Lethargic 3 day old lamb

[Mini Horses]

I know you are trying and upset and worried.

Hot compresses, try the milker!! You are more prepared than many. put the lambs in a box in front of her, so she can smell them. Sometimes that will help stimulate milk letdown. Gosh, keep letting us know how it's going. We care. Many of us have BTDT so....understand.

The compresses usually help with the soreness from overfill...

 

[SteepedInSheep]

Thank you for your kind words.
I greatly appreciate everyone's replies. I am so overwhelmed and upset about all this. I have been on the verge of tears for hours.
One of the lambs passed away just shortly and the other doesn't look far behind.

 

[Finnie]

Aw, I’m so sorry. Hopefully you can get that ewe milked out and save her.

 

[Baymule]

I just came online and found this. Before feeding the lamb, be sure to warm it up first. If they are cold, they cannot digest the milk and they will die-even if you warm them up later. I rushed twins to the vet when I was new at this and he tube fed them. I didn’t know to warm them up first and neither did he. Basically he helped me kill them. They died in my arms around midnight that night. I cried.

Newborn mammals must have colostrum. The sooner the better. Tractor Supply, Atwoods, feed stores carry the powdered kind. The formula Finnie found works. You might try a little honey on your finger in the baby’s mouth.

I’m really sorry that this has happened to you and your ewe.

Please let us know how the lamb and ewe are doing.

 

[SageHill]

Definitely Tractor Supply has powdered milk replacer for sheep. I ~think~ it also has colostrum.

 

[Ridgetop]

Just saw this post - haven't been on for a couple days. It sounds like the ewe didn't or couldn't let her milk down and the lambs starved. Use hot compresses on the ewe's udder and massage gently to encourage milk to let down. It is possible if the udder is hard as opposed to overly full (engorged) that this ewe has a case of mastitis. Here are some questions:
How old is she?
Has she lambed before?
Where did you get her?
Has she ever had mastitis?
Where are you located?

 

[SteepedInSheep]

It sounds like the ewe didn't or couldn't let her milk down and the lambs starved.

That was our conclusion as well. Im horrified.

Use hot compresses on the ewe's udder and massage gently to encourage milk to let down. It is possible if the udder is hard as opposed to overly full (engorged) that this ewe has a case of mastitis. Here are some questions:
How old is she?
Has she lambed before?
Where did you get her?
Has she ever had mastitis?
Where are you located?

She's 4
She's lambed before and with no issues. We found a lady on craigslist who was downsizing her flock and bought her there.
She's not had mastitis before, from what we were told. Supposedly she had a perfect pregnancy, labor and delivery, as well as raising her babies.
I'm in northern indiana

The other lamb passed away late afternoon yesterday.
I'm completely befuddled with the state of her udder. She's huge and hard, but it doesn't feel overly hot and it's not pink or infection vibe giving. We've had zero luck with compresses and trying to milk her.
My husband has not milked sheep before but has milked cows for years so he has a sense of how to do it.
At this point, he wants to turn her out to pasture and keep an eye on her but not attempt to keep milking her. He's hoping she'll just dry up. Does that sound OK or is it imperative we keep trying?

 

[Baymule]

Dry lot her with no feed or hay for 24 hours. Provide water only.