#LAMBMETRICS for the day
Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks
Born today: 3
Total Lambs Born: 10
Drysdale lambs (live total): 5
English Leicester lambs (live total): 4
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 0
Total Sets of Twins born: 3
Total Sets of Triplets born: 0
Total ewe lambs: 5
Total ram lambs: 5
Ewes lambed /76: 7 (9.2 %)
Lamb % : 128 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 2
Losses: 1 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]
Notable Midwifery tales:
Today had a few challenges.
First need for assistance was an English Leicester ewe. First time having twins for this one and the boofhead boy lamb jammed things up. He had his feet and head in the right places though so just needed a bit extra pull and wriggle to successfully get him on the outside of his mother. His twin sister was also feeling the stress at being stuck behind him but came out with minimal effort. Both lambs were heavily meconium-stained (they do a poo in the sac because they are stressed and the colour stains the fluid and them) But their mum is a good one and she cleaned them up. I’d say they were “polished clean” but she let them roll around in the dirt!
Unfortunately, that was the easy part.
A Drysdale ewe had a lamb toe showing but when she was laid down and investigated the lamb’s head wasn’t to be found easily. Not good. All I had were a pair of feet and…. a chest.
The head was eventually located – the neck twisted around and back. This is really not good. And I suspected the lamb was already dead – live lambs are more active in “presenting” themselves for birth properly. It didn’t feel too big and the ewe wasn’t too fat (all factors in a live lamb being unable to sort itself out) so odds were it was dead and the poor presentation was a result not a cause.
The exercise took several hours, including a trip to the vet for supplies and a lot of lube was used, but I eventually managed to extricate the lamb. We were all exhausted. I think I went through 5 pairs of shoulder-length gloves, the Deputy Midwife had sore legs (and ribs) from restraining and comforting the ewe and my hands felt like they were alien. But at least the ewe could stand up afterwards. The lamb had been dead before labour started and the placenta was detached. (Part of the reason the lamb in the pic below seems so red is because the placenta is wrapped around half of it.)
The poor ewe is now tucked up in the shed for the night, alongside the English Leicester and her twins. She’s donated some colostrum for the freezer and she’s had anti-inflammatories and antibiotics. Seems okay and hopefully will still be so in the morning.
Tomorrow is another day….!
