Medical Tips
Below are "hot links" to specific sections
of this page. Please click on a link for more information about
that subject.
If you would like to see more medical information,
please contact us and we will find as much research on the topic
as possible.
Gestation
Normal gestation for a sheep is 147 days. However, pregnancies
may vary from 138 - 159 days. Below is a gestation calculator
that will help you estimate your lambing date.
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Lambing
Lambing Signs
Use the gestation calculator to more accurately get a due date.
In our past experience, the ewe's vulva/vaginal area will begin
to swell within a week before she lambs. Also, her bag will become
full if there are no problems such as mastidis. You can alomst
always be sure that your ewe will lamb in the wee hours of the
morning around 3 or 4 am. So as the due date moves closer, be
sure to check your ewe frequently in case she has difficulty with
labor. The stages of labor for a sheep generally take 3 hours
for the entire process.
Assisting the Ewe in birth
If you notice your ewe has been pushing for a while, but no babies
are coming out, some help might be needed. The lamb, or lambs
(it is very common for sheep to have multiple births) might be
breech or turned in a way that the front hooves are NOT coming
out first. If this is the case, you will need to pull the lamb
or lambs. To do this you will need to thouroughly cleanse your
hands and arms to keep infection out of the ewe. Also, if possible,
wear long plastic or rubber gloves. Gently slide your hand in
to feel if the lamb is in the proper birthing position. If the
lamb is properly positioned you should be able to gently pull
the lambs front 2 hooves making sure the head is face down and
not back. If the lamb is in an awkward position slide your hands
inside the ewe and easily pull the lamb out the best way you can.
If the ewe was pregnant with mulitples, give her about 15 minutes
to push the other lamb out by herself. If she is still having
problems (exhaustion or breech babies) pull the other lamb/lambs
too.
Aftercare of Newborn
You will need some fresh towels to dry off the newborn babies.
The mother ewe should then pass the placenta. It is normal for
the mother to eat some of the placenta for this is a good source
of nutrition for her. Proceed to then cut the umbilical cords
with a pair of sharp, sterile scissors. Leave about an inch to
an inch and a half of umbilical cord. The douse the umbilical
cord with iodine to help prevent infection. Also make sure the
babies are standing and attempting to nurse within the first hour
after birth. If they are not, you might need to tube feed the
baby and get the baby warm. Try your best not to take the baby
away from the mother, or interfere too much because this might
confuse the ewe into thinking she had fewer or no babies. ONLY
TAKE THE LAMB AWAY FROM THE MOTHER IF ABSOLUTELY NECCESARY.
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Tube Feeding
If the mother is unable to nurse the baby due to triplets or bag
problems it will be necessary for you to bottle feed the baby.
If the lamb is too weak to nurse from a bottle, you will need
to tube feed. Tube feeding the baby is very easy if done correctly.
You can purchase a tube feeder from Jeffers or most any livestock
supply. Click
here to view a picture of a tube feeder. Make sure you get
the tube down the correct pipe. Hold the lamb's head out straight
and slide the tube down the tongue, then down the throat, all
the way down to the baby's stomach (stop pushing in the pipe when
it feels it will not go any farther). If you get the tube in the
incorrect pipe the lamb could choke because you would be pumping
the milk into his lungs. It is best to feed the lamb colostrum
from his mother. If this is possible, milk about 6 ounces of colostrum.
The milk can be refridgerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up
to a year. If you freeze the milk, be sure to let it thaw naturally.
Do not heat it in the microwave. This results in a loss of antibodies
in the milk. If it is not possible to get colostrum from the mother
or another ewe, a colostrum replacement will be needed. You can
order colostrum replacement from Jeffers or any other livestock
supply company. If you cannot find sheep colostrum, cow's colostrum
supplement can be used. We also swear by Sheep Nuti-Drench.
This can literally bring an almost dead lamb back to life.
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Bottle Feeding
Once your lamb is up and going and ready to nurse you can begin
bottle feeding. We have found that a regular baby bottle works
just fine. You can also be sure of how much your baby is getting
because most baby bottles are noted in single ounce increments.
You can purchase any sheep milk replacer to give to your lamb
after he is 36 hours old. We use Merrick's Super Lamb. In the
first 36 hours the lamb will need to be fed colostrum from a ewe
or a colostrum replacement. Below is a table of the recommended
amount for lambs:
|
Age of Lamb (days)
|
Feedings per day
|
Amount of milk replacer
|
|
1-3
|
Free Choice
|
Colostrum
|
|
4-10
|
4
|
8 oz.
|
|
11-18
|
3
|
12 oz.
|
|
19-42+
|
2
|
16 oz.
|
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Grafting Lambs
The process of grafting a lamb is putting an orphan baby onto
another mother. If the other mother already has twins this is
not recommended. Unfortunately, we have had no success with this.
We tried the "vanilla" on the mother and the babies
(where you rub vanilla flavoring on the ewe's nose and rub vanilla
all over the babies) but after about 20 minutes the ewe knew that
one of those babies was not hers. You can click
here to get more information on grafting a lamb by way of
simulating birth and/or by tying the ewe up and making her take
the baby.
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Vaccinations and shots
General vaccinations given at birth are CDT (tetanus and over
eating), antibiotics (pencillin) and a de-wormer (valbazen, ivomec,
etc.).
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Banding Tails and Testicles
At about 3 days of age you can band your lambs' tails. Be sure
to keep a topical antiseptic and fly spray on the tails until
they fall off. Tails need to be sprayed daily especially during
warmer months.
Testicals can generally be banded around 6 weeks
of age. It has been observed that banding earlier than this will
stunt the lamb's growth. Again, be sure to keep the lamb's testicles
sprayed with antiseptic and fly spray.
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Toxemia
Pregnanct toxemia is a metabolic disorder. Toxemia is more common
in ewes with multiple births. Signs of toxemia are: the ewe is
stressed, listless, lathargic, isn’t interested in eating,
is grinding her teeth but not chewing her cud, walks tender-footedly,
or is standing apart from the other sheep. Also, changes in the
weather or transporting pregnant ewes can help bring on toxemia.
The best solution is a dose of proylene glycol and make sure the
ewe gets plenty of nutrition from feed and minerals.
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Prolapse
A prolapse is a protrusion of inner tissue outside of a bodily
orriface (rectum or vagina).
(vaginal)
Depending on the severity of the prolapse, you might need to take
the ewe to your large animal vet. In minor cases a "vaginal
prolapse" harness can be used. You can purchase one at any
livestock supply company.
(rectal)
Our first rectal prolapse was a nightmare. We tried loosly sewing
the lamb's rectum. This, of course, caused constipation in the
lamb and he would "blow" out his stitches frequently.
We then took the lamb to the local large animal vet clinic. We
told them what we had already tried. Well, the next day we went
back up there to check on the lamb, and what had they done....
sewn his rectum just like we asked them NOT to do because it did
not work. We finally decided to speak with some fellow sheep raisers
and discovered the appropriate treatment for a rectal prolapse.
There is a device called a "rectal prolapse ring" that
makes things very simple. A prolapse ring can be purchased from
Jeffers or most any livestock supply company. You slide the pipe
into the rectum of the lamb, then place a band around the prolapsed
section of intestine. After about 3 days that section of intestine
dies and begins to fall off. The sheep will then discard the prolapse
ring at the next bowel movement.
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Club Lamb Fungus
Club lamb is a common fungus among show lambs. It starts out as
hard "scabby" places on the lambs wool. When a lamb
is shorn this takes away the wool and lanolin that a sheep uses
as protection from cutaneous diseases. Club lamb can also be contaigous
to humans. To limit the spread of the disease take the following
precautions: Disinfect equipment with a commercial fungicide,
wash and shear show lambs as little as possible, the scab stage
of the disease is most infectious, so use protective gloves when
handling sheep with lesions, scrub thoroughly with a detergent
solution after each handling also, do not exhibit animals with
lesions unless wool growth has restarted in the infected area.
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Sore Mouth
Animals become infected by direct contact with lesions or mucous
membranes of infected animals, or by the transfer of virus by
contaminated equipment used on the animals. disease starts as
papules or vesicles (small bumps and blisters) on the skin of
the lips, nostrils eyelids, and ears. It may also affect the udder
(nursing ewes) or the feet. Eventually the papules and vesicles
break open and scab; these are often very sore and may be numerous.
As the sores heal the granulation tissue will proliferate and
produce masses with a "cauliflower" appearance. The
course of the disease is 1-4 weeks with a 2-3 day incubation.
Humans become infected with the virus by direct contact with infected
sheep or equipment contaminated with body fluids. The disease
in humans is usually characterized by a single
papular or pustular lesion (small bump/swelling) where the virus
enters the skin (e.g. on the hand). The papule usually becomes
painful and gradually becomes a firm weeping nodule. Regional
lymph nodes may also become swollen. Usually the course of the
disease lasts 2-4 weeks following a 3-7 day incubation. More widespread
disease may occur as well as severe ocular lesions. There is a
sore mouth live vaccine available and recommended.
