# Anyone have success with retention harnesses twice for the same ewe?



## Hickory Hollow Farms (Mar 20, 2014)

I have a Southdown ewe that I rescued from being locked in a shed with no food or water while pregnant. During late stages of the pregnancy I noticed very slight vaginal prolapses that appeared when she was laying down and self corrected when she stood up. I bred her the following year after nursing her back to health.  During this last pregnancy, she again had vaginal prolapses but this time, they didn't self correct. I had to manually clean and replace the prolapse about four times during the last month and then found a nylon retention harness that kept everything in place.  I also made the decision not to breed her again. However, I just noticed one of the yearling rams mounting her twice while she waited for them but she is still nursing her 1 month old lamb.  I thought it was too early for any of the ewes to go into heat.

Has anyone had any success using a retention harness for two breeding cycles on a ewe prone to vaginal prolapses?  She's more of a pet than a source of income.  I'd rather not abort the lamb if there's a chance she can have the lamb without the pregnancy killing her.  Any suggestions?


----------



## SheepGirl (Mar 20, 2014)

It is almost April and she is a Southdown, I doubt she is getting bred. Ewes like that should be culled on their 1st or 2nd offense and should not be allowed to keep daughters in the flock or keep sons as stud rams. Since she is a pet, stop breeding her so you won't have to deal with vaginal prolapses. I imagine it would get worse each time she lambs. And one day you may have to call a vet and that will be very expensive. I know just to deliver a lamb that was stuck cost me $210--that includes the farm call, emergency call, oxytocin, calcium, banamine, tube feeding of the lamb, and the actual delivery. Could you imagine how much it would be if the ewe had a prolapse that had to be cleaned, corrected, and stitched in place?


----------



## Sheepshape (Mar 28, 2014)

Softy though I am with all of my sheep (Keeping blind sheep, deformed sheep, too many rams and ancient sheep) I do not let them breed and I cull prolapsing sheep as SheepGirl says as the prolapse will recur year on year and is partially genetically determined.


----------

