Problems With Birth

Kathy Baker  15 Oct 2005

Problems need to be identified and corrected quickly to save the lamb and/or the ewe.  Your Vet may not be available or able to come quickly enough. The more you know and the more experience you have the more likely you will be able to intervene effectively.  There's a lot to learn in your first few years as a shepherd.  Take every opportunity to learn and prepare yourself.

 -Consider taking a course at a local Ag college.  Ask your vet to come and demonstrate during lambing. Many books have very clear pictures of malpresentations. Study the pictures.  Make  a copy and leave them in the barn for quick reference.  See the link below for an online guide.
 
-look carefully at newborn or stillborn lambs and notice that you can tell front feet from back feet by feeling from the hoof up to the knee or hock joint. 

-The knee on the front leg bends backward  with the hoof pointing up or toward the knee. The hock in the rear bends  the opposite way.  It bends forward with the hoof pointing down away from the hock.

-Find a leg, identify whether it is a front to back leg.  Follow  the leg up to the body without losing contact with the lamb to find the other leg.   (This will ensure that if you are pulling on two legs, that they both belong to the same lamb!) .

-Take the time to run your hand along the lamb with your eyes closed trying to visualize what you feel.  You can feel the eye sockets, ears, nose, mouth and tail.

That is what you will be doing when you do an internal examination.  You will be feeling to determine the position of the lambs inside the ewe and deciding how best to help.

How do I know if I should help?
Source:  Laura Lawson: Managing your Ewe and her Unborn Lambs

Laura Lawson recommends The 30-30-30 rule before intervening.

1. If in early labour, the ewe has made no progress ie:  the water bag is not yet visible after 30 minutes of hard contractions:    Examine the ewe internally

2. If the ewe hasn't delivered a lamb 30 minutes after the bag has broken or is presented: Examine the ewe. 
-If presentation of the lamb is normal leave the ewe for another 30 minutes.
-If presentation of the lamb is abnormal, correct the problem and pull the lamb
-If you assisted in the delivery of a lamb always examine internally and pull the remaining lambs

3. If an unassisted ewe does not deliver her second lamb within 30 minutes of the first lamb: Examine the ewe.
If the presentation needs correction, pull the lamb.

Note that others recommend waiting 40-60 minutes before intervention.  Discuss with your Vet.

How  do I do an internal examination?

 -your goal is to get in and correct any problem gently and quickly. Lawson recommends under 20 minutes.
-Get prepared first
-Get your books and pictures out if you need them to refresh your memory
-Disinfect a bucket.
-Fill with warm soapy water
-Wash hands and arms
-Get your lubricant ready

-move the ewe to a cleanly bedded area with good light, close to your medical supply area
-halter the ewe  and tie (only with enough length that she can lie down) unless she is very accommodating and friendly and does not move away from you.  Lie the ewe down on one side
-clip extra or dirty wool from around vulva if she hasn't been shorn
-put on OB shoulder length glove with latex glove overtop if desired
-wash the vulva
-lubricate your hand and arm well, mild liquid soap like Ivory will do if you do not have a lubricant
-gently slide your hand inside the ewe to feel the lamb inside
-you are trying to determine the position of the lamb and how to help or reposition so the lamb can be delivered alive with no injury to the ewe

Here is a site with pictures of  normal lamb presentation and common dystocias or malpresentations as well as  info on how to help.
 
Purdue Lambing Site