Lambing Live

The lambing rota is in full swing and on Friday I joined a team of three others for a two till 10pm shift, heres how it went:-

We began by replenishing the silage feeders and bedding down the straw yards where the pregnant ewes are housed during lambing, and straight away our first two lambs arrived:

The lambs and mum were moved indoors into the bonding pens (individual pens where the ewe and her lamb/s can bond without the complications of mismothering). Here is also where the lambs are recorded into the lambing records and their navels dipped in iodine (to prevent infection) and are then monitored making sure they have their first drink of colostrum (first drink of mothers milk) and no issues arise. It is important to monitor the temperature of the lambs to ensure they do not become hypothermic (one of the biggest killers) - The normal rectal temperature for a new born lamb is between 39oC and 40oC - anything lower and one must consider putting the lamb in a 'hot box' - a heated environment that will gradually elevate the body temperature.

Then it was triplets (one breeched (came out backwards) but absolutely fine! and two normal!:

And finally it was a single!!! However, this poor ewe - a gimmer, meaning it is aged between its first and second shearing and a first time mum was having a problem getting the lamb out. She had been trying on her own for approximately 40 mins, when farmer Neil decided to step in and assist with the birth. Ordinarily you can leave a first time lamber to try for up to an hour before intervening, however on this occasion it was apparent that the ewe was struggling and starting to get weak and tired:

The lamb, as it was so big, was helped out by the use of small, disinfected ropes wrapped around each front leg and a tugging action every time the ewe pushed. Once out, the lamb was placed near mum but she appeared disinterested. Some of the birthing fluids were rubbed over the lamb to encourage the ewe to lick, but she remained disinterested. We got them both into a bonding pen where the ewe wanted nothing to do with her baby. At this point we intervened for the second time, to 'strip' the ewe of the first milk into a jug (the lamb needs this first colostrum for energy, protein, laxative and antibodies). This was then tube fed directly into the lambs tummy. Tubing is an alternative method to bottle feeding, where there is more chance of the lamb being able to suckle from a ewes teats at a later date. We then left the pens, giving the ewe and lamb a rest and some time together alone, where upon our last checks before handing over to the overnight shift - we saw the mum finally licking her lamb and the lamb was up and about searching mum for milk!