misfitmorgan
Herd Master
We had two Suffolk lambs the past two weeks. One was a ram lamb, born big healthy and fine. The other was a ewe lamb born last monday, she is very small, a single and moms first lamb. Mom rejected her so we were bottle feeding but leaving her out in the pen. Tuesday night after we got home from work we went to check animals and feed the lamb when we found her down with a broken leg. I took her to the vet and he set her leg and put a cast on. Her uncle born almost exactly a week earlier is at least 3 times the size she is but his mom has had several lambs. To give more background info, the adult ewe's are mother and daughter. Mom and daughter were bred(not by us) by the same ram who was also the daughters father. The ewe lamb is the daughters and the ram lamb is the mothers. i hope that makes sense. So basically we have 3 generations to look at. Ram lamb is fine and perfect, growing very fast and very big. Little girl lamb is living in the house now with her broken leg, she is very small maybe 6lbs with the cast on at the most and she will be a week old 3 days. She does not appear to be growing at all of filling out. She has a good spirit and is tolerant of anything we do with/to her. She does not make a lot of noise, she does get around even with her broken leg but we have to help her get up. I have a few concerns, first last night when we got home from work she was having a hard time keeping her legs under her and was shaking when she stood. We brought her out near the wood stove and feed her, after she ate and got warmed up she seemed better but still a bit shakey. Her second problem is on her back leg that isnt broken her pastern is fallen down a lot, her front legs are slightly fallen but i think those are due to her not standing correctly because of the cast. Could that be the same problem with her back leg since she can only use one? Anyone have experience with this and if it will just work itself out? Should i try to brace her good back leg at the pastern? i dont think it is a dietary problem because mom and grandmom had the same feeds and minerals. Her brother as i said seems completely fine as well. None of the other sheep or her father had any pastern issues.
i have attached the only picture i have of her standing but it is a horrible one. i can try to get better pictures if it would help since i got a new camera. the picture was tuesday night, for size reference those are 12 inch tiles on the floor, i think the pan we use for dog water is only around 10" tall. Her front feet have improved a bit from this picture and she stands with her knees back a bit more properly now. Her casted leg is very long so she stands very off square with the cast way out to try to balance.
A bit more background mom had almost no milk and didnt want her to nurse so we were holding mom so she could drink and hoping mom would come around while we compensated with a bottle and goat milk from our goats.
If you have any experience or ideas to help her out that you know work please let me know.
i have attached the only picture i have of her standing but it is a horrible one. i can try to get better pictures if it would help since i got a new camera. the picture was tuesday night, for size reference those are 12 inch tiles on the floor, i think the pan we use for dog water is only around 10" tall. Her front feet have improved a bit from this picture and she stands with her knees back a bit more properly now. Her casted leg is very long so she stands very off square with the cast way out to try to balance.
A bit more background mom had almost no milk and didnt want her to nurse so we were holding mom so she could drink and hoping mom would come around while we compensated with a bottle and goat milk from our goats.
If you have any experience or ideas to help her out that you know work please let me know.
I'm glad you joined us!
Besides, you have brand new kids to play with and cows delivering soon as well! I know... I know... it's NEVER enough! 
Our last calf was born late MAY of 2015! 
