# Former bottle Ewe has Rejected her first lamb



## rockdoveranch (Jan 2, 2011)

We have had hair sheep (Texas Barbado) since October 2004 and never had a problem with lambing until winter 2008-2009 when we lost twins to White Muscle Disease, and had to raise 2 bottle babies.  

The ram lamb, Trouble, was born January 2009 and was an assisted birth as both he and his twin were caught in the birth canal.  Trouble's head was stuck outside the mom for a long period of time, as were 3 feet.   His twin died.  The mother rejected him. 

The ewe lamb, April, was born April 2009.  Her mom died from a uterine prolapse.

We also had a ewe go into ketosis, but successfully brought her back on sweet feed and molasses after she gave birth to a healthy ewe lamb.  

We believe the problems we had were as a result of a long drought and poor grass, and having to feed hay purchased from where ever we could buy it.

Trouble easily integrated into the herd, but we were never able to integrate April. 

June 2010 we put April in a pasture with a White Dorper ram lamb we had purchased along with 2 White Dorper ewe lambs.

April had her first baby January 1, 2010 and rejected it.  Since April was bottle fed and lived in our house for 3 months she is very friendly and easy to handle.  (Texas Barbado was basically wild and difficult to handle.)

We are able to hold April still for "Mars" to nurse, but when she is free with him in a smaller pen she butts him and paws at him.  We supplemented with colostrum the first 24 hours, and will start supplementing with milk replacer today.  We will continue to hold April still to let the little one get her milk.0

Texas Barbado are normally very good mothers.  Could it be that because April was a bottle baby that has caused her to reject her ram lamb, or is it just one of those things?

Thanks.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 2, 2011)

Some people say bottle babies won't make good mothers, but I've seen many bottle baby ewes go on to be great moms.  Sometimes people give up too easily and if the ewe rejects the lamb immediately pull it.  I like to give the ewe several days with the lamb.  Sometimes it takes individual ewes longer to accept the lamb(s).  If a first time lamber has mothering issues, I'll usually give her another try. If she does it two years in a row that would be grounds for culling (IMO).

ETA- Do you mean she lambed a few days ago (2011?).  I'd give her a few more days with the lamb.  Good luck!


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## rockdoveranch (Jan 2, 2011)

Oops . . . I see I had a typo in my OP.  Yep.  April lambed yesterday on New Years Day.  2011, not 2010.      When we went to check on her first thing this morning she was out in the pasture grazing with the 3 Dorpers.  They all came running to the gate looking for a hand out when they saw me.  

Normally when our ewe's lamb they isolate themselves and their baby(ies) away from the herd for one or two days and refuse to come up for grain and hay.  So, I knew something had to be wrong.

April looked thin and had blood and mucus on her back, probably from rolling before she lambed.  

I had to go out in the pasture and look for Mars.  April followed me but was afraid to go near him.  We put both in a smallish pen and April began butting him around and pawing at him.  This was not what I wanted to see.

We have not given up on April as yet.  She will let me hold her neck under my arm so she will be still while Mars nurses.  Once he is through he has been taking about 2 ounces from a bottle.


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## jhm47 (Jan 2, 2011)

I would quit bottle feeding the lamb.  Leave him in the pen with the ewe, and he will nurse more often as he gets hungry.  Many lambs nurse as often as every 1.5 hours.  The ewe will automatically increase her milk supply as the lamb nurses, and when it increases, she will welcome the relief of the lamb's nursing.  If the ewe persists in butting the lamb, you could tie her off with a fairly short rope in a corner.  This will limit her mobility, and the lamb will be able to nurse safely as needed.  Be sure to keep the ewe on a high plane of nutrition so her milk comes in freely.  As the lamb gets older and more mobile and aggressive, you should be able to let the ewe loose, and she will not have a chance to get away from him.  Lambs can be quite aggressive when they are hungry.


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## rockdoveranch (Jan 2, 2011)

jhm47,

My significant other and I were just talking about supply and demand while we were out there holding April to let the lamb nurse.  We are letting him nurse as long as he wants and then I go to the house (400 foot away) to mix up milk replacer to offer him.  He drank 2 ounces from the bottle when we went back out.  So we are questioning how much milk she is producing and how well he is sucking.  

We are in the middle of a cold snap right now and I am afraid not to offer him a bottle after he nurses.

The Purina Milk Replacer label says to bottle feed every 4 hours, but we are holding April so he can nurse every 3 hours and then offering him a bottle.  We may go a little longer between nursings once it gets to be late tonight.

I have always been fascinated in how the ewes seem to know when and how long to let their babies nurse.  

You have made a very good point.  It is all about supply and demand.  I remember arguing with the delivery nurses way back when, when I told them my babies were going to nurse as long as they wanted.  I knew my body would work the way it was supposed to, and it did.

We might try tying April, but for right now I think she is stressed out enough as she is really wanting to be back with the herd.

Thanks for the advice.


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## rockdoveranch (Jan 6, 2011)

An update.

We have not seen the ram lamb nurse on mom unless we are holding her still, but the ram lamb is now turning down the bottle or only taking a little milk replacer after we make sure he nurses.

We are giving the ewe small abouts of sweet feed while we are holding her still, SO SHE IS HAPPY!  

SO, we are pretty sure mom is standing for him.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 7, 2011)

rockdoveranch said:
			
		

> An update.
> 
> We have not seen the ram lamb nurse on mom unless we are holding her still, but the ram lamb is now turning down the bottle or only taking a little milk replacer after we make sure he nurses.
> 
> ...


Great!


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