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LAMBING

By: Alyssa Bolton

13 Years Old who Lives in New Castle Virginia

Lambing is a very busy time. But it can be very rewarding if you do it right. Here is an
outline of what you will need to do before and after lambing.

So you have bred your ewes and written down the first day with the ram. What do you do
next? For the first four months you don't really have to do much different. Make sure you don't
stress them out too much. Keep them moving so they stay fit and don't get too lazy. Other than that
the first four months are not the hard part .

When the last month of gestation comes things start to get busy. One month before lambing
the ewe must be vaccinated for CD/T and Rabies. This way she will pass the immunity to her lamb.
She will also need to be wormed a month before lambing. Ivomec Drench is a good wormer to use
for pregnant ewes. Make sure she does not get too stressed. You will need to face and crouch her.
This means you need to trim the wool from around her eyes so she can see the lamb when it is born.
Crouching means to trim the wool from around her rear so the lamb does not suck on some dirty
wool when it is trying to find milk. Watch the ewe's weight so she does not get too fat or thin. She
might need extra feed during this time.

You will need a few things for lambing. Here is a list of some things you might want to have on hand:

------ Pipestone lamb survival kit (www.pipevet.com)

------ 7% tincture iodine

------ film canister

------ clean pair of scissors (keep in a zip lock baggy)

------ some heavy twine

------ baby bottle

------ clean towels

------ bulb syringe

When lambing time comes around make sure to check on the ewe every few hours. Nine out
of ten lambs are born without a problem. But every once and a while there can be a problem. If you
don't have a lamb puller on hand heavy twine will help you with a lamb in the wrong position. For
emergences you also have the bulb syringe for getting mucus from in the lamb nose. When the lamb
is born cut the cord 2 inches from the body with a clean pair of scissors. Put the tincture iodine in the
film canister and dip the navel cord in the iodine until saturated. This will help to prevent any
infections. Then give the lamb some Baby Lamb Strength Oral from the Pipestone lamb survival kit.
This gives all lambs an extra start. Place the lamb and ewe in a stall where the lamb and ewe can
bond for a few days. This is especially necessary for first time moms.

When the lamb is 3-4 days old you will need to dock the tail. There are many products on the
market you can use. The most popular of these products is the Elastrator. This is a rubber band that
cuts of the blood circulation and the bottom part of the tail will drop off in about a week. When the
lamb is 17 days old it will need a booster of CD/T and Rabies. In 15 days the lamb will need another
booster of CD/T and Rabies.

Here are some good books about lambing:

Raising Sheep The Modern Way by Paula Simmons

Your Sheep by Paula Simmons and Darrell L. Salsurary

The Sheep Book by Ron Parker

Practical Lambing And Lamb Care by F.A. Eales and J. Small