# Please help with the lamb I should not have bred.



## veritastar (Aug 21, 2017)

I have an old skinny ewe who gave birth to twins 1 months ago. One did not last the night and the other is growing well. The ewe however, does not look good. Truthfully, I shouldn't have let her breed. I was shocked a few weeks ago when I sheared her and realised just how skinny she is. She also developed a bottle neck so I fed wormed her with Ivermectin and that is almost gone now. She also appears to have trouble eating. She's not very strong anymore and I believe it is time to put dear old Gertie down. I am separating out her and her baby twice a day to feed them extra. The baby is eating grain and hay well. 

I feel like an idiot for letting Gertie breed this year. She's always been so strong and a wonderful mother to all the lambs (not just her own). She made a stunning ram last year. It's her time to go. 

What is the earliest time that it is safe to wean the lamb? So far all my lambs have weaned themselves. How is the best way to wean him? 

Thanks in advance.


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## Mike CHS (Aug 21, 2017)

We have a friend who has a ewe that is 10 years old and has twin lambs.  She is skin and bones but doesn't appear to be in any distress but since she was originally a bottle baby she asks for and gets a lot of attention.  I have no answer about when to put her down but we have weaned at two months.  On the other hand we have huge lambs that are still nursing at 8 months.

There are many with more experience but they wean pretty easy.


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## Baymule (Aug 21, 2017)

You might want to keep the lamb on her for another month. Is there any way you can keep her and the lamb separate from the flock so you can lavish extra care on her?


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## veritastar (Aug 21, 2017)

Thanks for your advice. I have both of them in my house yard today for extra feeding and will continue to keep them close.  She's a tough girl and she's making plenty of milk for the little guy. I don't know how old exactly she is. When her old owner got her she was already old, she had her for a few years and I've had her for two years. She's never looked great but she's always been feisty and confident.... she's just not herself anymore. 

My poor old Gertie:


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## babsbag (Aug 22, 2017)

I have a friend that had a really skinny goat after she kidded and she started giving her Red Cell and it made a huge difference. I have never used the stuff but it is easy to find and might be worth a try.


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## Latestarter (Aug 22, 2017)

I can't tell her age from the picture but she sure does look very skinny. The lamb looks very healthy. I'd be trying to feed her the highest quality feed and hay that I could, almost free choice, to help her put some weight back on if she can. Good luck with whatever you choose to do.


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 22, 2017)

Some Calf Manna might do her some good also.


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## Baymule (Aug 22, 2017)

I have a ewe that gives all she haves to her lambs. After I wean them off, I have to feed her extra feed by herself, along with some corn, to put weight back on her. Your ewe might not have the teeth to eat something like corn, but there are pellets that are high fat and protein. Your ewe might be old, but as long as she is happy and raising nice lambs like that, I sure wouldn't put her down. Only you can make that decision, it is a hard thing to do, either way.


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## Sheepshape (Aug 23, 2017)

Personally,I'd just feed her and feed her and feed her. Ewe pellets, as Baymule suggests, are concentrated feed in a relatively small volume. You may be pleasantly surprised at how she can improve her body score.

I had a really skinny ewe who had twin lamb disease last year. I selectively fed her. She went on to produce two good sized lambs of which I bottle fed one and left the other with her. This year I kept her with a couple of others and selectively fed them. She started to produce milk copiously 5 weeks before she gave birth. Twice daily milkings meant I had a freezer full of milk.I fed her really large amounts of ewe nuts etc. She again produced two good sized lambs and kept one who grew very well and has since gone to market.

Much can be achieved with lots of food!


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 23, 2017)

babsbag said:


> I have a friend that had a really skinny goat after she kidded and she started giving her Red Cell and it made a huge difference. I have never used the stuff but it is easy to find and might be worth a try.


Red cell has a bit of copper in it, it says not to give to sheep.


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## babsbag (Aug 23, 2017)

Bummer


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## veritastar (Aug 26, 2017)

Thanks everyone. I don't think Gertie is going to make it. :-( She's barely eating now and when her baby tried to get milk from her she fell over and couldn't get back up. Baby is looking very good. He's eating solids really well- extruded lupins, extruded corn, vit and min, Lucerne and grass/forage. Should I try to offer him milk in a bucket? I wouldn't be surprised if gert doesn't last the day. :-(


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## Mike CHS (Aug 26, 2017)

I'm sorry you are going through this.  We had one we had to wean early because it's mom wasn't doing well for an unknown reason.  We treated it like an orphan lamb as it was almost 30 pounds.  We made sure it got plenty of water and gave her alfalfa (as much as she wanted).

A quote from Sheep 101:

Orphan lambs that have been weaned and merged with rest of the flock should be closely observed for signs of disease and ill-thrift.


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## Baymule (Aug 26, 2017)

I am real sorry that Gert has taken a turn for the worse. She sounds like she was a darn good ewe for you. Make her as comfortable as possible.  What kind of milk do you have for the little fellow.  I haven't had to bottle feed one so I don't know the protocol for a 1 month old orphan.


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## veritastar (Aug 26, 2017)

I have purchased di-vetalac (http://www.aussievetproducts.com.au/products/divetelact-powder) and protexin (a probiotic) for him. I am hoping I can just mix them in to his feed. He has been spending less time with his mother lately and more time with the other lambs. Here is a photo of him with a slightly older lamb, Cindy. They come into the yard as they please to get extra food. The other sheep are two big to fit through the gate. I think Cindy may have been stealing milk from Gertie as well which wouldn't have been helping.


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## Latestarter (Aug 26, 2017)

So sorry to hear. I hope she goes peacefully.


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## babsbag (Aug 27, 2017)




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## veritastar (Aug 27, 2017)

Thank you everyone. 

She couldn't get up this morning so I got my husband to put her down. He is processing her for the dog (It is sad, but I'd rather not waste her and have another animal die to feed her instead). She was very sick. She was filled with tumours including one huge one and had internal haemorrhaging. No amount of feeding could have saved her. :-(  Now we've got to focus on her baby.


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## babsbag (Aug 27, 2017)

It's never easy, but you did the right thing. It seems harder sometimes to end their suffering but it's for the best. And now you know that there was nothing you could have done.  You gave her a good life.


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## Latestarter (Aug 28, 2017)

It's good that even with her passing, she will provide to you and the family by way of the dog(s). Sorry she's gone, but glad she didn't have to endure the pain that surely would have come.


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## Sheepshape (Aug 28, 2017)

At least you found the reason for her thinness and know she couldn't have been helped.


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