# Jezza....giant lamb



## Sheepshape (May 19, 2013)

Jeremy (Jezza) didn't have the best start to life just 7 weeks ago. His twin sister was born uneventfully, then mum started to push and push and push, hooves visible........clearly distressed and making no progress. She lay down and stayed down, and was happy for me to examine her......front legs, nose....stuck. I extended the legs and started to pull, and pull and pull....stuck. Re-examine.....definitely one lamb, felt big, normal presentation, no other lamb present. Deep breath and pull, and pull and pull with all my (puny) might.......movement, and delivery. A HUGE twin......seemingly lifeless. Clear his mouth and nose, swing back and forth, no movement. Last ditch attempt....kiss of life, little gasp from lamb, kiss of life again.....breathing efforts, movement, groaning....seemed like any eternity. Frantic rubbing with straw and towel, and definitely with us. Eyes open, trying to bleat. A further series of rubbing and stimulating....and much improved. Offered to mum....who by this time is on her feet and feeding his sister...NO THANKS......a cursory look and a head butt.Painkillers and antibiotics for mum. Many attempts to get mum to accept him over the next hour......NO WAY, says mum. Up to the house and powdered milk via stomach tube.....lamb didn't look like he would get to his feet. 2 hours later and on his feet...colostrum via bottle. 

Over the next two days he gained strength. Given antibiotics for rattly chest.Then day 3 he collapsed and became unconscious. The vet is 11 miles away, but we took him in the car, not expecting him to reach the surgery.Seen immediately by the vet who gave him an 'off licence' antibiotic and told us to expect him to die.He di not....a further injection 3 days later and he improved.

Here he is now at 7 weeks....a giant bottle lamb.







He takes nearly 2 litres of milk at a feed.....and is so lovely!


----------



## Ruus (May 19, 2013)

Wow! That's a big boy! What's his destiny? Ram, wether, or freezer?


----------



## Sheepshape (May 19, 2013)

He's one lucky boy. We don't eat meat, he's intact, and he looks like he should make a good father......so ram it is!

He weighed 43lbs at 4 weeks.....so I'll slip him in the scale when he comes into the shed for vaccination, worming or tagging to see what he weighs now.


----------



## norseofcourse (May 19, 2013)

Wow, he is huge!  So glad all your hard work paid off, and he made it.


----------

