Mary-Jane
|
Mismothering lambsWe had another set of twin lambs born earlier this morning - but unfortunately another over-enthusiastic pregnant ewe has tried to mother one of them resulting in a bit of a problem. It looks as though she managed to lick the lamb and start to bond with it. The poor lamb is very confused and the real mum is in danger of rejecting her offspring. We've penned the real mum and the two lambs in together, smeared the mum's blood and birth fluids back over the lamb, kept the lamb stealer right away from them...and now we're hoping the lamb will bond with its real mum. 
Any other suggestions from sheep keepers with experience of this would be gratefully received. Are either of the VSS team about by chance?
|
Marionb
|
I would say you did the right thing, M-J. Just put the lamb back with its mother - the problem is usually with the ewe not taking its lamb after another ewe has pinched it off her. The lamb should be ok, its too young really to realise who its mother is - it will go to anyone who wants it when its this young.
As long as the mother will still accept her lamb you shouldnt have any problems.
|
Mary-Jane
|
| Marionb wrote: | | As long as the mother will still accept her lamb you shouldnt have any problems. |
Unfortunately it's a bit touch and go. She's not entirely happy with the lamb. We've put a halter on mum and tied her up to let junior have a suckle...but mum is still not convinced. 
|
Slim
|
any updates on the re-mothering?
|
Marionb
|
Sounds like you may end up with a tiddling there then, M-J.
I'm sure Jack will be pleased to have a lamb to look after 
|
Mary-Jane
|
Had some terrific advice from the VSSs...
| VSS wrote: | Sounds like you did the right thing. If the ewe is still unsure about taking the lamb back, put both her lambs together in a box or bin in the corner of the bonding pen, where the ewe can reach in to sniff / lick them, but not butt them. Use a small container so that the two lambs are constantly in contact with one another. Take them out together to suckle the ewe, while you stand by (but don't hold the ewe at all). A couple of days of this usually works.
Supervise more closely in future so that mis-mothering doesn't happen. Ewes that constantly try to steal other ewes lambs are best moved out of the lambing area until they cool off. (Some will keep it up for a week or more if given a chance). Put them with later lambing ewes or something. They'll follow any lamb, so very easy to move them - just borrow another ewe's lamb for a few minutes. |
We've taken the chicken run gate off its hinges (no suitable box available) and have used it to close the lambs into a tight corner of the mother ewe's pen. She can sniff and lick them through the gate but can't get to them. We're taking them out every couple of hours and latching them on to her...as per advice.
The 'burglar ewe' now has her own twins so she's sorted. 
|
VSS
|
| Mary-Jane wrote: | | The 'burglar ewe' now has her own twins so she's sorted. |
good job she's got a lawyer to sort her out then 
|
Vanessa
|
Another trick to try if it happens again - or with fostering an orphaned lamb onto another ewe ...
Spray the lamb with perfume (yes, ANY cheap scent will do), and spray the same perfume right at the ewe's nose (taking care not to spray it in her eyes, of course!). You could dab perfume on instead if you preferred. The lamb then smells just like the smell that's "up her nose", so she's happy to accept the lamb.
|
hedgewitch
|
| vanessa wrote: | Another trick to try if it happens again - or with fostering an orphaned lamb onto another ewe ...
Spray the lamb with perfume (yes, ANY cheap scent will do), and spray the same perfume right at the ewe's nose (taking care not to spray it in her eyes, of course!). You could dab perfume on instead if you preferred. The lamb then smells just like the smell that's "up her nose", so she's happy to accept the lamb. |
Are you suggesting M-J has cheap perfume? 
|
mihto
|
Worth a try....when you feed the ewe concentrate, start by putting it on the lambs back and let her lick it from the lamb. If you wet the wool slightly it makes the concentrate stick a bit better. If Mom is hungry, the smell of the lamb together with the taste of concentrate will sort of come together in her brain.
|
crofter
|
I think you will be fine. The key (as VSS has said) is to leave them alone as much as possible. If you must interfere to let the lamb suck initially, I would turn the sheep up and let both lambs suck at once, to prevent the lamb which the ewe does want from taking more than its fair share of milk. This prevents the ewe kicking, but it is not good for your back. I would only do this as a last resort with a weak lamb - you really want to interfere as little as possible. Keep an eye on the ewe which tried to steal the lamb, because it will not be far away from lambing. It might be worth penning it up until it does lamb if you have plenty of empty pens. If you really feel you aren't making progress with the ewe, try taking a dog into the shed - the ewe will instinctively want to protect her lambs and may bond with them both if you leave them loose in the pen afterwards.
|
VSS
|
| vanessa wrote: | Another trick to try if it happens again - or with fostering an orphaned lamb onto another ewe ...
Spray the lamb with perfume (yes, ANY cheap scent will do), and spray the same perfume right at the ewe's nose (taking care not to spray it in her eyes, of course!). You could dab perfume on instead if you preferred. The lamb then smells just like the smell that's "up her nose", so she's happy to accept the lamb. |
Perfume is too overpowering. Ewes will reject lambs stinking of scent, and I don't blame them. The concept is correct though - when fostering, always re-spray the navel of the spare lamb, spray the navel of the ewe's own lamb, and a little squirt on her nose. There are loads of fostering techniques, you use different ones acording to the situation. Treat each ewe as an individual, and tailor your approach accordingly. The real key, when fostering, lies in the choice of ewe to act as mum. I'd rather hang on to a spare lamb for a day or two, than try to foster to an unsuitable dam.
|
VSS
|
| crofter wrote: | | I would turn the sheep up and let both lambs suck at once, to prevent the lamb which the ewe does want from taking more than its fair share of milk. This prevents the ewe kicking, but it is not good for your back . |
No, don't turn ewe over for lamb to suck - that's not where the lamb expects to find a teat. If lamb is too weak to suckle standing, then feed by stomach tube. When strong enough he'll be keen to suck. Avoid holding / turning / restraining ewe if at all poss - don't want her to associate suckling with stress.
|
VSS
|
| Mary-Jane wrote: |
We've taken the chicken run gate off its hinges (no suitable box available) and have used it to close the lambs into a tight corner of the mother ewe's pen. |
We use half of a plastic drum. A cut down plastic dustbin would do. (I usually call this "dustbin fostering"). Deep enough to stop ewe hassling lambs, and also deep enough that they can't get out. She has to lean over to see / smell / lick them, and can't show favouritism. Trouble with penning off corner with gate is that one lamb can always be furthest from the ewe.
|
Vanessa
|
| hedgewitch wrote: | | vanessa wrote: | Another trick to try if it happens again - or with fostering an orphaned lamb onto another ewe ...
Spray the lamb with perfume (yes, ANY cheap scent will do), and spray the same perfume right at the ewe's nose (taking care not to spray it in her eyes, of course!). You could dab perfume on instead if you preferred. The lamb then smells just like the smell that's "up her nose", so she's happy to accept the lamb. |
Are you suggesting M-J has cheap perfume? |
Not at all, just meant not to waste quality stuff 
VSS, I know a few people who have successfully used perfume to aid mothering in ewes. Not doubting your extensive expertise over my "heresay" one little bit though
|
crofter
|
| VSS wrote: | | [Avoid holding / turning / restraining ewe if at all poss - don't want her to associate suckling with stress. |
I agree. But probably at least once every year, I will do this - the ewe cannot see the lambs and I will usually check its teeth or trim feet while the lambs are sucking. If the lamb won't suck standing up you can bend the forelegs of the lambs and most will suck quite happily in this position. If it is too weak to stand up but still has enough energy to suck it can be a quick way to get some colostrum in its belly. My reasoning is that if a stomach tube is needed, the ewe has to be milked anyway, might as well let the lamb do the work if it will. But, yes, minimal interference is best. My own lambing is not due to begin for another couple of weeks and, oddly, I'm looking forward to it!
|
crofter
|
| vanessa wrote: |
VSS, I know a few people who have successfully used perfume to aid mothering in ewes. Not doubting your extensive expertise over my "heresay" one little bit though |
I have never tried it. Tried surgical spirit once, that didn't work.
|
mochasidamo
|
One mismothered lamb here...first born who escaped (goodness knows how with boards around the gaps under the pens) and mum fell in love with his second-born sister. Penned them in a triangle so he could sit in the corner and not be clocked by her horns and she was tied up regularly so he could feed.
Cheaper than bottling...ewe is from my renowned "Rowena" line of lamb stealers, so not sure how her wires got crossed!
|
VSS
|
| crofter wrote: | | My own lambing is not due to begin for another couple of weeks and, oddly, I'm looking forward to it! |
Nothing odd about looking forward to it at all! Its the best time of year. If you're really mad (like me) you even go looking for extra lambing work, hence why I've spent 5 months / year lambing, every year for years! Many thousands of ewes! Now I've dropped the contract work I miss it, as I'm so used to starting early in the year. Our own couple of hundred don't lamb til mid march, so I'm very impatient through Dec / Jan / Feb, when I'd normally be lambing other flocks.
|
