# There may be Trouble Ahead......



## Sheepshape (Feb 15, 2014)

I'm about a month from lambing and I'm stocking up on those things we hope not to have to use.....lots of gloves, ropes, prolapse harness and spoons, colostrum, heat lamps, baby sweaters, antibiotics, metacam.etc. Maybe I should add sedatives.....for me.
Though not a seasoned farmer, I have been through lambing a fair few times.....but this year I anticipate problems.
We have had an appalling winter with a massive amount of storms,flooding and sodden fields. The girls, of which 40 are pregnant, however, entered this winter in a better condition than ever thanks to a lovely sunny summer.
BUT.....I have girls who are pregnant who fall outside of the range of young,healthy ewes who have had lambs previously.
Here are a few:
Minnie....by name and by nature.... a tiny ewe pregnant for the first time....and with twins.




Minnie is on the left (demon eyes!) To the far right (also with demon eyes) is Trixie.....also expecting twins and only a lamb 9 months old herself....

Then there's Baldie


 

Baldie is to the left.....huge, rather fat, old, very few teeth and a bit 'dropped'....but has an excellent obstetric history and that's her pregnant daughter, Gertie to the right ....pregnant for the first time.

Then there's Shaggy


 

Now she is old, seriously overweight and has major problems with two of her hooves, such that she can barely walk (managed to almost shear off the 'nails' of her hoof a few months back). Greedy, grumpy, and belligerent.
No picture of Bella as yet, but she tops the obesity stakes and is a Beulah Speckled Face who is carrying mule lambs (by a huge Blue Faced Leicester).

The next few months may be a bit fraught.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 23, 2014)

The troubles have already begun (3 weeks away from lambing).

The weather here has been awful.....rain and high winds persisting since Xmas. We have had the wettest January and February (so far) since records began.

Today, shortly after giving ewe pellets to all the pregnant girls, I found Gertie (middle ewe in the second pic) with her legs splayed out behind her by the side of the feeder in a pool of mud. Initially I thought she was dead as she was motionless with her head down. Rushing over, she was initially unable to stand.With help she got to her feet, but her back legs seemed weak. She was able to walk, thankfully and I bought them all into the shed. Initially she showed no interest in food, then began to take a few ewe nuts and a bit of silage. I isolated her and gave her calcium biscuits and other snacks which she took with gusto. I then had to go out for a couple of hours. A bit fearful of going into the shed (fearing Listeriosis) I opened the door to find her very much back to her usual ravenous and grumpy self, on her feet and with no sign of leg weakness. 

I have no idea of the cause of her problem....it is wet and windy but really quite mild. I was thinking....a) Listeriosis....ruled out by the very rapid return to normality b) Calcium issues....possible, but our soil is generally OK, she is taking ewe pellets and is in pretty good body condition.c) Hypothermia....it isn't cold and she had seemed fine an hour or two before. d) Injury.....no evidence she had injured herself e) Growing lamb pressing on nerves (Possible, I had this problem with a ewe a few years back) f) Low blood sugar due to the demands of the growing lamb....didn't seem so likely as she feeds well generally, but she did respond to hand feeding of sugary 'snacks'.

I'm still none the wiser....but Gertie is looking fine right now.

All my pregnant ewes are staying in the shed today and overnight. Ewe lick provided in addition to their usual food.

Any suggestions would be welcome.


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## purplequeenvt (Feb 23, 2014)

Wet and muddy, legs splayed out behind....my guess would be that she slipped and, being pregnant, wasn't able to get her legs back were they needed to be in order to get back up. A pinched nerve is as a good possibility.


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## Sheepshape (Feb 26, 2014)

Looks like you were right, purplequeen....Gertie is back and and seeming fine.

Her mother, Baldie,to the left of Gertie in the pic., is suddenly getting a very big udder (should be at least two and a half weeks to go) and is starting to sink at the rear.

Today so far is dry and sunny. I am hoping the spring-like weather will perk them all up a bit.


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