uterine inertia

Malpresentation of the lamb (or lambs) may manifest in any of various ways: one or both front limbs retained; head retroflexed; true breech presentation, in which the lamb is in the posterior dorsosacral position but the hind legs are flexed forward; dorsopubic or dorsoiliac position; and in the case of multiple births, presence of multiple limbs or heads, or of more than one lamb, in the pelvis at the same time.

Maternofetal disproportion most commonly occurs when ewes that are carrying singles are fed too well in late gestation. Occasionally the ewe may simply have a congenitally small pelvis, or the disproportion may be the result of mating a small-breed ewe and a large-breed ram.

Poor cervical dilation may be due to vaginal prolapse; improper presentation, position, or posture of the lambs; fetal death before stage 1 labor (e.g., from abortion diseases); or possibly damage to the cervix from chronic exposure to phytoestrogens. Ringwomb is the term used to describe incomplete cervical dilation that is unresponsive to manual dilation. The cervix is hard, as it is before stage 1 labor. This condition occurs more frequently in primigravida lambs but may be seen in sheep of any age. Most flocks experience occasional cases of ringwomb, but outbreaks in which up to 15% of ewes are affected have been described.

Uterine torsion occurs occasionally and can be diagnosed on vaginal examination. It may be confused with poor cervical dilation.

Primary uterine inertia may occur if the ewe is ill (e.g., from hypocalcemia or pregnancy toxemia); secondary inertia occurs when the ewe is exhausted after a prolonged labor.

Correction of Dystocia

The practitioner should ensure that the proper tools and protection are available and that the gloves are well lubricated (see Box 91-1 ). The uterine wall is friable, so only gentle manipulation is advised. A tear in the uterus leads to peritonitis, which is not well tolerated in sheep.

If extensive manipulation is required, use of an epidural anesthetic procedure is advised. The epidural injection generally is performed at the sacrococcygeal space. After the area is clipped and disinfected, a 20-gauge needle is inserted at an angle of 20 degrees to the tail when held horizontally. Lidocaine hydrochloride is then injected at a dose rate of 0.5 mg/kg of body weight (1 ml of 2% lidocaine/40 kg). Additional analgesia may be obtained by combining xylazine with the lidocaine hydrochloride at a dose of 0.07 mg/kg of body weight (0.14 ml of 2% xylazine added to each milliliter of lidocaine hydrochloride). Adult ewes may range in mature body weight from 60 to 80 kg, depending on breed and maturity. This dosage may cause paresis and ataxia of the hindlimbs for up to 8 hours.

With a retained front limb, if the lamb is small, sometimes it may be extracted by gently pulling with the leg still back. With large lambs, however (or small ewes), it is necessary to correct the limb position before delivery is attempted. It generally is necessary to repulse the lamb gently back into the uterus if possible and then, after tracing the limb from the shoulder and elbow, hook the retained leg below the elbow with a finger, bending the carpus and then the fetlock in order to raise the foot over the brim of the pelvis. The practitioner must take care to protect the wall of the uterus from the foot by cupping the foot in the hand. If the fetus cannot be repulsed or if room in the pelvis is insufficient to allow correction of the position, a cesarean section is indicated if the lamb is still alive, or if the lamb is dead, a partial fetotomy is indicated. Viability is determined by checking for the following: suckle reflex, gag reflex, corneal reflex. If none are present, a partial fetotomy is performed by removing the head and neck to increase room to reposition the leg.

With lateral retroflexion of the head, again, an attempt is made to repulse the lamb in order to increase the available space for correction of the head position. A lamb snare around the head and front limbs can be used to help guide the head around. Traction on the lower jaw is avoided unless the lamb is dead, because this usually will result in a fracture to the mandible. If this maneuver is unsuccessful, cesarean section if the lamb is alive or partial fetotomy if the lamb is dead should be considered.

With multiple fetuses, care should be taken to trace limbs and head back to the body and identify which limbs belong to which lambs before repulsion or extraction is attempted.

Maternofetal disproportion may be present concurrently with malposture (e.g., head or limb retroflexion). Once the lamb is in the proper presentation, position, and posture, either soft ropes or the lamb puller can be used to apply gentle traction, ideally to both the front limbs and the head simultaneously. To determine if the lamb can be delivered vaginally, the examiner can assess whether both elbows and the head can be pulled into the pelvis at the same time. Inability to do so with relative ease indicates that vaginal delivery cannot be done safely for the ewe or the fetus. Plenty of lubrication is used to assist extraction. While the lamb is being pulled, after the thorax is clear of the vagina, the lamb is rotated approximately 30 degrees to prevent hip lock.

With poor cervical dilation, the practitioner attempts gentle manual dilation, keeping the hand and arm well lubricated. If after 10 minutes no progress is observed, the problem may be true ringwomb. In this condition, the cervix does not undergo the normal parturient softening. The cervical softening process starts with the prepartal drop in progesterone. This triggers an infiltration of leukocytes, which causes collagen degradation and hence softening. The cause for failure of the cervical softening process is not known. Some success at treatment has been reported with application of an estrogen product or prostaglandin E 2 α to the cervical area, or with injection of such agents, and followed in a few hours by oxytocin. The alternative is cesarean section.

With uterine torsion, the practitioner must determine the direction in which the torsion has occurred and then either gently flip the uterus around or hold the fetus and have assistants roll the ewe in the opposite direction of the torsion. In approximately 50% of the cases, poor cervical dilation is present even after detorsion has been accomplished. Cesarean section should be considered in those cases.

If uterine inertia is due to hypocalcemia, the ewe is given parenteral calcium before delivery. This is done by slow intravenous administration of 50 to 100 ml of a commercial calcium borogluconate solution, followed by an additional 50 to 100 ml injected subcutaneously.

After delivery of the lamb primarily responsible for the dystocia, oxytocin (30 to 50 IU) can be given (unless the dystocia is due to uterine inertia). After 10 minutes, the vagina is checked for the presence of additional lambs. If uterine inertia is present, both horns are carefully explored to their ends to locate more lambs.

Cesarean Section

Anesthesia for performing a cesarean section can be obtained using one of the following methods.

A line or inverted “L” block of 2% lidocaine (without epinephrine) can be given on the left flank if a flank laparotomy will be performed, or given ventral midline if that approach will be used.

For the left flank only, paravertebral anesthesia to block the T13, L1, and L2 paravertebral nerves is achieved using the following method: The midpoint of the first lumbar process is confirmed by palpation, and a 6-cm spinal needle is inserted 2.5 to 3.0 cm from the midline along a perpendicular line running from the midpoint of the first lumbar transverse process to the spine and at a depth of 4.0 to 5.0 cm. The needle may need to be directed forward to walk it off the front of the transverse process. After the needle is felt to penetrate the ligament between T13 and L1, 4 to 5 ml of 1% lidocaine hydrochloride is injected to block the 13th thoracic nerve. the needle is retracted and an additional 2 ml is injected to block the dorsal branch of the T13 nerve. The needle is then withdrawn and redirected caudally to block L1 and is walked off the back of the first transverse process. Another 4 to 5 mL is given; then the needle is withdrawn slightly and another 2 ml is injected. To block L2, this technique is repeated but just anterior to the second lumbar process.

An epidural using lidocaine, xylazine, or a combination of both (as described previously) may be used in conjunction with a line or inverted AL block.

Surgical technique is standard. If the fetuses are dead, the uterus should be packed off using sterile drapes before an incision is made. After the first lamb is extracted, both horns should be carefully explored to the tip to detect the presence of more lambs. The practitioner should avoid incising any caruncles because this may result in excessive bleeding. After suturing, oxytocin is administered once and parenteral antibiotics are given for 3 to 5 days.

Not uncommonly, a dystocia may not be detected until the lambs have died, or in some instances, have become emphysematous. If the lambs cannot be pulled, a fetotomy is preferred to a cesarean section. If the fetus is emphysematous, the uterus also may be compromised and friable. A subcutaneous fetotomy can be performed using a finger knife to avoid vaginal or uterine damage. Again, oxytocin and antibiotics are given at the completion of the procedure.

CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE NEONATAL LAMB

Resuscitation of the newborn lamb.

Lambs normally will begin to breathe within 30 seconds of delivery. Techniques to stimulate the lamb that is slow to breathe include rubbing the head and thorax vigorously with a dry towel, pouring cold water in the ear, and stimulating the sneeze reflex by tickling the nostrils. Swinging the lamb may help extract fluid from the nose but makes it difficult for the lamb to breathe because of centrifugal pressure on the diaphragm. Mouth-to-nose resuscitation should not be done because of the risk of contracting a zoonotic infection from the lamb, such as Chlamydophila abortus or Coxiella burnetii infection. A technique of inflating the lungs that has been used with some success is as follows: A lamb stomach tube is inserted into the esophagus of the lamb. By means of gentle pressure applied with a thumb and forefinger, the esophagus is closed off distal to the end of the tube. The other hand is used to close off the mouth and nostrils. The clinician softly blows once into the tube. With the esophagus closed off, the air will be forced down the trachea into the lungs. The tube is removed after delivery of one breath, and the lamb is reassessed.

Normal Behavior at Birth

Lambs should be standing within 10 to 20 minutes of birth. The normal cleaning behavior of the ewe stimulates them to stand. They are then attracted to the ventral line of the ewe's abdomen and will follow it down to where it meets the udder. The ewe's licking and nudging behavior encourages a suckle reflex. A low udder or an udder covered with wool, or pendulous, misshapen teats, will interfere with successful nursing. The licking also serves to provide olfactory stimulation to aid in maternal recognition of the lamb. This bonding generally occurs in the first hour after birth. It is critical that the ewe have an undisturbed opportunity to bond with her lambs, without the risk of attempts at stealing them by another ewe. Circling behavior is abnormal and indicates that the bonding process is failing. Failure to bond and failure to successfully find the teat are major risk factors for hypothermia/hypoglycemia and septicemia.

The chance of successful bonding will improve if the ewe and lambs are provided with a quiet area, undisturbed by other sheep. Mothering is optimized by confining them in a claiming pen (jug) for 12 to 24 hours. The producer can more easily check the status of the lambs (stomach fill and attitude) and the behavior of the ewe (for signs of rejection) at the time when lambs are most at risk. Claiming pen size should be a minimum of 4 feet by 4 feet; for larger breeds or ewes with multiple lambs, 4 feet by 5 feet is preferred ( Fig. 91-1 ). The bottom panels should be spaced close together to prevent the lamb from escaping. Ewes should be provided with fresh water and feed. Heat lamps are optional and should not be used once the lambs are dry.

Plan for a claiming pen.

Passive Immunity

If the ewe is fed correctly in late gestation, is properly vaccinated, and does not have mastitis, she should be able to provide the lamb with colostrum of adequate quantity and quality. Exceptions to this rule of thumb may be observed with maiden ewes and with ewes that have more than two lambs. If the ewe has inadequate colostrum or if the lamb is too weak to nurse properly, then the lamb should be fed colostrum at a rate of 50 ml/kg of body weight within 2 hours of birth and at rate of 200 to 250 ml/kg of body weight over the first 24 hours of life. If the lamb is weak, the colostrum should be administered by stomach tube.

Alternate-Source Colostrum

If the ewe has inadequate colostrum or is considered a risk to pass on specific diseases (e.g., ovine progressive pneumonia [maedi-visna], Johne's disease), colostrum obtained from other animals can be fed. Most ideal is sheep colostrum from a ewe of known health status. Colostrum may be frozen up to 6 months without loss of quality. It should be frozen in 50-ml (approximately 2-ounce) aliquots to facilitate thawing. Rapid thawing with heat (e.g., microwave on high) will denature the immunoglobulins. It is recommended initially to freeze the colostrum in an ice cube tray and then, once it is frozen, to transfer the cubes to a freezer bag labeled with the donor's identification data and the date of freezing. Only first-milk colostrum should be used.

Bovine and caprine colostrum also may be used, but associated risks have been recognized. Ideally, source animals should not be infected with infectious agents that may cause disease in sheep, such as bovine leukosis virus, Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis, bovine viral diarrhea virus, caprine arthritis encephalitis virus, and Mycoplasma mycoides spp. mycoides. The quality of the colostrum can be improved by vaccinating the donor animals against clostridial diseases.

Anemia due to an unknown factor in cow colostrum has been reported in lambs 1 to 3 weeks of age. This factor appears to increase the rate of red blood cell destruction both in circulation and in the bone marrow of affected lambs. They appear weak and pale. Although many recover without treatment, those severely affected, as indicated by a packed cell volume less than 10%, can be transfused by administering blood (10 ml of whole blood with anticoagulant per kg of body weight given intravenously or by intraperitoneal instillation).

Antibodies obtained from nonhost species may have a shorter half-life. A consequence of this limitation may be a higher risk of infectious diseases such as pneumonia. This also is true of commercial colostrum supplements, which are made from bovine sources. Whey-based products may not contain adequate levels of immunoglobulins. It is not known if serum-derived colostrum supplements provide sufficient protection to lambs.

Umbilical Care

Many opportunistic pathogens may gain entry through the stumps of the umbilical veins or arteries. A solution of 2.5% iodine in an alcohol base should be used to dip the entire navel soon after birth. Solutions containing a higher concentration of iodine may cause chemical burning and inflammation. Products containing glycerin (e.g., commercial teat dips) should not be used, because these prevent drying of the umbilical tissue. Paper disposable cups should be used, and excess dip and the cup discarded afterward.

Vitamin E and Selenium Supplementation

If the flock is located in a selenium-deficient area and the pregnant ewes have not been adequately supplemented, newborn lambs should be injected with a commercial vitamin E plus selenium preparation. The single dose of 0.75 mg of selenium, given by the intramuscular or subcutaneous route, should not be repeated. Toxicity and death have been associated with as little as 1.0 mg of selenium. It is safer and more effective to supplement pregnant ewes at a rate of 0.1 to 0.3 mg of selenium/kg of dry matter (DM) total ration, depending on the natural levels in the feed and governmental restrictions. If the ewe is to be injected with a commercial product rather than supplemented in the feed, 3 mg/45 kg of body weight is given up to every 2 weeks in the last trimester. Only products labeled for use in adult sheep should be used. Although vitamin E does not cross the placental barrier, it should be supplemented to the pregnant ewe at 15 IU/kg DM total ration (1.5 IU = 1.0 mg/dl of α-tocopherol). This will increase vitamin E levels in the colostrum. Lamb rations should contain 20 to 40 IU vitamin E/kg DM total ration. Vitamin A and D injections can be administered to gestating ewes if the ration is deficient.

Identification

Each lamb should be assigned a specific identifier at birth for two reasons: to identify lambs to retain as replacements at a future date and to identify ewe-lamb pairs. Methods include ear tagging, paint branding, and spraying on the back or side with the lamb's identification, the ewe's identification with or without the birth order number and litter size (e.g., 132P-13 would be the firstborn lamb of ewe 132P out of a litter of triplets, and 132P-33 would be the third-born lamb of ewe 132P), or a unique design (e.g., a spiral). The ewe also should be paint-branded at the same time—for example, 132P-3 means that she has 3 lambs at foot. Permanent identification (tag or tattoo) can be given to lambs at birth or at weaning.

Contagious Ecthyma Vaccination

If the flock has significant problems caused by contagious ecthyma virus infection (mastitis, lamb losses, or diminished productivity), then it may be advisable to vaccinate the lambs at birth with a commercial vaccine (if available). The vaccine should not be used in unaffected flocks and need not be used if the disease is only mildly manifested in the flock.

Taildocking and Castration

Taildocking should be routinely performed in all long-tailed breeds within the first 7 days and preferably within the first 24 hours of life, but only after the lamb has received adequate colostrum. Use of either rubber bands or an electric docker is the preferred method. The tail should be docked distal to the end of the tailfold and should be long enough to cover at least the vulva in a ewe lamb. Short docking has been associated with increased risk of rectal prolapse and spinal abscesses.

Castration need not be performed in ram lambs to be marketed before puberty, to take advantage of the improved feed conversion rates of intact rams. If ram lambs are to be castrated, surgery should be performed before 7 days of age if the rubber rings or cut-and-pull technique will be used, and before 90 days of age if the spermatic cord will be crushed. Lambs castrated with rubber rings after 7 days of age should have the cord crushed first in order to destroy the nerves. This appears to reduce the pain associated with that procedure. Lambs born to inadequately vaccinated ewes should be given tetanus antitoxin (250–300 IU administered subcutaneously) at the time of docking or castration. Analgesia at the time of castration or taildocking has been used with variable success. Injection of long-acting local anesthetics proximal to the surgical site may offer temporary relief. Postoperative analgesia may be best provided by administering xylazine before surgery, but animals should be constantly observed until the sedative effects have worn off.

Nutrition of the Nursing Lamb

Peak milk production in ewes occurs approximately 30 days after lambing, and ewe nutrition in the early lactation period should be geared to maximize this production. Ewe's milk provides most of the nutrient requirements for lambs until they reach 30 to 45 days of age. At 10 days of age, lambs will start to consume small amounts of solid feed, but depending on the availability of ewe's milk, intakes of solid feed are low until weaning. To increase intake of solid feed, texturized 16% protein “creep feed” should be available, consisting of mixed grain, pellets containing minerals and medications, and a binding compound, commonly molasses. Feeders should be structured to prevent fecal contamination and wastage of feed. Restricted-access turkey or pig feeders work well for lambs.

Fostering or Artificial Rearing of Lambs

Indications.

Indications for fostering or artificial rearing of lambs include the following:

• Dam-related: Death or severe illness may require separation of the lamb from its dam, or the dam may reject the lamb. Other causes may include mastitis or other reason for insufficient milk production, poor udder conformation (too low or teats malformed), and birth of too many lambs to be reared by their dam; or another dam that has lost all her lambs is available as a foster mother.
• Lamb-related: The lamb is unable to nurse its dam effectively because of weakness or congenital deformity.
• Owner-specific: The producer prefers not to have dams rear more than 2 lambs, or not to have dams rear singles, to make nutritional management easier.

Artificial Rearing of the Nursing Lamb (First 4 Weeks)

Most orphan or rejected lambs can be raised on milk replacer until the age of 21 to 28 days, when they can be weaned onto a high-quality creep ration such as described earlier. Lamb milk replacer is higher in fat than calf or kid milk replacer, so the latter should not be used to rear lambs. An example of a good milk replacer is one containing 22% protein from milk sources, 28% fat from animal sources, and 24% lactose. Milk replacer should be fed cold (4° C) and ad libitum from a lamb bar to prevent engorgement and abomasal bloat. In absence of a lamb bar, lambs can be bottle fed from a nipple bottle but should be fed frequently (e.g., 4 times per day). If abomasal bloat losses occur, formaldehyde added to the milk replacer (1 ml/L of milk) will decrease losses.

Foster Rearing

When cross-fostering is used, if at all possible the weakest lambs should be left with the dam, and all fostered lambs should have received adequate colostrum first. Successful fostering of lambs may be accomplished in any of several ways, but ultimately the attitude of the foster dam often determines the success. Attitude may be individual or may be breed determined.

Interventions used to promote successful fostering include the following:

• • Manipulating the ewe's detection of scent by skinning the dead lamb and tying the hide to the foster lamb; washing the foster lamb in birth fluids or rubbing it with the fresh placenta; applying various scent blocks to the nares of the ewe.
• • Manipulating the ewe's maternal instinct by cervical or vaginal stimulation; removing her own lamb and returning the foster lamb back with her at the same time; “hog-tying” the back leg of the foster lamb to mimic the behavior of a newborn lamb; bringing in a dog to “threaten” the ewe.
• • Restraining the ewe so that the lamb can successfully suckle until the ewe accepts the lamb. A stanchion or head gate is the most commonly used device to prevent the ewe from circling. She can still kick, however, so the lamb should be watched to ensure it is able to nurse.

PREVENTION OF PERINATAL LAMB MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY

The perinatal period extends from the first stage of labor. The end of this period is less well defined but this phase can be divided into periods in which specific causes tend to exhibit themselves more commonly. For investigating lamb mortality, losses often are divided into those deaths that occur ante partum, during parturition, and at less than 5 to 24 hours (i.e., until the “mothering-up” process has finished, when bonding has occurred and lamb has ingested colostrum), 5 to 24 hours up to 48 hours (i.e., before acquired infections after birth have caused disease), and beyond 2 days. After 2 days of age, perinatal events can still influence mortality, but effects generally are not observed beyond 2 weeks of age.

Excessive lamb mortality and stillbirth are important limitations on productivity. Stillbirth losses (number of lambs born dead of all lambs born) should not exceed 5%. Lamb mortality levels of greater than 15% before weaning are not uncommon, although with good management, it is possible to keep losses below 5%. Box 91-2 lists possible causes of perinatal lamb mortality.

Common Causes of Perinatal Lamb Morbidity and Mortality

Prepartal abortion diseases responsible for weak or stillborn lambs: infections due to Chlamydophila abortus, Campylobacter fetus spp. fetus and Campylobacter jejuni, Coxiella burnetii, and Toxoplasma gondii; border disease; iodine deficiency

Dystocia responsible for birth trauma such as:

• Fractured ribs and long bones
• CNS lesions: subdural hematomas, particularly in the posterior brainstem; petechiation in brain associated with hypoxia and anoxia during the birth process; lesions may not manifest as neurologic disease but as depression and difficulty with thermoregulation
• Ruptured liver, spleen, kidney
• Edema of entrapped limb/head

Starvation, hypoglycemia

Chilling, hypothermia

Infectious diseases: abortion diseases as outlined above; septicemia due to failure of passive transfer; other septicemias (e.g., listeriosis); omphalophlebitis; pneumonia; diarrhea; joint ill (chlamydiosis, erysipelas)

Nutritional deficiencies: vitamin E, selenium, copper, iodine

Trauma from misadventure

Congenital malformations: atresia ani, contracted tendons, cleft palate

CNS, central nervous system.

Investigation of Perinatal Lamb Mortality

A flock health management program should include routine necropsy of all aborted fetuses and stillborn and dead lambs. A simple form can be used to assist in collecting all necessary history and data ( Fig. 91-2 ). Findings on gross necropsy can easily be used to diagnose why the lamb died, and to define the management area that is responsible for the loss of the lamb.

A and B, Example of a necropsy form for investigating lamb perinatal mortality.

The history should include details of the farm environment and management, as well as ewe and lamb factors. Wet and cold weather can play an important role in lamb losses. Older ewes or ewe lambs may be at greater risk for losing lambs. In excessively thin ewes, risks are greater for production of small lambs, prolongation of labor, and production of inadequate amounts of milk. Litter size, birth weight, and history of dystocia all are important risk factors in lamb mortality. Routine management procedures should be noted, as well as any treatment lambs have received. Notations of previous losses will help to identify problem areas.

Examination of the External Carcass

The examiner should make note of specific abnormalities:

• • Atypical condition of coat: abnormal quality and amount of wool, indicating premature birth or congenital infection with border disease virus; meconium staining, indicating stressful birth; adherent placenta, indicating lack of cleaning by the ewe
• • Saliva staining around the mouth, indicating endotoxemia (watery mouth)
• • Congenital abnormalities (e.g., spider lamb, atresia ani, intersex, cleft palate, arthrogryposis)
• • Perineal staining from diarrhea

The footpads are examined to determine whether walking occurred before death, as indicated by some “wear” of the pads; intact footpads signify that the lamb never walked.

Skinning back the carcass, the examiner should note the following:

• • Degree of dehydration, keeping in mind that length of time since death and freezing may confound accurate observation
• • Subcutaneous edema (regional or generalized); ascites, anasarca, or swollen head due to dystocia
• • Bilateral swelling on the neck, which may be an enlarged thyroid, suggesting goiter due to iodine deficiency
• • Umbilicus, to determine whether the umbilicus is blunt and arteries are empty, evidence that the lamb died before or during the birth process; is tapered and contains blood, evidence that the lamb survived the birth process; or is tapered and contains an organized adherent clot, evidence that the lamb survived the birth process by several hours. Hyperemia, fibrin, and purulent material in the umbilical region indicate omphalophlebitis.
• • The skeletal muscles, which should be checked for evidence of white muscle disease

The skin should be removed from the limbs and the subcutaneous tissues examined for hemorrhages, which indicate that the lamb was hypothermic before death.

For internal examination, the lamb carcass should be opened with its right side down and the organs examined in situ. The following should be noted:

• • Evidence of pleural or peritoneal fibrin, indicating a septic condition before death. Swabs of this fluid should be submitted for culture. If an agent associated with abortion is suspected, abomasal contents and thoracic fluid or heart blood should be collected using sterile needles and syringes (see Chapter 90).
• • Blood in the peritoneal cavity, which may be from a ruptured liver, kidney, or mesenteric or umbilical vessel and suggests trauma occurring in utero, during parturition, or post partum, depending on other findings.
• • Blood-tinged fluid in the peritoneal or pleural cavity, which may indicate that the lamb died in utero 1 or 2 days before delivery.
• • The amount of brown fat around the kidney and heart, which should be evaluated. Serous atrophy suggests that the lamb was hypoglycemic before death. Heart fat is depleted first, then kidney fat.
• • Aeration of the lungs, which can be assessed quickly by dropping a piece of lung tissue in a jar of water to assess buoyancy, and evidence of pneumonia. Total atelectasis of the lungs indicates that the lamb never breathed. The trachea and bronchi should be opened to examine for aspiration pneumonia (the owner may have incorrectly passed a stomach tube).
• • The tongue, diaphragm, and heart should be sectioned and examined for evidence of white muscle disease. The heart should be checked for congenital defects.
• • The abomasum should be examined for type and quantity of content. An empty abomasum or an abomasum that contains dirt or grass, along with the finding of serous atrophy of fat, suggests that the lamb survived at least 5 hours but never nursed. Detection of milkfat in the mesenteric lymphatics suggests that several hours have passed since feeding.
• • The skull and the brain, particularly the atlanto-occipital region, should be examined for hemorrhages, both subdural and throughout the brain, indicating the possibility of birth trauma.
• • The joints all should be opened to look for evidence of septic arthritis.

By using the information gathered on gross necropsy ( Fig. 91-3 ), the death of the lamb can be classified as follows ( Fig. 91-4 ):

Algorithm for classification of lamb perinatal mortality.

Classification of timing of death in lambs and common causes of mortality.

Prepartum—early.

The lamb appears obviously premature, with decreased or absent wool coat. This should be considered an abortion and investigated as such (see Chapter 90).

Prepartum—late.

The lamb appears to be term but was delivered stillborn, with no evidence of birth trauma. Although the lamb's death may have been from delayed parturition due to uterine inertia, it is advisable to investigate the death as an abortion.

Parturient.

Evidence of birth trauma is present, and the lungs are atelectatic.

Postparturient, early.

Death occurred after birth but most often before 5 hours of age—up to 24 hours. Brown fat stores are evident, and the lungs are partially or fully inflated. The lamb may have been weak when born because of infection with abortion agents, may have succumbed to birth-related injuries, with or without evidence of hypothermia, or may have been primarily hypothermic.

Late postparturient, older than 5 to 24 hours.

After 5 hours of age, lambs start to deplete their brown fat stores if they do not receive adequate nourishment (colostrum). Mismothering, inadequate colostrum supply, and weakness due to low birth weight or birth trauma will predispose the lamb to starvation (hypoglycemia). Up to 48 hours of age, death often is related to primary hypoglycemia with secondary hypothermia.

Neonatal, older than 48 hours.

Although death after 48 hours may still be due to hypothermia or hypoglycemia secondary to birth trauma, mismothering, and other causes, after this time infectious diseases also can occur.

Recognition and Treatment of Weak Lambs

It is important to instruct the producer on how to recognize a sick lamb and how to apply appropriate nursing care. Hypothermia and hypoglycemia are the most common causes of lamb mortality; if recognized early, both are responsive to treatment. Affected lambs initially are hunched up and empty-appearing. If the problems are not detected early, these lambs will become recumbent. If in sternal position, the lamb may rise but appears depressed and slow to respond. Eventually, the lamb is laterally recumbent and comatose.

Figure 91-5 presents an algorithm for treatment for a lamb suspected of suffering from hypothermia or hypoglycemia. The client should be instructed in proper technique for tube feeding, with specific measures to avoid aspiration pneumonia: The client sits with the lamb on his or her lap, holding the lamb's head and neck gently in the nondominant arm. The tube is introduced slowly into the mouth and gently pushed toward the back of the throat. If the lamb sucks on the tube, a swallowing reflex is encouraged. Once the tube has been swallowed, the client can feel it pass down the lamb's neck in the esophagus. This maneuver should be practiced several times until the client can recognize the feel of the rubber end passing the fingers. If the tube enters the trachea, it cannot be felt externally. Premeasurement of the tube will help the client to determine if the tube has reached the abomasum. If the lamb coughs, the tube is withdrawn and another attempt is made. Colostrum can be fed by syringe or squeeze bottle. The dose of 50 ml/kg of body weight should be fed slowly over 5 to 10 minutes, so that the abomasum does not overfill, leading to regurgitation. The client is instructed to kink the tube before withdrawal to prevent aspiration of milk.

Algorithm for treatment of hypothermia and hypoglycemia in neonatal lambs.

Many ways to warm a lamb have been described. Immersion in warm water is the most rapid but requires that the client hold the lamb while in water and then dry it immediately, to avoid chilling from evaporation. Placement in a warming box in which the lamb lies on a grate that allows warm air to circulate around it generally works the best ( Fig. 91-6 ). A household hair dryer works well for this purpose. Air temperature should not exceed 41° C. A warming pad will accomplish the same thing if the lamb also is covered with a blanket and turned frequently. Least efficient is use of a heat lamp, which offers only radiant heat to the exposed part of the lamb.

Warming box for reviving hypothermic lambs.

Lambs older than 5 hours of age require an energy source before warming. Failure to provide energy will result in central nervous system damage from hypoglycemia. If no suckle reflex is present, the lamb should have 20% dextrose administered into the intraperitoneal cavity. This procedure begins with drawing up 20 ml of 50% dextrose into a 60-ml syringe and adding to it 30 ml of hot, boiled, clean water. The resultant solution should be at body temperature. Instillation into the peritoneal cavity is accomplished by hanging the lamb vertically and injecting just off midline distal to the umbilicus, using a sterile 20-gauge needle and administering 10 ml/kg of body weight. After administration, the lamb can be warmed.

Once a lamb has received treatment for hypothermia/hypoglycemia, it and its dam should be identified for more intense observation. Factors that put lambs at risk for hypothermia and hypoglycemia include the following:

• • Poor maternal nutrition during gestation (reduces the number of cotyledons and placental weight; brown fat stores [perirenal and pericardiac] in fetus; lamb birth weight; mammary development and subsequent milk production; colostrum quality and quantity)
• • Low birth weight (<3 kg), which is highly correlated with poor brown fat stores
• • High birth weight (>5 kg), which is highly correlated with dystocia
• • Trauma or hypoxia due to dystocia or prolonged birth, which may be evidenced by meconium staining
• • Premature birth (<142 days' gestation)
• • Mismothering due to inexperience (e.g., ewe lamb), illness, stealing by another ewe, lack of availability of claiming area, claiming of only the firstborn lamb
• • Insufficient milk available as a result of mastitis, poor late-gestation nutrition, maedi-visna (ovine progressive pneumonia) or other illness, low body condition score, poor udder or teat conformation, wool-covered udder
• • Poor environmental conditions at birth of the lambs, such as a cold temperature (<13° C if fleece is wet), drafty conditions, and dirty or wet bedding or ground

Two exceptionally high-risk periods have been recognized:

• Birth to 5 hours, when the lamb is wet. Losses at this time are due primarily to hypothermia or are secondary to birth trauma.
• 5 hours to 7 days, when hypothermia most often is secondary to hypoglycemia. Weakness after 48 hours of age also may be complicated by diseases stemming from inadequate colostrum intake.

CONTROL OF IMPORTANT DISEASES OF NEONATAL LAMBS

Entropion usually is apparent within the first 2 weeks of age and manifests as ocular discharge, blepharospasm, corneal edema, and corneal ulceration due to irritation from inverted eyelids, usually the lower lid. Correction should be done immediately and may involve one of the following procedures: Mild cases may be resolved by manually everting the lid several times a day for a few days. Moderately severe cases may be resolved by an injection of penicillin into the palpebral conjunctiva. The resulting bleb should be sufficient to roll the eyelid out. Occasionally the procedure needs to be repeated in 5 to 7 days. Other, surgical-type methods include pinching a small amount of tissue into two wound clips placed parallel to the lower lid, crushing a fold of skin with hemostats parallel to the lower lid, and cutting a length of skin from below the lower lid and suturing it. With all of these latter methods, care must be taken to apprehend sufficient skin to allow proper eversion of the eyelid. Some evidence indicates that this is a heritable condition, so lambs with entropion should not be selected as replacements, particularly rams.

Diseases Due to Clostridium spp.

Tetanus, pulpy kidney, and enterotoxemia are diseases of neonatal lambs that can be easily prevented through a routine vaccination program with a multivalent vaccine. The vaccine should contain immunizing antigens to Clostridium tetani, Clostridium perfringens types C and D, Clostridium septicum, Clostridium novyi type B, and Clostridium chauvoei. Every replacement lamb should receive a primary series after 10 to 12 weeks of age and a booster at least every 12 months. To ensure optimal colostral protection to their lambs, the booster should be administered to pregnant ewes no later than 2 weeks before the first expected lambing date of their breeding group.

Coccidiosis

Clinical and subclinical coccidiosis is a major cause of poor growth in lambs. Management practices that will reduce environmental exposure to coccidial oocysts include use of properly designed feeders that do not allow for fecal contamination of the feed; provision of a clean bedding pack or slatted floors for nursing and growing lambs; and a raised water source. Thorough disinfection before lambing may reduce the level of coccidia in the environment, but adult ewes and then lambs quickly recontaminate the pens. It often is necessary to also use a drug that controls coccidia. Table 91-2 lists the commonly used preventive treatments for coccidiosis. Feed additives should be added to free-choice pelleted or texturized lamb rations to ensure adequate intakes. A prescription often is required for addition of these coccidiostats because of the variability among countries in licensing these drugs for use in sheep. Commercial cattle feeds or supplements with coccidiostats included should not be used because of the high risk of copper toxicity.

Drugs Commonly Used to Control Coccidiosis in Lambs

BW, body weight.

Neonatal Diarrhea

Lambs are susceptible to the same infectious agents as those identified for calves. Generally, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli causes disease at 2 to 7 days of age. Rotavirus and coronavirus may cause diarrhea from 2 days to 3 weeks of age. Cryptosporidia most often affect lambs after 2 weeks of age. Salmonella spp. and Giardia are less common causes. If the flock is experiencing high morbidity from neonatal diarrhea during the lambing period, ewes that are still pregnant should be moved to a clean area for lambing. People managing the sick lambs should not handle newborn lambs without changing and washing their clothes in disinfectant soap. Vaccination of pregnant ewes with a bovine E. coli scour vaccine has been done, but a preferred approach is first to attempt to break the cycle by focusing on cleaning and disinfection of the lambing and lamb-rearing environments.

The most common cause of pneumonia in neonatal lambs is Mannheimia hemolytica. Most often the strain involved is A2, with A1 being the most common strain in bovine pneumonia. Other agents that may be involved are Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae and Pasteurella trehalosi. Various viruses may play a role in increasing suscepti-bility of lambs to these disease agents. Environmental conditions, however, appear to be more important in determining the incidence of pneumonia in young lambs. Stocking density, humidity, diurnal or nocturnal temperature fluctuations, extreme heat and cold, frequency of air changes, ammonia levels, and dust all increase the stress on the respiratory system. In outbreaks of pneumonia, metaphylaxis has been used with success. Drugs that are licensed for use in sheep for pneumonia include short-acting oxytetracycline, tilmicosin (Micotil * ), and ceftiofur (Excenel † ). Other antimicrobials that may be effective but are not licensed for sheep include long-acting oxytetracycline and florfenicol (Nuflor ‡ ).

Generally, antimicrobial resistance is not a reason for treatment failure. Most often the reason is failure to detect sick animals soon enough or not treating for long enough. It is important to train the client to observe nursing lambs carefully for depression. This should be done outside the pen so as to not arouse the lambs until identified for further clinical examination. Necropsy of dead lambs is a good way to determine the reason for treatment failure. A vaccine against M. hemolytica infection in sheep is not available in North America.

* Provided for clients with an established relationship with the practitioner.

* Provel, Elanco, Greenfield, IN.

† Pfizer, New York, NY.

‡ Shering-Plough, Kenilworth, NJ.

Suggested Reading

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• Brounts SH, Hawkins JF, Baird AN, Glickman LT. Outcome and subsequent fertility of sheep and goats undergoing cesarean section because of dystocia: 110 cases (1981–2001) J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2004; 224 :275–279. [ PubMed ] [ Google Scholar ]
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Lamb Mortality

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Disease Control of Lambs

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Recognizing a Difficult Lambing

Nature brings most lambs from the womb into this world with ease, filling lambing pens with new life. Ewes care for their young, bonding with them, loving them, and nourishing them. On occasion though, what should be straight forward and simple becomes entangled, even backwards at times, with lambs choosing new ways to enter the world. There are a few things you can look for to recognize difficult lambing situations.

Signs of an Abnormal Birth Position

• The ewe shows signs of being in labor, isolating herself from the flock and pawing the ground, but her bag of water does not present itself.
• The ewe strains and pushes with no progress.
• The laboring ewe has become exhausted and can no longer push.
• You do not see two front hooves and a nose but rather see back feet or a tail.

Normal Lambing Presentations

Mother nature would like the lambs to arrive front feet first, almost as though they are diving head first into the world. The nose follows the two extended front feet. This position allows mom to push the lamb out on her own with ease.

Abnormal Lambing Presentations

There are a handful of abnormal positions that lambs may end up in. Some are easily detected and visible without doing an internal exam. Others require that you lube up and go in to determine what position the lamb is in. (It is always helpful to have a mentor with you when doing your first internal check.) On our farm, we have only had a few lambs that chose to enter the world back feet first, and a couple that entered with one front leg back and one forward. We were able to assist in these situations, gently pulling to help the lamb come into the world. We have yet to experience any of the more complicated presentations. I have found it helpful to have these diagrams on my barn wall as I puzzle through those difficult births.

© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2010

This time of year, with our first ewe due to deliver in 6 weeks, I like to review these lambing positions. It helps me to be familiar with what normal births look like so that I can recognize those that are abnormal. But no matter how “ready” I feel at the start of lambing, when it has drawn to a close, I am astounded at the learning curve each year brings. I take note of each birth, each detail, the symptoms, the process, the work we did. At the end of each lambing season, my knowledge has grown, my instincts have become refined and sharpened, and I realize that I can do more than I ever thought possible. I can hold death in my arms and I can sit back and bask in the glory of the delicate miracle of birth at the same time.

I leave you today with this video I recently found on lamb positions. Though a little silly, I found it particularly helpful in understanding how to manipulate lambs when they are in some more challenging positions. The only thing that this video does not emphasize is that when having to assist in pulling a lamb, be sure to pull the lamb downward and not straight out. A downward motion follows the natural curve of the birth canal. For all of you shepherds, I hope you bask in the glory and miracle of birth on your farms this year!

Illustrations used by permission from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) . © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2010

thecrazysheeplady

Excellent post and a great find on the video!

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Assisting the ewe at lambing

Learn how to best prepare for lambing, the stages of lambing and some of the signs of abnormal delivery. This technical information is for Ontario sheep producers.

ISSN 1198-712X, published September 2021.

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Introduction.

Being prepared for lambing season can increase the chances of having a lamb born alive. This fact sheet provides guidance on how to best prepare for lambing, the stages of lambing and some of the signs of abnormal delivery. The ewe’s gestation period ranges from 144–151 days in length, with an average of 147 days. The date that the first lambing is to be expected can be calculated from the date of the first exposure of the ewes to a fertile ram.

Preparing a lambing kit

Before lambing starts, prepare a kit of lambing aids. The essentials of this kit are:

• disinfectant
• obstetrical lubricant
• disposable obstetrical gloves
• sterile syringes — 10 mL and 1 mL
• hypodermic needles of sizes suitable for the ewe and the lamb
• antibiotics and vitamin E/selenium injections
• lambing cords and lamb snare
• iodine-based navel disinfectant
• clean towels or cloths
• clean pail for warm water

Disposable obstetrical gloves

It is always the best practice to wear disposable obstretical gloves when assisting a ewe during lambing. Wearing gloves reduces the risk of uterine infections for the ewe and the risk of zoonotic pathogens being transmitted to the producer ( e.g. , chlamydiosis, campylobacteriosis, cryptosporidiosis, listeriosis, toxoplasmosis or Q fever).

Signs of impending lambing

About 10 days before the ewe will lamb, the teats begin to feel firm and full of colostrum. Between then and lambing, the lips of the vulva slacken and become slightly swollen. In the last hours before lambing, many ewes will separate from the flock. At this point, the ewe could be moved into a lambing pen, depending on your management system.

At birth, the normal presentation of a lamb is spine upwards, forefeet with the head between them pointing toward the cervix. The cervix itself is still sealed by a mucous plug. The lamb is surrounded by two fluid-filled sacs, the allantois and the chorion. These first and second waterbags have acted as cushions to prevent injury to the developing fetus and form part of the placenta. The placenta is attached to the wall of the ewe’s uterus by about 80 small buttons, the cotyledons. It is through these and the placenta that the developing lamb has received nutrients from the ewe’s blood supply. The placenta with the cotyledons will be expelled as the afterbirth.

Physiology of parturition (lambing)

The mechanism by which any mammal gives birth is stimulated by changes to the mother’s hormone balance and the bulk of the uterine contents, the fetus and the placental fluids. These stimuli cause the uterus to contract, pushing the fetus into the dilating cervix and expelling it.

Normal lambing

In a normal lambing, there are three distinct stages:

Dilation of the cervix

• As the uterine contractions start, a thick creamy white mucous, the remains of the cervical seal, is passed from the vulva. This often goes unnoticed.
• Continued contractions of the uterus push the first waterbag into the cervix, stimulating its dilation. Eventually the cervix will be about the same diameter as the neck of the uterus.
• The ewe is uneasy, getting up and down, switching her tail and bleating frequently.
• There may be some straining. This stage can take 3–4 hours.

Expulsion of the lamb

• As the uterine contractions become stronger and more frequent, the lamb and waterbags are pushed into the dilated cervix.
• The first waterbag bursts, releasing a watery fluid through the vulva.
• As the ewe continues to strain, the second waterbag is pushed through the vulva and ruptures, to release a thicker fluid. The rupturing of these bags has established a smooth, well‑lubricated passage through the vagina.
• The hooves and nose of the lamb can often be seen in the second waterbag before it bursts.
• The ewe continues to strain, gradually expelling the lamb, forefeet first, followed by the head.
• The ewe may need considerable effort to pass the head and shoulders of the lamb through her pelvis. Once this happens, final delivery is rapid.
• The birth of a single lamb should take an hour or less from the rupture of the first waterbag. A ewe lambing for the first time, or with multiple lambs, could take longer.

Expulsion of the placenta/afterbirth

• The placenta serves no further function once the lamb has been born and is passed 2–3 hours after delivery has finished.
• In multiple births, there will be separate afterbirths for each lamb.

Signs of abnormal deliveries

Most ewes will lamb unaided, and about 95% of lambs are born in the normal presentation, forefeet first. A normal delivery usually takes 5 hours from the start of cervical dilation to the delivery of the lamb, 4 hours for the dilation of the cervix and 1 hour for the actual delivery. The first 4 hours often go unnoticed. However, in the event of a problem, any delay in assistance could mean the difference between a live and dead lamb.

Signs that assistance may be needed:

• Ewe continues to strain, but there is no sign of the waterbags.
• Ewe continues to strain an hour after the rupture of the waterbags, but there is no sign of a lamb.
• The lamb appears to be wedged in the birth canal.
• There is an abnormal presentation, a leg back, head back, etc.

Making the internal examination

Cleanliness is important to prevent infection of the uterus. Wash the area around the ewe’s vulva with soap and a mild disinfectant to remove any manure and other debris. Scrub hands and arms with soap and a mild disinfectant, put on gloves and lubricate with soap or an obstetrical cream. Slide the gloved hand carefully into the vagina to feel the lamb and assess the situation. Obviously, a person with a small hand is best suited for this task.

In many cases, the lamb will be presented normally — you will feel two forelegs with the head between them. In other cases, there will be a malpresentation with hind legs instead of fore legs, or one or both hind legs back, or a breech presentation where only the tail and rump are felt, Figure 1.

Resolutions

Normal presentation.

• Place the noose of a lambing cord over each leg above the fetlock joint and apply a firm steady pull synchronized with the ewe’s straining.
• Lubricate the vagina around the lamb with obstetrical jelly to smooth the passage of the lamb. This is especially important if the waterbags have been ruptured for some time, and the vagina has lost this natural lubrication.

Abnormal presentations

• In most cases, the position must be corrected before attempting to pull the lamb.
• However, do not attempt to convert a hind leg presentation to the normal delivery. Pull the lamb out hind legs first, straight back until the lamb’s hind legs and pelvis are out of the vulva, then change the pull to downwards towards the ground behind the ewe. Pulling down before the lamb’s pelvis is out will wedge the lamb in the pelvic canal of the ewe. Remember that multiple births are common. Two lambs may be presented with legs intertwined. Always ensure that legs and head are part of the same lamb before attempting to pull them.
• Occasionally, deformed lambs will be produced with enlarged heads, stiff joints or skeletal deformities. To successfully lamb, a ewe in these situations may require help from an experienced shepherd or veterinarian.
• Ewes often have multiple births. The same sequence of the rupture of the waterbag and expulsion of the lamb will be repeated for the delivery of each lamb. After an assisted lambing, always check the ewe internally to ensure that there is not another lamb to be delivered.

In all cases, whether the delivery was natural or assisted, check that the lamb is breathing and that its nostrils are clear of mucous and not covered by any uterine membrane. At this time, the lamb’s navel should be disinfected with an iodine solution recommended by the flock veterinarian to prevent infection.

The ewe usually starts to lick the lamb. This is a natural process and should be allowed to continue. Some ewes will eat the afterbirth, but this should be prevented as it can lead to digestive disturbance. Afterbirth should be removed from the lambing site and disposed of according to the farm deadstock disposal plan.

A healthy lamb struggles to its feet soon after birth and starts to nurse from its dam. Lambs weak from a prolonged delivery should be helped to nurse or be given colostrum by stomach tube. The companion Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs ( OMAFRA ) fact sheet, Care of the newborn lamb, has more information on this.

After any assisted delivery, the ewe is at risk of infection. A protocol should be developed with the flock veterinarian that will ensure cleanliness and determine when antibiotics should be given.

Lambing is one of the most critical and challenging points in the sheep production cycle, requiring both careful observation and timely decision-making. Ensuring that you are adequately prepared, know the signs of impending lambing and can recognize abnormal deliveries that may require intervention, will increase the likelihood of survival of both the ewe and her lambs.

This fact sheet was originally written by John Martin, veterinary scientist, sheep, goat and swine, OMAFRA . It was updated by Delma Kennedy, sheep specialist, and Erin Massender, small ruminant specialist, OMAFRA .

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Stages of Lambing (graphic photos) – Updated

Lambing is always an exciting time on the farm. The sound of newborn lambs bleating for their mothers is just wonderful. It can sometimes be stressful, though, for the anxious flock-master or flock-mistress as they await the birth of the year’s lambs and hope that there are no difficulties.

The ewe’s body usually starts preparing for lambing a couple weeks to a month before the birth of her lambs. Her vulva will swell and get darker pink as her due date approaches. During this time her udder will also fill with colostrum – the lamb’s thick, antibody-rich, first milk. Her udder will get larger, then a day or so before she delivers her lambs her teats will appear full and the skin on her udder will feel taunt and firm.

You can see the changes in Erin’s udder before lambing in the collage below. She gave birth the day after the last photo in the collage was taken. Erin was born 3/3/2011. She was 2 years old when I took these photos and was pregnant for the first time.

Within a few days of lambing, the ewe’s sides “hollow out” as the lamb drops into birthing position. Her sides near her back will look sunken-in and her abdomen will look full.

The ewe may also hold her tail out as lambing gets closer.

As active labor approaches the ewe will usually become restless and may separate herself from the flock. She will begin to pace in an area and paw at the ground to make the area comfortable for her (in the photo below you can see Kathleen has moved to the back of the stall, away from where Izzy and Luna are lying). The ewe may refuse feed or hay at this point, but this depends on the ewe. I’ve had ewes that stop for a mouthful of hay in between contractions.

The ewe will soon begin to lie down and get up repeatedly. She will paw at the ground more aggressively, digging a bed or nest. You may hear her begin to baa the way mother sheep talk to their lambs. She will continue talking to the lamb until after it’s born.

Soon the ewe will begin to push as the contractions become stronger. She will continue to get up and lie down, usually pushing while lying down. It’s normal to hear her grunt or baa while pushing.

Soon the amniotic (water) sac emerges. If the ewe labors for more than an hour from this point without birthing the lamb, you should examine the ewe to determine if the lamb is in the wrong presentation for birth.

It will soon rupture (see arrow) and the ewe will find the fluid and lick it up. She will continue alternating lying down and pushing and standing up and pawing at the ground. Injesting the amniotic fluid provides the ewe with nutrients and hormones that can relieve pain and inflamation, quicken cervical dilation, and stimulate uterine contractions and milk production. It also helps the ewe recognize her lamb by smell and taste.

The lamb’s front feet will soon emerge from the birth canal…

…followed by the head

The shoulders are the most difficult part of the lamb for the ewe to pass. She may lie down and strain to push the lamb out.

Once the shoulders are free of the birth canal, the ewe may stay lying down or stand up again. The rest of the lamb will slide out more easily, usually with a couple pushes if the ewe remains lying down. If she stands up, the lamb may slide out with the help of gravity.

Once the lamb has fully emerged, the ewe will get up and find the lamb. She will begin to lick and clean it, with the lamb’s nose and face first (she will consume the amniotic fluid and sac). The lamb and ewe will baa to each other.

By cleaning the lamb, she is also bonding with it.

The lamb will try using its legs and will soon stand. The ewe will continue cleaning the lamb. If she is pregnant with multiple lambs another amniotic sac will soon become visible. The 2nd lamb’s feet are just visible in the photo below (see arrow).

The lamb will continue walking and will begin to nudge the ewe’s body, searching for her udder. The ewe may gently push the lamb towards her udder with her nose. If there’s a twin, the ewe will continue getting up and lying down while talking to the first lamb to keep it near her. The 2nd lamb may be birthed before the 1st lamb nurses.

The lamb will begin to nurse and may headbutt the udder. If there’s a twin, the ewe may clean it while the 1st lamb in nursing. Nursing triggers the release of the placenta (see arrows). The placenta(s) is(are) delivered within a couple hours of lambing, but can sometimes take 24 hours or longer. It it important NEVER to pull on the placenta if it is hanging from the ewe. If it is still attached to the uterus and is pulled the ewe could hemorrhage and bleed to death.

If there are any additional lambs, the birth process will happen again.

Once the ewe is finished lambing, I move her and her lamb(s) to a jug (small stall to help with bonding). I prefer for my ewes to have more space than the jug offers for delivering their lamb(s).

The ewe will be thirsty and hungry after her labor. Warm molasses water (approx 1 cup in a large bucket) will give her an energy boost and she should be given hay. If there are multiple lambs, giving the ewe grain may help increase milk production.

Not all deliveries are textbook, but it’s important to learn what a normal lambing looks like so you can identify an abnormal delivery and intervene. Once the dam begins pushing, it is imperative that the lamb is delivered in a timely manner. If a malpresentation of the lamb or another issue prevents this, the shepherd must assist the ewe. Remember when you assist, wear gloves (OB preferably) and use LOTS of lube. If you’re in a pinch and don’t have veterinary lube any unscented, plain human lube will do fine.

These photos were taken over several years and are a few of our ewes in labor. Click on each photo to see it enlarged

Do you learn better from watching or experiencing, rather than through reading and photos? You can watch Bertha’s textbook lambing here .

If you have any questions, feel free to post below and I will answer as time permits. If you have a more urgent question, please message me on our farm Facebook or Instagram page.

Simmons, Paula, and Carol Ekarius.  Storey’s Guide to Raising Sheep : Breeding, Care, Facilities . North Adams, Ma, Storey Publishing, 2019.

Mota-Rojas, Daniel et al. “Consumption of Maternal Placenta in Humans and Nonhuman Mammals: Beneficial and Adverse Effects.”  Animals : an open access journal from MDPI vol. 10,12 2398. 15 Dec. 2020, doi:10.3390/ani10122398, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7765311/

Goat Vet Corner ℠ — Only Veterinarians Comment, August 17, 2016,,  https://www.facebook.com/groups/goatvetcorner/permalink/1819447451634995 , Accessed August 18, 2016

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161 thoughts on “ Stages of Lambing (graphic photos) – Updated ”

While I wait outside and check often, I’ve never actually witnessed the entrance of any lambs. They just seem to “appear” (but as the mother of 4 , I know better! ) This is a wonderful teaching/learning segment. Nicely done.

Thanks Julie! I love being there when the lambs are born. Last year Noah got to see one of our girls give birth and he thought it was pretty cool, too.

My most favorite time of the year!….When the lambs are born! 🙂 Thanks for putting this together! It’s great.

Thanks, Amy…it’s my favorite time, too! Thanks for sharing it, too!

Very good we got some video last year and one of ours even had triplets lisa was able to see the last one born ,what a surprise. Very good pics should post on tunis news

Thanks, Glenn! We had a set of triplets but 1 was stillborn a couple years ago. The story is under the “Rosy” tag. Do you get the NTSRI newsletters or have you visted the NTSRI website? They have an archive of the newsletters at: http://www.countrylovin.com/NTSRI/association.html#NEWSLETTERS .

Very clear, informative shots! Eased my mind greatly.

Thank you!! I decided to make this page because I learn better with visuals. I figured many others do too!

I don’t expect to be birthin’ no lambs, but your feature was fascinating, and in the best of ‘all-natural’ taste – not offensive or too graphic at all.

Thank you, Lynn! I’m such a visual learner and I know many others are too. And I love making tutorials and guides. 🙂

Thanks for the pics. People tell you what to look for but seeing is much better for me. I’m guessing my little lambies are only a day or two away – if that!!!!!

This is so helpful, thank you for the pictures! My ewes (theoretically) should be lambing in the next month or so and I’m nervous as the proverbial cat about to have kittens. 🙂

Thanks! I learn so much from photos or real life too! I hope everything goes well with your ewe…. let me know how she does. 🙂

Will do! I’m 85% confident that three of my ladies are pregnant, 50% that a fourth is, and almost 100% sure the fifth isn’t thanks to these photos!

I wish you smooth lambing! What breed are your sheep or are they a mixed breed?

Thanks! They’re Shetlands. I’m in love with the breed!

Oh, they are adorable! A friend of mine used to have a flock of Shetlands. I love all the different colors and patterns that they can have.

Me, too, and their personalities are charming!

Thank you so much for these photos and information! We are waiting on our first lambs which based on comparing the photos to my photos, it should be any day now! We have a small flock of Tunis, 5 ewes and a ram. We put our ram in with 3 of our girls 10/17 and left them together until 12/5. Do you have any pictures of a ewe that still has 4 weeks to go, but is definitely expecting? I have 1 that is due any day, and 1that I think is pregnant but not so far along and then one that I am completely unsure about.

I’m so happy that this has helped you! I know I have photos of ewes a month from their due dates… I will look for them.

Thanks for documenting! We lost our ram a couple years ago and finally got another on last fall. We have two pregnant ewes and I couldn’t remember what it looks like when she is ready! We will hopefully lamb in the next week.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you and your ewes!

Our ewes are pregnant. This is our first time with sheep. The last week or so 2 of them have the udder starting to slightly show. Yesterday, the udder on one of them doubled in size but is still small. That ewe’s vulva today is slightly red. No other signs so far. I’m wondering how long do we still have before they give birth?

some ewes have smaller udders. If she lets you touch it you can feel it it’s tight and firm or still pliable. When it feels tight usually labor will be soon (next day or 2).

They won’t let us touch them. I’m observing them daily for any physical and behaviour changes.

When the udder gets full the skin will look tight and sometimes shiny.

You’re welcome! I hope lambing goes smoothly.

Your pictures and video were very informative, actually the best I have found online. We are expecting our first lambs any day now and I feel your posts have helped us prepare! Thank you.

Thanks Nicole! I wish you all the best! Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll do my best to answer them. 🙂

What year are these sheep the photos are of? We have 2 yearlings that we are expecting to lamb any day but this is my first time lambing so I really am not sure what to look for! I have heard that first time mothers may or may not have big udders. They def have looked like they have “dropped” and have a small amount of discharge.. vulvas are swollen and somewhat elongated. Hoping for babies soon! lol

Hi Kimberly, the photo collage at the top of the page is of Erin, who was born in 2011. She was almost 2 when I took these photos and pregnant for the first time. Some ewes naturally get larger udders than others and can pass those traits on to their female offspring. I hope lambing goes well for you! -Kim

This page is a great learning tool! Thanks for posting it. We are anxiously awaiting our first lambs. although all our ewes are experienced mamas with previously easy births, I’m nervous because It’s our first year breeding.

Thank you! Best wishes for easy lambing!

I have a ewe that had a lamb this morning and had yet to have the second one. She eats, paws the ground, lets the other nurse, but hasn’t had the second one. You can see it kicking inside her still.

I would glove up and see if the unborn lamb is presenting wrong – breach, etc. and/or call your vet. Hope everything goes well.

Got a Barbado ready to deliver today it seems. Separation from the pack; really well developed udder over the last two + weeks; and my others never develop a sack to the sizes shown with dorpers on these sites. Smaller but full. Even after delivery they do not get much larger than the day of birth. And yes they drop lambs out of nowhere, in the field. Had to give one away as mom rejected the second lamb and we could not take on a bottle baby. She was rejected because my loving young longhorn heifer licked her to help clean up the baby before we knew she’d been dropped in the tall grass. A first time birth from the ewe and twins to boot. Maybe there is a way to smear milk on her or rub the placenta on her as some old timers have suggested. We are too new to all of this to have known at this point. Our four successful Barbado births this spring have all grown like weeds and are totally loveable. Talk about early independence. Three and one half months after birth, they are abusing moms when they come to drink. Another one (or two) lambs due perhaps this afternoon from our friendliest ewe, a mate we purchased at a yound age and bottle fed a while, for our bottle baby ram. Thats another story, but don’t get too friendly with your ram babies or you may need to sell them due to trying to their trying to head butt you incessantly, and a serious risk of getting hurt!! Ed from Central Tx in a cool July..

Hi Ed, Hope all goes well with lambing! We also learned the hard way about not getting too friendly with your rams. Take care, Kim

Excellent and informative presentation. Can anyone tell me why the majority of our lambs are born with a single front leg head position. The majority of our lambs have presented this way this year and require assistance. Any information gratefully accepted

There can be a variety of factors that affect presentation. One year we had all but 1 or 2 lambs born with 1 leg forward presentation. The next year all the lambs were normal presentation.

Thx this helps me a lot as we have a hobby farm and have sheep on it. We have a ewe that is pregnant and we had no knowledge about it. We have one ram and one ewe. Our ram is quite aggressive with us and the ewe while eating. Do you think we should separate them while the ewe is birthing? If so how long do we separate them for after the lamb is born?

Hi Hayleigh, I would separate them and keep them separate until breeding season. If not, and if he becomes aggressive to the lambs, he could seriously hurt them. Also, he could breed your ewe when she begins to cycle again. Nursing plus pregnancy would be a huge toll on her body. We keep our ram with a wether for company and only introduce him to the ewes when we breed. (and remember to separate any ram lambs at weaning or shortly afterwards so they can’t breed the mother. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. – Kim

Thx for your advise. It really helped. Xx

Anytime! Please reach out if you have other questions!

Hey Kim, how r u? I have a question. Our ewe has a tight, big udder but not a very swollen, red vulva. How long off do you think she is from birthing?

Once the skin on the udder becomes tight from being engorged, I find lambing is usually within 24 hours. There’s always the exception but that’s what i usually see.

Thx for the help.

You’re welcome!

I’ve used this resource for 2 years at least to refresh myself prior to lambing, and I’m curious have you ever experienced an udder dripping milk prior to lambing?

Thank you, Gabriella Reid

Hi Gabriella, I haven’t had that issue before. I imagine if the waxy plug in the teat becomes dislodged leaking milk can occur. I’d keep an eye on the ewe because if milk is dripping out, bacteria can get into the udder.

Hi Kim, How are you? I asked you a while back about separating my ewe away from my ram while birthing. Well it helped loads. On the 1st of August twin ewes were born. We are extremely grateful for your advise.

Hi Hayleigh, I’m so glad to hear! I wish you many happy lambings.

Hi Kim I am new to sheep. We bought14 ewes and 2 rams last October knowing that some were pregnant but not knowing due dates we have had one ewe lamb born without any assistance or problems We now have a ewe presenting cotyledons but no lamb had been born Is this placental separation and will she still have a lamb without intervention? These ewes are not friendly and have to be captured via head gates and U do not want to stress her since this issue just presented itself this morning Thank you for your advice. Sharon

Hi Sharon, I would get her haltered or somehow restrained and examine her. Or call you vet out to see what’s going on. Is she pushing or appearing in labor?

Thanks for response She is just walking around like normal eating and drinking as normal not pushing straining or pawing and staying as far from humans as she can like normal lol she just has the cotyledons dangling out attached to about 8 inches of membrane It is New Year’s Day and our vet is 35 miles away

Are you sure she didn’t give birth and left the lamb somewhere?

She has been confined to our barn and lane way areas due to bad weather and we have searched for a lamb and not found one we thought of that as well Thanks for the advice we will just see how she goes tonight

Hope she is OK!

I’m caretaking a flock of 31 Shetland ewes and 3 rams that are completely pastured. This will be my first lambing and I’m nervous as only 1 ewe is friendly! I am thinking of splitting the group to, hopefully, make it easier for me to keep an eye on everyone. The rams will be separated into their own pen for lambing so I don’t have to worry about watching my back constantly. One of the new rams can be grumpy and I don’t know if he can be trusted. Thank you for the walk through!

Hi Samantha, I hope all goes well for you! Lambing on pasture with ewes that aren’t calm around people would make me a little nervous too.

We have another lamb on the way and I’m glad to say I’m prepared and know what to expect. I may be emailing u a lot. Sorry about that. I can’t thank u enough for taking the time to answer my questions when I was stressed about the birth. Thanks to your advice, we had a smooth birth.

That’s great! Hope the others go smoothly!

thanks these are great. A 3 yr old great ewe…Did it herself two lambings. voila. Now she is taking her time and I got a bit worried. Cross fingers, I think she will be OK. Pushing labor for 30 mins, digging holes, no sac visible yet. 2/20/21. CRB

Hope everything goes well!

Hey Kim! How are u?? I have a question (again!) we have another ewe that’s very heavily pregnant and she has a very tight quite red udder and a very swollen vulva. It’s been like this since yesterday. Also her bum gives a bit of a jiggle when she walks. How far off do u think she is??

Hi Hayleigh, doing good. Thanks! Hope all is well with you. I’d say she should give birth in the next day or maybe 2. I would keep checking on her and think it would be done than later. Do you know the breeding date?

Thanks. We didn’t get the exact breeding date but i am 100% positive it was in October.

It may have been mid october. Not too sure.

The fullness of the udder is usually a better indicator than the vulva of how imminent labor is. I have some ewes that get jiggly and puffy a couple weeks before lambing.

Well I can see her udder is huge because it’s got a shine showing it’s stretched out and it is quite red.

That makes me think it will be sooner rather than later. If it’s red just monitor that it doesn’t get hot to the touch. That would be a sign of mastitis.

Ok. She does make it hard for us to touch since she is not as friendly as the others and prefers to stay well away from us. She is quite a small sheep that could also probably make her udder red because it is very big?

It could or just because it’s so engorged. Just something to have in the back of your mind.

Ok. Thanks for your help Kim. I will keep an eye on her 😉

Anytime! I hope lambing goes smoothly for her (and you)!

Hey Kim! My ewe stil hasn’t given birth but I don’t think she is too far off. I was able to milk out a small amount of colostrum. She is also a bit more restless than the others. When the others are lying down she is always up. How far off do You think she is??

I am very sorry to keep bothering you. You are the most successful site that I have come across.

Hi Hayleigh, just be patient. It doesn’t sound like anything is wrong… just that she’s close. You can send me pics or videos to our fb or ig. Don’t try to milk any more colostrum. Bacteria can enter the udder once the wax plugs are removed.

I’m sorry to email you so early. I didn’t realise our times are different.

Sorry to bother you Kim! 🙂

It’s OK!

I am extremely grateful for your advice, and will try to be patient, though for me very hard as it is all very exciting. 🙂

Waiting is hard! Remember that their pregnancy is 5 months. What breed is she?

She is a self shedding dorper.

But like you said she is not far off and I suppose nature will take it’s place.

Yes, and her udder may be large already because she might produce a lot

Hey Kim, I am very apreciative of your support and patience. Our ewe is in birth now.

That’s wonderful! Keep me updated!

Hey Kim, she has been in labor since 6:30 this morning and its 12:30 in the afternoon. Should I be worried since there hasn’t been a lamb yet??

One of the lambs died. Still trying to see if there is another one. 😦

Birth is finished. There was never a second lamb just the 1st one that died. It’s quite unfortunate 😦 😦

I’m so sorry Hayleigh. Losing a lamb is always hard. Generally you should assist if there’s no progress after an hour of active labor.

Will an untamed ewe allow me to assist?? We have sheep for the first time my husband got from a contract sale barn guy can’t get near them! Sorry to butt in here! We have 10 due to lamb but don’t know due dates or anything!

Hi Sharon, if you need to assist a skittish ewe the best method is to put her on a halter and tie her to something secure.

These ewes are so wild they run from me as soon as I start to walk toward them. I caught one once like you suggest she threw herself around so badly feared she would injure herself so I turned her loose. It seems the only way we can do anything with these sheep is to run all of them through our head catch setup and catch the one we want but it is so stressful for the pregnant ewes. They are literally like wild animals ! My husband says just leave them alone to sort out their problems and they can live or die! He is from Australia and had worked sheep on big stations on horseback since he was 15 so has no empathy for livestock. I am beginning to think he may be right with these sheep. We do have 2 that we got from a local farm that are friendly but my new lambs are just as wild as the other crazy ones !

That’s a tough situation. The safest and least stressful way to catch the ewes would probably be to run them through the head catch. Do you have a pen or barn to keep the pregnant ewes so they’re in a more confined space?

Two of our untamed ewes have successfully had a lamb (singles only) without assistance. Now the lambs are as wild as their mothers even though I have held them and handled them from birth. How can I get my new lambs to be semi friendly so I can at least get near them without them running away like they are going to be murdered? It is a real problem,my goats kids were usually always semi tame but these sheep are insane!

I always find the best way to make lambs (or adult sheep) friendly is to use food… either grain or treats. Ram lambs will almost always be more friendly than ewe lambs, but unless you’re castrating them you shouldn’t let them get too friendly. You want rams to have a respect of people, not think they are the same.

You are so helpful! We got our Dorper ram from a sale yard and he is definitely a head butter! I have to carry a big walking stick into his ram area and he stays away when he sees it. These animals only come for their food after I move away except for the two tame ones, who get most of the food since they are happy to be near me while the others stay far away! My tame ones are fat!

I always advise purchasing stock from breeders so you can see the temperament of their flock. Buying from a sale barn is tricky… usually sheep get sold there for a reason – like safety.

Yes I see this now! Now I just wait to see if there is a new lamb when I turn them out or bring them in. If there is a problem I can only hope the ewe will be too busy with labor to care if I come to assist! I am concerned at how totally the new lambs learn to run run away like their mothers! I would never recommend sale yard livestock to anybody for breeding stock! They are less expensive but more trouble than just spending more money for better sheep! You are a godsend! Thanks for the suggestions

One thing you could do to make the lambs more friendly would be to bottle feed them. It’s a lot work though. And I wouldn’t bottle feed any ram lambs unless necessary. Bottle rams can grow up to be aggressive.

Yes we have bottle fed our girlie goat kids in the past but our goat kids even if not bottle fed are often friendly enough to handle without bottle feeding I don’t have time to bottle feed lambies lol we both have regular jobs besides the farm we had another unassisted lambing just now single so far but she may have another lamb is already on it’s feet and nursing mom but s very attentive Thanks for being there! Hopefully all my ewes will have unremarkable births!

Yeah. We couldn’t see if she was in labour because she was just lying down. Thanks for your support though.

We had one lamb twins today! Did everything by herself, we just had to move them to a better location. No lambing jugs here, just pasture and a small pen we use for catching them. So she’s in there and is taking good care of them. I was able to make her sure her milk supply had come in and both lambs have drank and are quiet and laying down. Yay! I survived the first lambing! lol

Wonderful! I’m glad everything went smoothly!

That is so exciting! We have had 3 singles but no twins! Like you we don’t have jugs either and our sheep are also wild and not friendly at all

Well, had a 2 yr old lamb today, with a bit of help. I stepped in as I could see a head but no feet. Turned out the feet were there but weren’t extended at all, elbows were caught. Pulled the little guy (yes, it’s a ram!) out, set it by momma’s head, wiped some goo on her nose and walked away. She took one sniff and got up and walked away! Kept her back to him for awhile, then we moved mom and baby into a smaller area and kept putting him right in her face. She kept head butting him and walking away. We brought him inside for awhile to warm him up and figure out next steps. Our dogs were very curious. Lol. I went back out to see if I could get some colostrum out of her, she had some but it’s very thick. Good stuff if we could get it into him! Brought the lamb back out to see if we could get him to nurse, put a halter on mom so she couldn’t walk away. She let him try, I think he got something, his tail was going crazy! Finally, she started to clean him off! We left them alone for awhile and waited for the owner to get here. The owner and I decided to milk some colostrum out of her using the Udderly EZ milker, ended up mixing it with powdered to give him more. He took almost the whole bottle. I kept them in the small area for tonight, tomorrow I’ll let them out with the rest. And the owner said that another ewe is due soon! And the fun begins!

Hi there, I have been appointed to look after a farmer’s sheep. They are all lambing beautifully. My concern is that I have an ewe that has a bad back leg. As she gets bigger, she struggles more and more to walk about. She is heavily pregnant. She has been lying down for 2 days now, I go to her frequently to pick her up and then keep her stable so she can get some bloodflow to her leg and side, as well as keeping water and food within reach. She tries, but as soon as she starts to walk, her leg folds in underneath her. The farmer seems to think that she either has bad arthritis or that the lamb(s) are causing a pinched nerve somewhere. My worry is that she will have difficulty lambing. I am afraid that she will start to lamb and I won’t be there quick enough to be on standby in case she needs me. I am already getting up frequently at night to check on her as well. Your website is a massive help, especially the visuals, it gave me a better idea what to look for, how to check for signs, thank you so much!! Is there anything I can do additionally to just checking or when the lamb comes? Do I need to check on her every hour at night? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hi Sigi! Thank you so much! If she were mine, I’d try to get a vet’s opinion on her leg. Other than that, just check her every hour or 2 and keep getting her up. How is she doing eating and drinking? I haven’t dealt with it, but pregnancy toxemia can be an issue in late pregnancy. With her not very mobile, you may want to read up on that condition. If you think it’s more her leg, you can make a splint for her, using pipe insulation and vet wrap. That would give her more stability. Let me know how things go with her! Take care, Kim

Hi Kim, Thank you soooo much for your reply! I will read up on the toxemia as well. Her leg has been a problem for a while now, it is like she cannot lift it up properly, like it is a little lame. We injected her a couple weeks back with Hi-Tet and anti-inflammatory, and it helped a lot. But the bigger she got, the less mobile she got. I think maybe the weight of the lamb(s) is causing her to lose what little control she had over her leg. Hopefully it will be better after she gives birth. I was just concerned she might have trouble lambing and even if it goes well, might not be able to get to her lamb in time or that the poor baby won’t be able ro drink. I will continue to watch her closely and let you know how it goes. The splint is a good idea, though, I will see what we can MacGyver tomorrow 😉 Thank you thank you thank yoy, you guys are wonderful!!!

Thanks so much! I hope all goes well!

This was awesome thank you. I only Wish that I saw this when our 1st lamb was born. Our 2nd ewe is do with in a couple of weeks. Now I have references. Our first birthing God blessed us because he had everything in control. AMEN. Woke to a baby ram that was just born and the placenta was still hanging out.

Congratulations on your 1st lamb! I hope the next goes just as smoothly! If you have questions you can reach out to me here or on our fb page.

How to care for ewe that loses her lambs i.e. milk supply. Can she get mastitis?

I believe she can. I would monitor her behavior and temperature.

Hi can ewe still be pregnant after a going into labour to early? She had a little boy wasn’t bagged up as yet. He was born 5 weeks ago stillborn now she has put a lot of weight on again and has bagged up. My other ewe is die very soon as well. Iam hoping this is the case I live little ones

It’s rare, but possible for a ewe to be pregnant with lambs of different ages. Was the stillborn lamb full size, or could it have been early? I’d keep a close eye on her either way. I hope you have healthy lambs born! Keep me posted! -Kim

Thank you so much for this post. I never knew that you could not pull the placenta out, I honestly thought it was like with humans, when they pull the placenta out during contractions after the baby. Thank you so much for putting that in there. I could have possibly injured or killed one of my ewe’s. We are new to goat farming. We have had a farm for two years, but just had our first baby born on Christmas Eve, sadly he was born stillborn. This helped me post helped me alot because out of my husband and inlaws and myself I am the one that does all the doctoring that doesn’t involve a vet.

I’m so glad to help, Ashley! I’m sorry you lost your lamb and hope any others are born healthy. Take care, Kim

That’s great

Can I send you a picture of my sheeps bottom? Maybe you can help me find out when she’s going to deliver or if something else is wrong with her.

Sure, Cindy! You can email it or send it to our page on FB or IG.

Ok thank you

When will we know when to help. What if the Ewe has been laying down breathing hard for a day going on 2 days?

Hi Valerie, do you know when she’s due? Is there any pushing?

My sheep users are huge for 3 weeks now is this common. And it’s here 1st birth she is 6 years old

Hi Sherry, yes, some ewes will get very big udders a while before lambing. Once she gives birth, check her teats. Sometimes the teats will get engorged and become to big for the lambs to suck. Just milk some colostrum out and freeze in case you have an emergency later.

I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was curious what all is needed to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100 certain. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Appreciate it

Why would a ewe continue to paw the ground after she has given birth to the lamb?

Hi Michelle, She could be getting ready for a 2nd lamb, or for the placenta to be delivered. If she’s pawing around the lamb(s) she is usually trying to get them up to nurse.

Ewe has been walking none stop sometimes till she falls down. Rests for a couple of minutes then gets back up. This has been going on for 2 days. Her uterus was already enlarged & pink when she came. Ram kept her pinned away from rest of flock. Mounted her several times. Her belly has dropped quite a bit but sides aren’t hollowed out much. Is she in trouble trying to deliver or is this part of restless moma?

Hi Tina, If you have access to a vet I would call to have her examined. A hands-on examination is very helpful in these situations. A ewe can smell like she’s in heat to a ram before labor begins and they may mount her. It does sound like she is experiencing stress. What breed is she? If she’s very large (having multiples) she could be having nutritional issues as well. You can get ketone test strips from any pharmacy and test her urine.

If you’re on fb or ig, you can also message me there @ redropefarm . I often get those messages more quickly than here. Take care, Kim

Hi, I have a single 5yr old pet ewe. We just got new neighbours that have sheep including a ram, would it be ok if the ram got to her or advised not to at her age? She has never been with other sheep only lives with a cow

Hi Katie, As long as she’s in good health and her teeth are in good shape, I think it would be fine if she got pregnant. Do you have experience in lambing? Take care, Kim

Fascinating

Hello I just have a question, I had a Sheep and she just lamed a week ago, it was her first birthing, she had twin girls. Both seemed healthy. It has been about a week and I noticed a little blood on one of their heads and noticed it was coming from Mumas vagina. I was told it was normal and it could be vulva discharge and it’s ok. Is that true of is there any way to tell if I have to assist her in another way. Thank you.

It may be normal. If you’re concerned or if she seems to be in distress at all, contact your vet for an exam.

Thank you so much. Your facilities are lovely. I have three ewes and they lambed this year, in the paddock and at night. I didnt know how to recognise how close they were to lambing. Now i have a better idea i will try to confine them so they can be more comfortable.

Thank you Lenore!

thank you so much this really helps because as soon as i left to go to school my ewe started birthing especially as she is a first time mum so she wont know how much pain it is to get the lamb out

Thank you Jess!

Your lectures is so satisfying. Want to learn more things.

when if ever is a sheep to far over due to the point where you induce labor and go in after the lamb? Asking cause this year we are having lots of big lambs 11-15 lbs?

I would consult a Veterinary professional about overdue concerns, but I have had many large lambs born at correct due dates. I have read that feeding too much grain late in pregnancy can affect birth weights, and also that most large single lambs are rams…. both I have noticed to be true on my farm. What breed of sheep do you have? ~Kim

how far past a due date do you induce labor on a ewe. We know exact due date as we raddle the ram and all ewes last 2 years have lambed within 1-2 days of marked date. Have a ewe who is almost a week past, she’s not stressed, not toxic, so haven’t worried but how long past is normal? They are katahdins and very reliable lambing. We no longer have a sheep vet in area so I’m on my own.

I, personally, wouldn’t induce unless I had veterinary advice on it. How long did you leave the ewe in with the ram? Is it possible she got bred a second time? How does her udder look? ~Kim

Hi! I have no idea if you’ll get this in time – My ewe is in labor right now. The water bag has been out since 4:15… it’s been 50 minutes. But hasn’t broken and there’s no lamb. You said it should be an hour from this point – how do you examine the ewe to determine if the lamb is in correct position, if the water bag is still intact?

Hi Emily, preferrably with gloves on and with lube, insert your fingers into her vagina. You’re hoping to feel a nose or front feet. If you don’t, you need to determine what you’re feeling.

Thank you! I didn’t have gloves, but there were two hooves and a nose… we got 2 babies! They both seemed great at first, but the boy won’t latch on. I made sure he got some colostrum and tried putting him right on the tray several times – I hope he makes it!

That’s great! If he doesn’t nurse you can tube feed him until he gets the hang of nursing. 

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Great Pictures. I have tree Tunis ewes. This the second time for me waiting for them to deliver. I compared your pictures with what I have now and that is a great help. I have a question, should I clean their nibbles before feeding their new born? Thank you so much. I would appreciate if you could send me an e-mail with your answer.

Hi Michael, If their teats are dirty, I’d wipe them off but it’s not normally necessary. Just strip the teat to make sure the wax plug comes out so the milk can flow.

thank so much. Michael

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Correcting a Lamb’s Position During Birth

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You are here » Home » Livestock » Sheep » Breeding Sheep » Lambing

The best advice I can give here is to get yourself on a lambing course run by a reputable provider. The main purpose of a lambing course, in my opinion, is not to teach you how to deal with every possible malpresentation – it’s to teach you to recognise them and decide quickly whether you are proficient enough to deal with them.

If you aren’t, call the vet or an experienced shepherd that you trust not to have an ego. Too much time spent guddling about can lead to the loss of both lambs and ewe.

Most lambs are born without any intervention from the shepherd. The normal presentation is two front feet with the head resting on the front legs – the lamb looks like it’s diving out of the ewe.

Malpresentations include one leg back, both legs back (hung lamb), head back, back feet first and tail first. If there are multiple lambs, it can be a bit of a tangle and if you are lambing twins or triplets, it’s essential that you make sure that the two legs and head that you are “assisting” all belong to the same lamb.

How will I know the ewe is lambing?

If you have raddled your tup, you will know when the ewe was served but although the average gestation period is 147 days, not all ewes have read this.

I have found that, for my Coloured Ryelands, those with singles lamb at 147 days; twins lamb two days later. Mostly.

Some ewes will start to produce milk and the udder will fill up – bagging up – before lambing. But not all ewes do this and first-timers sometimes don’t bag up until birth is imminent.

From labour to birth

It’s difficult to give a timescale as every ewe is different, but on average , from the onset of labour to the birth of the first lamb takes 90 – 120 minutes. From the appearance / bursting of the water bag, there is usually around 30 minutes until the lamb is born. A second lamb may be born almost right away or contractions may stop and it may take another hour for the second (and third) lamb to be born.

Generally, as labour starts, the ewe will look uncomfortable; she may take herself away from the flock (remember, she will be unable to do this as noticeably if the ewes are indoors); she will paw the ground, lie down, stand up, turn round, and lie down again. She will stretch her neck back and may lift her top lip.

The next step is the breaking of the water bag. This can happen pretty quickly and, if the ewe is startled and moves quickly, you can miss seeing this – once it’s broken, there’s nothing to see.

After this, the ewe will start to strain in earnest and soon after, you should see the two feet and a nose – these may appear and disappear a few times but don’t worry about this, all is well and you can let her get on with it. It may take some time, but try not to interfere.

Once the lamb is born, the ewe may remain lying down for a few minutes; if the lamb is shaking its head and its face is clear of membrane, leave it alone. If the lamb has the birth sac over its head, remove it.

Don’t break the umbilical cord, this will happen naturally when the ewe stands up. In a few minutes, the ewe will get up and start to lick the lamb and begin the bonding process. If the lamb is clearly alive and breathing, leave them to get on with it.

After ten minutes or so, the ewe will have accepted the lamb and you may move them to the mothering pen.

If the ewe is expecting another lamb, then keep an eye on her until the second lamb is safely delivered. If the first lamb is on its feet and starts to wander off, the ewe may birth the second lamb then go off in pursuit of number one lamb, and number two lamb may be lost. So moving to a small pen or making a pen round the ewe is a good idea, but no substitute for good stockmanship.

First-time lambers will take forever (it will seem to you), whereas an experienced ewe should be much quicker.

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About Rosemary Champion

Rosemary lives on a 12 acre smallholding in Angus, in the east of Scotland, where she keeps Ryeland Sheep , Shetland cattle and assorted poultry. She was destined to be a smallholder from an early age.

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Lamb Birth Weights in Relation to Lamb Survivability

Written with contributions by Kelly Froehlich, former Assistant Professor & SDSU Extension Sheep and Goat Specialist.

Lamb mortalities result in significant loss of income to farms and ranches. Although lamb death can occur anywhere from birth to weaning, the greatest lamb mortalities occur within the first few days of life. This survivability is multifaceted, depending on genetics, behavior, physiology, and the environment, and it is closely linked with lamb birth weight. By optimizing lamb birth weights within a flock and breed, producers can help minimize lamb losses.

Within a population of sheep, lamb birth weight in relation to lamb survival is a U-shaped distribution, with the average being somewhere in the middle. Lambs falling on either end of the U-shaped distribution, so those with abnormally low or high birth weights, have a greater chance of mortality. Lower birth weigh lambs are more prone to starvation and exposure to the environment due to their high body surface to body mass ratio. In addition, those lambs have less vigor and udder-seeking behavior at birth. Higher birth weights also experience increased mortalities, this occurs through birthing injuries and reduced lamb vigor at birth, potentially due to a longer, more-difficult birthing period (dystocia). Although dystocia can be increased in higher birth weight lambs, prolific sheep birthing multiple, smaller lambs can also be a leading cause due to abnormal birth presentations and longer birth time.

Optimal Lamb Birth Weights

So, what is the optimal lamb birth weight for maximizing lamb survival? Well, it depends. Given the diversity (and size) of sheep breeds across the world and the United States, that answer shouldn’t be surprising. A 1980s study looking at multiple breeds of New Zealand sheep suggested the optimal birth weight for lamb survival to between somewhere between 7.7 to 12 pounds. Recent data from mostly NZ Romney, Coopworth, and Texel sheep suggested an optimal birth weight of around 12 pounds. This is re-iterated from an Australian publication; lambs around that 12-pound mark had the greatest survival (Figure 1). This is the upper-end of the suggested optimal birth weight study from the 1980s, but could reflect the increase of ewe size.

Factors Influencing Birth Weight

Birth weight can be affected by a variety of factors including litter size, dam age/parity, ewe nutrition and ewe size. Litter size has an inverse relationship with birth weight, the more lambs in a litter, the lower the birth weight of those lambs. Younger ewes and ewes lambing for the first time tend to (but not always) have lower birth weight lambs than older and more-experienced ewes. Ewe nutrition in gestation impacts lamb birth weight. Underfed ewes not provided adequate nutrition will have smaller lambs. However, there is little support to suggest that over feeding ewes above their requirements will affect birth weight or weaning weight of those lambs. Lastly, the size of the ewe and its utero environment can impact lamb birth weights. For example, Suffolk lambs will be larger when gestated in a Suffolk ewe (larger breed) compared to a Cheviot ewe (smaller breed).

To increase lamb survival, lamb birth weights cannot be overlooked. An optimal birth weight for survival is going to be dependent on an individual breed (and size) of a sheep. However, there are some management factors that can help minimize or at least anticipate the birth of lambs and/or ewes that may need extra care. This includes ensuring adequate feed is provided for gestating ewes, anticipating providing extra care and attention for those younger and first-time lambing ewes, and utilizing and evaluating the genetics of rams and ewes to ensure a more-optimal birth weight for the breed of sheep.

• Dalton, D. C., T. W. Knight, and D. L. Johnson. 1980. Lamb survival in sheep breeds on New Zealand hill country. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 23(2):167-173.
• Dwyer, C. M., J. Conington, F. Corbiere, I. H. Holmøy, K. Muri, R. Nowak, J. Rooke, J. Vipond, and J. M. Gautier. 2016. Invited review: Improving neonatal survival in small ruminants: science into practice. Animal 10(3):449-459.
• Everett-Hincks, J. M. and K. G. Dodds. 2008. Management of maternal-offspring behavior to improve lamb survival in easy care sheep systems. J Anim Sci 86(14 Suppl):E259-270.
• Kenyon, P. R. and H. T. Blair. 2014. Foetal programming in sheep – Effects on production. Small Ruminant Research 118(1):16-30.
• Curnow, M., A.N. Thompson, R. Behrendt, and J.C. Whale. 2008. Ewe management handbook: optimizing merino ewe nutrition to increase profits. Albany, W.A. : Lifetimewool.

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Two Master Lamb Producers Recognized at 2022 South Dakota Sheep Growers Association Conference

October 28, 2022

The South Dakota Master Lamb Producers Association recognized sheep producers from Alexandria, South Dakota, and Wessington Springs, South Dakota, during this year’s South Dakota Sheep Growers Annual Convention.

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Lambing Season: What To Expect And How To Be Ready

The start of lambing season is always a big day! Exciting but a bit scary, too! All of your preparation up until now will get you great results, or maybe not so great.

Since your sheep income for the whole year starts here, let’s make sure we are ready!

To be ready for lambing season, plan ahead. Have all lambing supplies on hand before the start of lambing, have lambing jugs ready to use if needed, have the sheep in an area that is easy to access and plan to spend extra time checking the sheep during lambing.

Lambing season is always a favorite time of the sheep farmer’s year. All of the preparation and planning for your flock will start to show up now.

Unfortunately, now is also when your lack of planning and preparation starts to show.

Many lambs and ewes will get along just fine without any help from the farmer, however, some will not. These are the ewes and lambs that can be saved but, without help, would not have lived.

Turning these potential problem animals into marketable lambs and ewes is an area where the savvy farmer can make the most of the flock. Preventable losses are a disaster for the bottom line.

To dive deeper into the profits (or lack of) in raising sheep consider reading my article Raising Sheep For Profit: Let’s Look At Some Numbers.

The main points on how to be ready for lambing season and what to expect are:

• Ewes should be in good shape (not fat or thin)
• Have lambing jugs (individual pens for the ewe and her new lambs) ready to be assembled
• Have a bucket for water for each jug
• Have an identification plan ready (marking paint, tags, or tattoos)
• Pasture lambing will be a bit different (no jugs)

Before lambing season check ewes

Ewe condition is important, not fat, not thin.

Ideally, the ewes should be well fed but not fat coming into lambing. Proper body condition is important for ewe health and ease of lambing.

A thin ewe will have a harder time handling the stress of lambing and have less of a reserve of fat to draw from to feed the lambs. She is more likely to get sick and have a harder time recovering if she has any problems.

On the other hand, a fat ewe is a definite problem. Fat ewes will have more problems with difficult births and metabolic problems converting their energy into milk for the lambs.

Lambing jugs should be easily accessable

Lambing jugs are the small pen (6 ft. x 6 ft.) you put the ewe and her lambs in the first day or two after they are born.

Being in the lambing jug gives the lambs time to learn to recognize their mom and helps you to make sure the new babies are being looked after.

We use wooden gates that are six feet long to make the jugs. Ours are high enough so that we can barely step over the side.

The bottom boards of the gate are placed so that the lambs can not fit through the spaces between the boards.

We also keep a few wooden pallets and extra cattle panels available for when we need more jugs.

You can use whatever you have on hand of course, but the easiest to use jugs are made with the gates.

You will also need a bucket for water for each pen.

Mismothering lambs is a big problem

Most ewes want to have a lamb to take care of. Lambs can be confused as to who is their mom.

It is common for a ewe that has not given birth yet but will soon to start baaing and looking around for lambs.

Obviously, she won’t find them since they are not yet born but she will find other lambs and try to take care of them. This is called mismothering.

Mismothering is a problem because once the ewe has her own lambs she will be able to tell that the first lamb is not hers and she will not take care of it anymore leaving the lamb without a mom.

Putting the ewe and lambs in a lambing jug keeps them together until they bond so no lambs end up motherless due to confusion.

Have a can of spray on marking paint

An effective tool we use is spray on marker paint to number the ewes and lambs. Marker paint is simple to use and affordable.

It makes a huge difference for us to tell for sure which lambs are with their moms.

If you just have a small number of ewes you might not need the spray.

But lambs look quite a bit alike once they get to moving around and are always harder to tell apart than I thought they would be.

Marking paint is also a help for some one who is less familiar with the sheep doing a check for you.

In the past we always cheaped out here and that was a mistake since the spray is $10 and makes identification so much easier and super quick.

Be ready early, sheep don’t read the calendar

It is also worth noting to look at the calendar and plan on lambs showing up at least a few days before the actual five months are up.

For example, we just finished lambing in an early group of 35 ewes. The breeding window was eight days but the lambing window was 20 days.

Lambs started coming a week before they were due and extending a few days afterward.

When Do Sheep Breed? is an article I wrote that goes over the likely dates of the first lambs born, depending upon when you put in the rams.

The first lambs born will be early

Normally, the first few lambs will be born a bit earlier than your expected start of the lambing season when looking at the date on the calendar.

One or two ewes will lamb then all of a sudden everybody joins in and starts lambing.

Physical signs will show ewes soon to lamb

You can’t for sure but you can give a good guess. Here are some things to look for in a soon to be giving birth ewe:

• A full udder
• She does not eat when the rest of the ewes are eating
• She is the only one standing (or the only one laying down)
• She repeatedly gets up and down
• All of the other ewes are chewing their cud but she is not
• Calling for a baby that is not born yet
• Calling to lambs that are not hers

The lamb will be “diving” out of the birth canal

Once she is for sure in labor, you will see the water sac hang out.

Next comes the front feet, followed buy the nose, which will be laying on the legs at the knees. The lamb will “dive” out of the birth canal to be born.

As soon as the lamb is on the ground the umbilical cord will break which makes the lamb start to breathe. The ewe will stand and start licking it off.

The licking removes any of the placenta that is covering the nose and stimulates the circulation of the lamb to get it warmed up and working on standing to nurse.

Generally, if you listen you can hear the lamb nurse and if you watch you will see the tail wag when it finally gets things figured out.

Give the ewe time to birth the lambs herself.

If she has been struggling for a while with no visible progress then you need to look into the situation and determine how to help.

Assisting The Ewe At Lambing is an Ontario Ministry Of Agriculture article that has more of the specific details of lambing if you are interested.

Non “diving” lamb birth positions

For birth to go well the lamb must be in the dive position, any other presentation of lamb body parts equals problems.

Lambs can be head only, just one leg, both front legs but elbows tucked back, feet but no head, breech (backwards) two legs but from different lambs, and any other combination you could think of.

If you have two feet (from the same lamb) and the head in line to come out then pull, if not, push it all back in and try to rearrange the lamb.

This is tough but must be done. Once you notice problems, get some experienced help or just call the vet.

Checking ewes and lambs prevents losses

We check our ewes multiple times through the night, especially if it is going to be cold or windy.

You have to decide for yourself how often you want to check your sheep and how much or little assistance you are willing to provide.

Not doing anything to help ever will probably result in some lamb deaths, but this is nature’s way of handling problems.

We prefer to do what we can and just sell any lambs from ewes that needed help or were poor moms.

Only keep what you want to continue doing

As far as potential replacement ewes, anything you do to assist a lamb is likely to be something you will have to do for her lambs should you decide to keep her as breeding stock.

Sometimes you are not in the position to cull (sell poorly performing adults) as heavily as you would like to, for instance if you are building up your flock numbers.

Just be aware that whatever you accept and keep as breeding stock you will continue to get (and have to deal with every year).

Keep ewes with lambs as a group

Pretty quickly you will have a lot of lambs and ewes in jugs. Keep them in the jug for a day or two until it looks like they are well bonded.

Mark them before you turn them out into a group of ewes and new lambs, not with the other pregnant ewes.

We normally keep multiple births together for a bit longer to make sure all the lambs are ready for the bigger area and additional freedom.

More freedom equals more opportunity for a curious lamb to get into trouble, and usually lambs are far better at getting into trouble than getting out of it.

Keep lambs of the same age together

Try to keep the lambs around the same age together.

Once a lamb gets a bit of experience with zooming around and starts to explore the pen area he will inevitably figure out that other ewes have udders as well, not just his mom.

Now he will try to steal milk. This opportunistic milk stealing is normal.

Most ewes will shake off lambs nursing that are not their own, but not always.

For younger lambs, especially newborns the ewe has to hold still so she’s an easy target for a persistent older more capable lamb.

Older lambs will beat out younger ones for the milk, so keep them separate to even out competition.

Divide the group and move the dividers as needed

We tend to divide the pen using the gates and feeders and move the division line down the pen as more lambs are born.

At first the ewes with lambs section is small, then as more lambs and ewes come out of the jugs (located on the sides of the main pen) we move the dividing line further into the no babies yet section.

A few lambs will be late born

Just like there were some early starters there will also be some late starters.

By now you should have a system that is working for you as far as when to turn out the ewes and lambs.

The last few lambs need attention too

A word of caution, stay vigilant as far as keeping watch over the lambs.

These last few babies are younger, possibly much younger, than the first few.

Newborn late lambs will need some time to get the coordination to be feisty enough to be as fast as the older lambs.

Lambing on pasture is doable

If you are planning on lambing out your ewes on pasture things will be a bit different for you than those planning on barn lambing.

Identification and mismothering are big issues here.

Identification on pasture is more challenging

Use the paint spray to match up lambs and ewes. Once marked, it is easy to tell from a distance who belongs with who.

The paint spray mark will last for a few weeks.

You will still have to catch them again before the mark fades out to put in tags or tattoos.

Be aware that young lambs can get hurt as the ewes try to run from you in the catch pen. Keep this in mind and be gentle.

Tag (or tattoo) the lambs ASAP

If you want tattoos or tags, do them now since lambs get faster than you very quickly. They will be very hard to catch once they are a few days old.

We normally do not tag our sheep. That may change in the future, but for now we manage the flock as a group.

This means that if we wanted individual records we have no accurate way to keep those records since we would be guessing.

If you decide to use tags for your pasture born lambs, they need tagged right away, otherwise they will be too quick and agile to catch.

Thinking that you will remember or be able to tell? To be blunt, not likely. If you want individual identification, get the tags.

Tags Vs Tattoos For Animal Identification is an article I wrote to help you decide between using tags or tattoos on your sheep.

Mismothering of pasture lambs can happen

That (identification) is the easy one, mismothering is more complicated.

We just go out and walk through the flock a few times a day making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be and then we check on ewes that are lambing.

If a ewe lambing starts to look like a group activity (other ewes are interested when she needs to be by herself) then we work on separating them.

This is not an exact science. We just keep working at it until they decide to go with their own babies or we take a jug out there.

Mismothered lambs get left behind

Again, the danger here is a lamb or multiple lambs being with the wrong mom and then not being taken care of when she has her own babies.

Or just a mom with twins or triplets that has a hard time keeping track of more than one baby.

The ones that wander off will miss a feeding (at best) or the worse outcome is that the left behind lamb will get weak and die.

Lambs need some management

Once the lambs are all up and going, we take off tails . Admittedly this is not my favorite job but it has to be done.

If you live in a dry area then you might not need to bother, but here sheep with tails get manure all over their backsides and then they get fly strike.

Fly strike is maggots on the skin, which is very stressful for the sheep. Not to mention, really gross to see. Short tails seems to reduce fly strike.

Removing the lamb’s tail by cutting it

We use a knife and cut off the tail. Pick a cool, clear day so they will heal quickly.

The other method for taking off tails is to use elastrator bands.

Elastrator bands look like really small green rubber inner tubes that you stretch over the tail using a pair of special expanding pliers.

These bands are also commonly used for castration.

Elastrator bands can be put on the tail

The elastrator bands cut off the circulation to the area they are surrounding so that part of the body will dry up and fall off.

This sounds less stressful than cutting but actually it is more prolonged pain for the lamb.

Once you put on the band, the lamb will shortly be rolling around on the ground because of the lack of circulation causing pain.

Creep feeding lambs will help them grow

Consider putting in a creep feeder . This is an area that has special feed just for the lambs.

Sheep Creep Feeder is an article I wrote to show you the options you have if you decide to try it.

Creep feed is just an option, forage only lambs will grow just fine (as long as you keep the parasites under control).

However, lambs with access to a creep feeder will grow faster than lambs with out access to a creep feeder.

The ewes are kept out by making a gate or doorway with openings just big enough for the lambs but too small for the ewes to get in an hog all the feed.

There are manufactured creep panels and creep feeders available to use out on pasture as well. These creep feeders are self contained, meaning they are a box with a lamb only fence across the front.

You can make your own lamb creep area

I saw some fellow sheep farmers hang a gate a foot or so off the ground in a corner and the lambs just wiggle under it to get the creep feed. These guys had beautiful Suffolks and this system seemed to work well.

Our sheep are more scrappy than that and would have snuck right under that gate to the feed (where they would make themselves sick). Unfortunate for us, since that high gate as a separator was an easy, useful idea.

Creep panel are a gate the lambs fit through

We always use a creep panel , which is a gate with lamb size openings.

With a creep panel, the ewes are too big to go through the panel openings to get to the sectioned off area that has feed.

We also try to have some high quality hay in the creep pen for the lambs to start nibbling on.

Creep panels would just give the lambs access to another pasture or pen area.

Related Questions

What time of the year do sheep give birth?

Some breeds of sheep can have lambs anytime of the year, common examples of sheep that can breed and lamb year round are Dorset and Polypay sheep.

Most sheep breeds will lamb in the spring (but not other times of the year) at the same time as the deer are having babies.

Can you have just one sheep?

Yes, you can keep only one sheep, but it will be stressful to the sheep.

Sheep are herd animals and feel most secure in a group so it is always best for the sheep to have more than one.

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Lambing Part 2 Lambing Problems

Ringwomb (incomplete dilation of the cervix).

Ringwomb is an incompletely dilated cervix more than six hours after foetal membranes first appear at the vulva. Typically the entrance to the womb is only 3 to 5 cm in diameter allowing passage of only two or three fingers.

The number of cases of ringwomb in a flock varies between farms and between years. The cause of the problem is unknown. Other causes of dystocia may be mis-diagnosed as ringwomb because intervention occurs before the first stage of labour is finished and before the cervix has had time to dilate naturally. If the onset of first stage labour was missed (e.g. in extensive outdoor lambing systems) then it is difficult to correctly identify how much time has elapsed and whether the ewe requires intervention or simply more time.

Various smooth muscle relaxants have been used for ringwomb in sheep but there is little evidence they are effective. Some vets advocate the use of calcium in these cases, although again the evidence for this is limited. Gentle manipulation of the cervix with a clean, gloved hand may encourage dilation. However, if no progress has been made after 10 minutes, continued manual interference can contaminate the lamb, vagina and uterus, and damage the tissues. This increases the risk of infection if the lamb is delivered by a subsequent caesarean operation.

If manipulation of the cervix is unsuccessful the only way to retrieve the lamb(s) is by caesarean section. Seek veterinary assistance immediately. Manual interference with dirty ungloved hands significantly increases the risk of damage to the tissues of the reproductive tract, and the chance of uterine infection (metritis) after lambing.

Head and only one front leg presented (front leg back)

Figure  1: Early detection of a leg back is much easier to correct because the lamb's head is still within the maternal pelvis.

To correct this malpresentation, the retained front leg lying alongside the lamb's chest should be brought forward before any traction is applied to the lamb. This involves pushing the lamb's head back within the ewe's pelvis, flexing the shoulder, elbow, and knee joints of the lamb's retained leg then carefully extending the fetlock and elbow joints in that order which presents the foot at the pelvic inlet. Gentle traction applied to both forelegs should result in delivery of the lamb within 30 to 60 seconds.

If the lamb is small (a twin or triplet), or the ewe is particularly large, it may be possible to deliver the lamb by applying gentle traction to the single leg and head whilst twisting the lamb 90 o so that the other shoulder is able to pop through the pelvis without any other manipulation. This manoeuvre is not always successful, and care must be taken not to pull too hard resulting in injury to the lamb.

Fig 2: Leg back (early intervention) - the retained (left) front leg lies alongside the lamb's chest and must be brought forward before any traction is applied to the lamb.

Figure 3: Right leg back (late intervention) - the lamb is dry and its head is beginning to swell.

Fig 4: The lamb's head has been well lubricated and pushed back into the ewe's posterior reproductive tract using steady pressure to allow the retained leg to be brought forward.

Bilateral shoulder flexion (Hung lamb)

The head is presented through the vulva but both forelegs are retained alongside the chest.

Figure 5: A hung lamb can easily be missed on casual inspection of the lambing group.

Figure 6: The head of the hung lamb will begin to swell rapidly if not detected and corrected quickly.

Correction of this presentation involves gentle repulsion of the lamb's head into the vagina using plenty of obstetrical lubricant. The shoulder, elbow, knee and fetlock joints of one foreleg are flexed in that order, and then carefully extended in the reverse order which presents the foot at the pelvic inlet. The process is then repeated for the second leg, before gentle traction on both legs results in delivery of the lamb. If the lamb is dead, the head can be removed instead of repelled to allow manipulation of the front legs.

Repulsion of the lamb's head is greatly facilitated by an epidural injection by a veterinary surgeon which blocks the local sensation and reduces the reflex abdominal contractions of the ewe. If the lambs head will not go back far enough to enable the front legs to be reached then veterinary advice should be sought. 

The lamb's head and tongue may remain swollen for a few hours. Stomach tube these lambs to ensure they receive enough colostrum within the first two hours of life.

Prolonged second stage labour

Ewes who have stopped straining after two or more hours should be examined. Reasons to stop straining include fatigue, a backwards or breech lamb or simultaneous presentation of two lambs. Ewes who are continually disturbed during second stage labour may also stop straining. 

Lambs born after prolonged second stage labour may be covered in meconium (the first faeces) and appear yellow, green or brown in colour at birth. This is an indication of foetal distress before birth. This is reduced by ensuring ewes are monitored regularly and interventions are carried out in a timely fashion. 

Posterior presentation (Lamb coming backwards)

The first stage of labour proceeds normally in these cases but there is much reduced straining during second stage labour because the lamb does not become fully engaged within the ewe's pelvis to stimulate the powerful reflex abdominal contractions. These ewes are usually noticed and examined because there has been no progress in several hours. Digital examination of the vagina reveals the lamb's hooves facing the roof of the vagina (not the floor) and the hocks can be felt by progressing forward.

Figure 7: Lamb in posterior presentation - the lamb's hooves facing the roof of the vagina (not the floor).

You can tell the difference between fore feet and hind feet in the case of two lambs presented simultaneously by the fact that the knee and fetlock joints flex in same direction in the foreleg, whereas the hock and fetlock joints flex in opposite directions in the hind leg.

Figure 8: Necropsy reveals trauma to the rib cage in a large singleton lamb delivered in posterior presentation.

Trauma to the rib cage is common in large lambs (especially singletons) delivered in posterior presentation. Fractures of the ribcage can severely impair respiratory function and may cause death. Lambs that sustain rib fractures during delivery are more prone to respiratory disease.

Excessive traction of backwards lambs can also cause rupture of the liver and death soon after delivery. This is more common in certain breeds such as Texels and Cheviots as the sternum is relatively shorter compared to other breeds, which means that the liver is less well protected behind the ribs.

Figure 9: Necropsy reveals liver rupture and extensive haemorrhage as the cause of death in a Cheviot lamb delivered in posterior presentation.

Posterior presentation with bilateral hip extension (breech presentation)

In this presentation the lamb's pelvis and tail become lodged in the ewe's pelvic inlet and the hind legs are still pointing towards the head of the ewe.  Signs of second stage labour, such as powerful abdominal straining, are not observed because the lamb does not enter the pelvic canal to stimulate the reflex contractions.  Singleton lambs are rarely presented as a breech delivery. 

Figure 10: Occasionally, the lamb's tail may protrude for an inch or so through the ewe's vulva.

These lambing difficulties are detected by diligent shepherds recognising the signs of first stage labour which have not progressed to second stage labour within 12 hours. Sometimes these cases are not recognised until 24 to 48 hours after the lambs have died and the ewe becomes sick. The dead lambs rapidly become swollen with gas, and may result in death of the ewe if not addressed promptly.

Correction of a breech presentation involves extending the hips while the lower limb joints (stifle, hock and fetlock joints) are full flexed to protect the uterus; the flexed limbs may be cupped in the palm of the hand to prevent damage to the uterine wall.  The manoeuvre is facilitated by gently pushing the lamb back into the body of the uterus to allow the hind legs to be brought around and up into the pelvic inlet.  Great care must be taken during extension of the hip joints especially if the uterus is clamped down around the lamb as the reduction in space around the lamb may result in a tear or rupture of the uterus

There is a risk of an unskilled person rupturing the uterus during these maniupulations and veterinary assistance must be sought if there is any doubt regarding correction of the presentation. 

An epidural injection administered by a veterinary surgeon facilitates the various manipulations during correction of the breech posture by reducing the powerful abdominal contractions.

Simultaneous presentation of two lambs

There are many possible combinations of heads and legs when two lambs are presented

simultaneously. It is necessary to identify which leg corresponds to which head by tracing the leg to the shoulder region, and then to the neck and head. Once both legs and head have been correctly identified they should have lambing ropes applied to ease retrieval. The other lamb is gently repelled as traction is applied to the first. Only gentle traction should be necessary to deliver a twin lamb in this situation; if little progress is being made it is essential to check that you have selected the correct limbs rather than pulling harder as this will result in injury to one if not both lambs.

Lateral deviation of the head (head back)

Lambs presenting in this manner are often dead. Both feet are presented in the pelvis with the head bent sideways or downwards. Lambing ropes should be applied to the limbs and the lamb gently repelled with the use of lubricant. A wire head snare or lambing aid can then be placed around the back of the head behind the lamb's ears and used to guide the head into the pelvic inlet along with the front legs. Plenty of lubrication is needed if the lamb is dead and its fleece is dry.

Embryotomy (Dissection and removal of a dead lamb)

If a ewe presents with a dead or rotten lamb and a caesarean section is not appropriate then your vet may carry out an embryotomy, where the dead lamb is removed vaginally following surgical dissection. This procedure must only be carried out on dead lambs by a veterinary surgeon as the risk of damaging the uterus and vagina is high, and additional treatment with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories will be necessary.

Related NADIS Bulletins

• Pre-lambing Bulletin Ewe Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases
• Lambing Part 1 The Basics
• Lambing Part 3 Vaginal and Uterine Prolapse
• Lambing Part 4 Ensuring Survival of Newborn Lambs
• Lambing Part 5 Diseases of Newborn Lambs
• Lambing Part 6 Fostering, Docking and Castration
• Ram Diseases: Pre and Post Sale
• Ram Management
• Abortion in Ewes

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Newborn Lamb Care Management

Jeffery Held, Professor Emeritus of Animal Science, South Dakota State University (Previously published online with South Dakota State University Extension: December 19, 2018 )

In the winter, lambing management systems common to the Upper Midwest have simple lambing tools that can help reduce common problems with newborn lambs, including starvation, hypothermia, and injury.

Starvation Newborn lambs should consume at least 1-2 ounces per-pound of body weight of colostrum within 12 hours of birth to gain adequate nutrients and the critical antibody properties from colostrum. The efficiency of the lamb to absorb antibodies diminishes sharply after 12 hours and by 24 hours it is near zero. Observation is the key to making sure the lamb is suckling and the ewe has a functionally sound udder. It is a common practice to use a lamb stomach tube to deliver colostrum soon following birth to assure that the lamb gets enough.

Action Plan  Use a lamb stomach tube to deliver 4 ounces of colostrum soon after birthing if the lamb has difficulty suckling. Repeat this step in 4-hour intervals if necessary. For ewes that have inadequate colostrum, keep a frozen supply of colostrum from ewes with extra milk available; then thaw, warm, and deliver. Several commercially available colostrum supplements have also been shown to be effective in the absence of ewe colostrum. Gaining the skills to use a lamb stomach tube will save more lambs and lower labor input at lambing time.

Lamb Stomach Tube Lamb stomach tubes are commercially available devices with a 15-inch-long tube connected to either a 2-or-4-ounce syringe barrel. Simple and safe to use, they are often considered the most critical tool in the entire lambing barn to save newborn lambs.

Hypothermia (cold stress) Newborn lambs are well-equipped to handle a cold environment due to a special type of fat reserve that they have to supply energy. Yet within a few hours following birth, this fat supply is spent and the energy from colostrum is expected to serve as the primary energy source. However, with neither energy source compounded by cold environmental temperatures, the lamb’s core temperature eventually drops, resulting in weak, unthrifty individuals with low vigor. Occasionally lambs are simply weak at the time of birth and lack the ability or desire to stand. A cold mouth is a classic sign that a lamb is experiencing hypothermia. Lambs with symptoms of hypothermia require supplemental heat to restore their core body temperature to normal (102.3 F) and a warm mouth indicates success. Administering colostrum with a stomach tube to a hypothermic lamb is very risky due to the potential of causing anaphylactic shock. In such an instance, warm the lamb first, then supply colostrum!

Action Plan Over the past 30 years many different techniques have been used to treat lamb hypothermia. Heat lamps, warm-water baths, sending them to the house, and hot boxes using hair dryers are all somewhat effective in the short run, but each has its drawbacks. Heat lamp use in a lambing barn has a long record of being a fire hazard. Other choices require removing the lamb from the mother, posing the possibility that the ewe will not accept it after recovery. Frequently hypothermic lambs require 4-6 hours of supplemental heat to fully recover. Some 20 years ago I developed an in-pen hot box that can recover core body temperatures for hypothermic lambs while also maintaining the ewe-lamb bond. Instructions for making this box can be found below.

Constructing an In-pen Hot Box A standard plastic barrel (55-gallon) with a sealed top can be configured and secured in a lamb jug equipped with a pair of heat lamp hoods suspended inside. Heat is then supplied by standard 100-Watt light bulbs.  Approximately 2 inches from the bottom of the barrel, cut a 15-by-15 inch opening for the lamb to enter. On the top of the barrel, cut a small hole (2 inches diameter) to allow for the electric supply and wire to suspend the heat lamp hoods. Connect wire to the hood bracket, then wrap it onto a small-diameter rod or bolt that can rest on the top. Electric cords must be protected to avoid access from the animals. Place the unit in a pen corner; ideally use several long screws to secure the barrel on two sides (both points where the wood and barrel meet).  Bedding in the barrel can be towels or other material that can be easily removed for proper unit sanitation. To control the recovery process it is often necessary for lamb(s) to be secured in the barrel. Using a barrier, such as a towel, to partially close the lower unit opening allows the lamb(s) to stay warm and ensures the ewe can maintain contact for proper bonding.

MorningChores

Lambing Preparation: How to Be Ready for the Birth of Your Lamb

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If you’re like most homesteaders, you probably have a great deal of anxiety about the unknown. There is perhaps no time where that is truer than when you are preparing for lambing on the farm. 

The first time we experienced lambing on our farm, I was terrified. I read a lot of articles and watched a lot of videos, but the only thing that they had in common was that they all contradict each other. 

A lot. 

It can be stressful not knowing what to expect during lambing. However, if you are adequately prepared for lambing, you can relieve a lot of that anxiety. Here’s everything you need to know about how to prepare for lambing from my practical experience.

When Does Lambing Occur?

Lambing usually occurs in the spring, but this depends on when your ewes were bred. Ewes have gestation periods of around five months. There is some natural variation in this – some ewes will take a few days more and some a few days less. 

No matter what, try to keep track of the date your ewes were tupped. Mark them on the calendar so you know roughly when to expect your lambs . This will let you be fully prepared in advance for lambing.

What is “Tupping” – and When Does it Happen?

Tupping is just the term used to describe the breeding of your ewes. While some sheep breeds can conceive at any time of the year, others are seasonal breeders and will only go into heat in the fall. 

You don’t need to do anything to prepare for this. Just put your ram in with his ewes. As long as he’s fertile, you’re all set. 

It can be helpful to know the exact date tupping occurred so that you can plan ahead for the lambs’ delivery. If you have anxiety about not knowing the exact dates on which your lambs were conceived, you can always put a marking harness on your ram. 

A marking harness is a strap-like system with a block of livestock crayon on the bottom. The crayon will rub off on the ewe when the ram mounts her for breeding.

Watch for Signs of Pregnancy

Here’s an unfortunate truth of lambing – it can be really, really difficult to know when your lambs are due and even when your ewes are pregnant. Particularly if your ewes are carrying heavy coats of wool, it can be difficult to tell if they are expecting until the very end. 

An easy way to tell, however, that a ewe is pregnant is that she will not come into heat again. A ewe who has gone back into heat will have a red, swollen vulva and will allow herself to be mounted by the ram. Usually, ewes who are at least six or seven months of age are capable of being bred, and will return to a heat cycle about once every three weeks. 

Here’s where it gets tricky – a pregnant ewe can also have a swollen vulva. This will appear about six weeks into the pregnancy. About six weeks after that, her belly will begin to swell. She may also slow down and lie down more often. 

As you get closer to the due date, you will notice other signs that are difficult to mistake, particularly if your sheep have been sheared. Your ewe might “bag out,” meaning her udders will swell in preparation for nursing, and her swollen abdomen will be even more pronounced. 

A few days before delivery, the pregnancy should be blatantly obvious. You might notice a hollow on either side of the ewe’s tail and there might also be some discharge. Her vulva and udders will be very swollen. 

Your ewe’s behavior will change a lot in the days leading up to lambing, too. Right before she is due to lamb, she will return to the same spot and paw at the ground repeatedly. She will squat frequently to urinate and will be more restless or irritable than normal. 

Adjust Your Ewe’s Diet

When it comes to preparing for lambing, you don’t need to do much. However, the most important thing to keep in mind is what you are feeding your girls. Pregnant ewes must be fed a nutritious, balanced diet. 

You’ll want to take care of any potentially stressful chores, like hoof trimming or shearing, long before your ewes are due to lamb, but you don’t need to increase calories until later in the pregnancy. Once it’s clear that she has been bred, you will want to add some supplementary hay –  but only in times of inclement weather or stress. 

Overfeeding is often more damaging to a pregnant ewe than underfeeding. Ewes are remarkably efficient and don’t need a lot of extra calories during pregnancy. Too much food can actually cause pregnancy toxemia, which will cause issues during pregnancy as well as during lambing. 

Invest in Lambing Equipment

One of the most important things you can do to ease your nerves and to prepare yourself fully for the lambing experience is to make sure you have all the equipment you need.

Luckily, there’s not a lot you need to do in order to ensure a successful lambing. Nature will usually take care of that for you! However, there are some basic items you will want to have on hand. 

Towels, for instance, are good to have on hand. You probably won’t use them, as your ewe will take up the task of cleaning her lamb after it is born. You actually should avoid wiping down a lamb immediately following birth, as this can cause issues in the ewe bonding to her lamb. However, if it is particularly cold or if the ewe and lamb are not bonding well (or if she is delivering another lamb) you may need to intervene to dry the lamb off. 

You will also want to have a good set of rubber gloves. This will reduce the risk of disease whenever you need to handle your lambs. 

Of course, you should be handling them as little as possible to avoid problems with bonding, but at a minimum, you are going to need to cut the umbilical cords of your lambs after they are born. To this end, you will also need iodine and a pair of surgical scissors. 

There are other items that you may consider purchasing too, either before lambing or sometime shortly after. It can be helpful to have some milk replacer and colostrum on hand in case your ewe don’t bond to her lamb and refuse to nurse. CMPK gel is also helpful if your ewes are having trouble nursing.

While you can always pop out to the feed store to grab this in an emergency, it’s smart to have some on hand – especially if your ewes decide to lamb when the stores are closed. 

Finally, some farmers may choose to purchase their vaccinations ahead of time. You don’t need to vaccinate right away, but within a few weeks of birth, you will need to administer, at a minimum, the CDT vaccine.

This vaccine protects against Clostridium perfringens types B, C, and D as well as tetanus. Other vaccinations are available for lambs, but this is the only one that is universally recommended by all veterinarians. 

Similarly, if you are going to castrate ram lambs, you will need to pick up some castration bands and a gander at some point. Castration needs to be done within the first seven days of the lamb’s life to avoid stress and prevent infection. 

Plan Ahead for Potential Problems

Again, nature operates on its own schedule – and often, there’s not a lot that you can do to prevent or eliminate problems during lambing. However, it’s always best to think ahead and to do everything you can to minimize the risk. 

For example, you should avoid overfeeding your eyes while they are pregnant. While you don’t want to provide them with too few calories, you don’t want to give them too many. Keep an eye to make sure your ewe is gaining an amount of weight that is reasonable for her size and health. 

It’s also a good idea to think about your shelter prior to lambing. Ewes can – and frequently do – go into labor outside. If you live in an area where the weather should be pleasant during lambing, this is not a problem. To be honest, it’s usually safe for a ewe to lamb outside during colder weather, too – sheep are pretty hardy. 

However, this is not always the case. To eliminate the likelihood of a lamb becoming hypothermic immediately after birth, you should encourage your ewes to go inside the barn at night. In my experience, ewes rarely go into labor in the middle of the night – but often early in the morning or late in the evening instead. This is purely anecdotal, but it’s something I’ve heard mentioned by many other sheep farmers, too. 

Sheep don’t need warm temperatures to lamb – but they do need a dry environment. If the soil outside is still frozen, outdoor lambing can be problematic because the dropped lamb will chill instantly. Precipitation can be dangerous too because it will drop the core body temperature of your lambs. 

Putting your sheep inside at night, as well as within the window in which you expect them to lamb, can reduce the likelihood that they will lamb in poor conditions. You will have greater control over the environment. Makes sure the barn is loaded with clean, dry straw and that you have extra on hand for the clean-up process afterward. 

Besides that, there’s not much else you need to do! Make sure your sheep are sheared ahead of time so you will be able to see the progress of the delivery – this also reduces the likelihood of infection. Also, research the veterinarians in your area that work with sheep, and have their number on hand. 

Then, mark the date on the calendar and try to be there when it happens. 

What to Do When Labor Starts

Congratulations! You (and most importantly, your pregnant ewe) made it to the big day. 

In another post, I’ll tell you all about the major labor milestones and timeline. However, as long as you have a clean, dry, and warm place for your ewe to deliver her lambs, you shouldn’t have to intervene too much. 

Just keep an eye on the timing and make sure you have planned ahead. Whenever possible, try to be there in case any problems arise – but don’t panic if things don’t go as planned. After all, what truly does always go as planned in the world of homesteading? 

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