So yesterday I wanted DS1 to put the 2 ewes back in the field when they did not lamb on schedule, right? He did not want to since he was afraid they might amb in the gully. Instead he removed the old creep gate and opened up the old ewe pen into the old creep to make more room. Then he transferred the Dorset and her twins to one of the jugs, and put the Dorper and Dorset ewes that hadn't lambed yet into the old creep. DS1 is a hero again!
I had just gotten back into the house after trying to spray some Alumishield on a ram's scraped shoulder. DS1 went into the barn to feed, and abruptly came into the house to tell me that it looked like one of the ewes was having some trouble lambing. Into the barn to check and it looked like a foot showing and her vulva terribly distended. Up to the house, back into my muck boots, and an old sweatshirt (remember the discussion about fluids squirting?), and down to the barn again, with towels and antiseptic soap. The foot was gone, but her vulva was really ballooned out with pressure, and no progress being made.
I soaped up and DS1 held the ewe. Yes there was a hoof just inside the vulva, and a ginormous head with it! The other hoof had been pushed back because the ewe was so tight (first freshener). I tried for several minutes to get the second hoof out, but couldn't get it. Slippery! Then I thought I would just try pulling on the presenting hoof. Some times one leg, head, and shoulder through are enough. Nope! Too large a head for both legs to present and no room to work. I tried gently stretching the vulva around the lamb's head with minimal results, and I couldn't get enough grip on the second leg to get it out. Luckily I have an OB snare in my kidding box. I rarely use it. I pushed the lamb back in gently, the ewe protested and pushed back, but I was able to get the snare over the second foot inside the ewe. With the first leg wrapped in a towel for traction and the snare on the other leg, I was able to finally work the foot to the front and ease the vulva over the lamb's face again. I was not sure how long she had been pushing, or whether the lamb was even still alive Then I saw a flicker of a lip! Hooray! With traction on both legs now, I pulled and she was able to give a final push that finally got the lamb out. It was a ram lamb and looks larger than the 17 lb. Dorper ewe that is now almost 3 weeks old! Those single ram lambs always give the most trouble to first fresheners! I still wasn't sure whether not not he would make it so I held him upside down for a minute or two to drain his air pipe, and then put him back down. He shook his head and looked around, but seemed a little logy so I went to get the "snot sucker" while mama got up to take a look. While I was rooting through my kidding box, he let out a large "maaa". DS1 said I probably didn't need to aspirate him if he was able to cry like that! He sounded pretty strong.
So now to dip the cord. I use an old medicine bottle half filled with Iodine full strength udder wash. I place the bottle over the cord and gently shake it up and down to get the cord totally inundated. The bottle was not in my kidding box. DS1 said he had found it in a feeder after the Dorset lambed. A spirited discussion followed about where he put it - on the counter in the newly cleaned Tool/workshed. We both looked but no iodine dipper bottle. Then DS1 thought he might have left it on a chest in the barn. While he looked, I went down to the milk shed and got out the large gallon bottle to fill another medicine bottle. DS1 summoned me before I got the gallon out and said he found where it had dropped behind the chest and retrieved it.
The sac had ruptured and the cord had bled on the lamb so he was a bloody mess, but mama was busy cleaning him up. I picked him up with a towel and dipped the cord. Then I checked to make sure I had gotten it well dipped. Shock! no iodine on the cord. OOPS!
I dipped his testicles instead!
All's well that ends well! I have since apologized to DS1 many times and admitted he was right not to turn the ewes out on the field. He saved both the ewe and lamb since in the gully we would not have found her and she might not have been able to push that lamb out. She was due the 29th or 30th so was overdue by about 3-4 days. When she didn't lamb on the 29th, I even gently went in a little but she wasn't ready to lamb. I just figured that she would lamb on December 22. That lamb is huge! Lil Sweetie looks much more streamlined now! I am so glad that I waited to breed our ewe lamb until next year.
Tomorrow we will weigh everyone, dock the twins' tails, and take more pix. Nameless' tail dropped off this morning. She needs a name.
