Wendy Beer

LambMetrics is our lambing blog which tells some of the tales of farm life at lambing time.
Also contains pretty lamb pictures – and maybe a few confronting ones too.

#LAMBMETRICS for the day
Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks (incl. Black flock)

Born today: 1
Total Lambs Born: 2
Drysdale lambs (live total): 0
English Leicester lambs (live total): 1
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 0
Total Sets of Twins born: 0
Total Sets of Triplets born: 0
Total ewe lambs: 1
Total ram lambs: 1
Ewes lambed 2/86: 2  (2.3 %)
Lamb % : 50 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 1
Losses: 1 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Castledale & Merino Flocks

Born today: 0
Total Lambs Born: 0
MerinoX lambs (live total): 0
Castledale lambs (live total): 0
Total Sets of Twins born: 0
Total Sets of Triplets born: 0
Ewes lambed /98: 0  (0 %)
Lamb % : 0% [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 0
Losses: 0 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

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NOTABLE MIDWIFERY TALES:

Today was a double espresso day. Before lunch.

But before we get into that – let’s mention a few days ago.

The ewes’ official due date is the 21st August. Drysdales, however, tend to take the “official” date and get in early so the pregnant ewes – divided into a “Twins” mob and a “Singles” mob – were moved into their Lambing Paddocks on Saturday.

The “Twins” mob (scanned pregnant with a twin pregnancy) definitely seemed to approve of their new Night Paddock.

Of course, if you were following the Facebook page nearly two weeks ago you would have seen there was an “early surprise” English Leicester lamb. His mother was running with the ram before the official joining so she was always a chance of being first. The ewe was pretty savage which made getting them from the far paddock to near the sheds was tricky but we succeeded. He’s doing well.

And then there was this morning. On Saturday there was an English Leicester ewe – scanned with twins – who couldn’t seem to walk. The old Fergie Lambulance was employed to ferry her to the safety of the shed which she could receive various treatments.

**Graphic ovine midwifery description to follow….**

She’s been quite bright and vigorous, just not able to work her front legs properly. But this morning there was a great gush of fluids which seemed quite bloody which is never good and my heart sank. The fact she wasn’t overly dilated in the vulva and cervix department confirmed to me that this was probably a dead lamb in utero situation.

Sure enough, there wasn’t any response – from the lamb – as I tried to manipulate the lamb whose head wanted to drift off in a different direction to where the feet were lined up. The legs would have come out correctly but with the head not wanting to stay positioned this just confirmed the lamb was already dead. And there wasn’t enough room for my hand to be in there to guide the head with the legs sticking out (often there is enough room. They can be very “roomy”.) Sometimes you just need to do anything possible. If I can’t get a lamb out then euthanasing the ewe becomes the only option – and I want to avoid that. (The pros/cons of an ovine C-sec are for another day)

I had my super duper noose gadget that I got last year for pulling lambs so decided to give that a go. That didn’t last long…….

So I made a decision. Manipulated the head out successfully but couldn’t reach back in to get the legs. Which meant it was time for me to put on the Big Girl Panties (unfortunately I had forgotten to put on my wet weather trousers this morning so my jeans were icky by this point!) and do something I actually haven’t done before, although I have read/heard plenty about it, in desperation to save the ewe. I carefully decapitated the lamb which enabled me to push the lamb back “in”, find the legs and pull them out and then pull the rest of the lamb out without having the head twist back and jamming on the other side of the cervix. Definitely kind of gross but the lamb was deceased, there was no blood and, more importantly, it worked.

The ewe wanted to be a good mum so it’s a bit sad. The lamb was a ewe, of course.

There should have been another lamb but I haven’t been able to find one in there…. So I am wondering if the other one scanned was actually lost a while ago. Or the scanner was wrong.

A bit of a downer really. And all before 10am.

To finish on a brighter note: please enjoy the rounded tums of Panda and her chums.

And a little smooch from Polly (who has scanned for twins). Not her best angle though.

Here’s hoping tomorrow has less drama…!