Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
lamb to pass through. The placenta (commonly called the water bag) will appear at the vulva
and burst, releasing fluids to help lubricate the birth canal. The ewe will strain in earnest to
expel the lamb, which will come out front feet first with the head not far behind. The entire
delivery process from rupture of the water bag until the lamb is on the ground takes about one
hour for a single birth and two to three hours if twins or triplets are delivered. The placenta
should pass out of the birth canal about two to three hours after lambing. There should be one
for each lamb delivered.
The ewe will do her motherly tasks after the lamb is born. She will dry the lamb, and after the
lamb stands, she will nudge the baby to her teats to nurse. Lambs need colostrum in order to
build their immune system. It is vital that lambs receive this milk, which is rich in antibodies
and immunoglobulins (both components of the immune system), in the first six hours after
birth. The lamb's intestinal system is designed to allow these substances to pass from the co-
lostrum directly into the blood stream. After 24 hours, the intestinal wall changes, stopping
this process. Each lamb should receive a minimum of 4 ounces of colostrum as soon as pos-
sible after birth. Some ewes are unable to let down their milk at first. You may need to gently
massage the udder for a minute and milk a stream of colostrum from the teats. Check each
lamb and ewe every six hours after birth to make certain the lamb is nursing and that the ewe
has not rejected her lamb(s). Record the weight of each lamb at birth. This way, you can tell if
a lamb is not gaining weight or nursing. Keep the lamb and ewe quietly together for three
days to ensure a strong maternal bond and that the lamb is nursing well before releasing it to
be with the rest of the flock.
Orphan lambs
An ewe may reject a lamb, particularly if she gives birth to twins or triplets or if she becomes
ill. Some ewes reject lambs for no known reason. In this case, you will have to be its mother.
Make sure the orphan receives its colostrum. You will have to teach the lamb to drink from a
bottle. Prepare a bottle using any of the commercial milk replacements available. If it is the
lamb's first feeding, use warmed colostrum. Place the nipple in the lamb's mouth, and use
your hand to move the jaws together. The lamb should soon get the idea that milk comes from
the nipple and start to suckle.
If the lamb is weak or has a poor suckle reflex, it will need to be tube fed. If you have never
attempted this, ask an experienced person or a veterinarian to show you how to tube feed the
lamb, or you may risk placing the tube into the respiratory tract and unintentionally kill the
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