Lambing   Supply List 

Be Prepared!  Lambing is much easier and less stressful if you are prepared.  The first few years are the most difficult as you are learning so many new skills.  If you are a new shepherd, it may be wise to keep your flock small at first to allow time to learn. Consider starting with older ewes that have lambed easily in the past. Continuing to learn new information and skills each year will leave you better prepared for the next lambing.

Basic preparations:

Clean barn or pasture set up with areas for ewes to lamb with enough room so ewes can separate and get some privacy
Good dry straw for bedding jugs or outside lambing areas
Telephone number for your vet - Develop a relationship with a local vet who is knows sheep or is interested in learning
Reference books  see Lambing Links & Books
Lambing record form or notebook  for birth dates, ewe number and number/ type of lambs.  I use a homemade lamb record form that can also be used to register lambs.
Clipboard with paper and pencil/pen attached to it.
Ear tags and tagger
Clip your finger nails closely and put your rings away before lambing  to help make internal exams easier.

Equipment and Supplies to have on hand:  (Discuss medications with your vet)

Jugs - one jug for every 5-6 bred ewes. Each jug should have a water pail and feeder. If pasture lambing, a few emergency jugs in the barn or shelter for problem ewes/lambs
Head gate panel built into one jug
Old towels, dishcloths, tea towels – Useful for picking up wet and slippery lambs
Hairdryer – for drying and warming chilled lambs
Bucket – stainless steel is easily disinfected
Syringes in various sizes: 1 cc, 3 cc, 6cc, 12 cc, 30 cc, 60 cc
Needles -  disposable, size ½ x 20,  1x 18  and  1 ½  x 16
Scissors to trim naval cords if necessary
Thermometer
Jars or containers with lids and measuring cup for mixing milk replacer.   Try home canning jars, empty plastic juice bottles.
Wide mouth jar with handle and lid  for milking ewes
Ice cube trays to freeze any extra colostrum or milk
Lamb nipples: Pritchard nipples are a perfect size for Shetlands.  *Note that these nipples have a  small stainless steel ball set just under the tiny air intake hole on the yellow screw on cap. The all is needed for the nipple to work properly.  Watch that you don't lose this ball if you separate the red latex nipple from the yellow screw on cap when washing.  If you lose the ball, milk will leak out of the tiny air intake hole.
500- 600 ml pop bottles to use with nipples. The Pritchard nipples screw onto the pop bottles
Soft rope or lambing loops to loop over lamb legs when assisting  in difficult births
Scale for weighing lambs if desired
Kettle for heating water to sterilize feeding tubes, needles or to dilute dextrose solutions (or coffee for the shepherd!)
Feeding Tube - for tubing milk or electrolyte directly into lamb’s stomach) with syringe or container that connects to the end of the tube. My favorite tube size for Shetland lambs is 16 inches long, size 10 (3.3mm)
Latex gloves that fit snugly (They come in S,M,L sizes)
OB gloves – an arm length plastic glove for internal exams. Try putting a latex glove on over the OB glove as this will give you a better fit on the fingers and allow you to feel more details on the lambs
Prolapse Retainer or ewe spoon for prolapsed uterus
Small bottle or jar with lid for dipping navels.  An old spice jar is a perfect size.
Monitoring Systems:
A closed circuit TV system can be installed in the barn so you can see what is happening in the barn from your house or office
A baby monitor can also be used if you want to be able to hear what is happening in the barn.  Most ewes make noise when in labour or when they are in distress.

Dextrose 50%
Ketamalt and/or Nutridrench– a high energy molasses mixture with a dose of vitamins for lagging ewes or lambs
Propylene glycol- high glucose solution given orally to ewes with Pregnancy Toxemia
Calcium solution, Cal-Dextro or Calcium Boro-Gluconate
Antibiotic such as penicillin, oxytetracycline
Uterine Bolus in case of uterine infection
Banamine or other  anti-inflammatory/ pain medication
Epinephrine  in case of allergic reaction
Antihistamine  as part of treatment for Acidosis, Pregnancy Toxemia
E/Se Vitamin E and Selenium for Se deficient areas prone to White Muscle disease
Multi vitamin injectable, high in B vitamins
Eye ointment or drops for eye infections
Alcohol wipes to clean off tops of medicine bottles or injection site
Disinfectant – bleach is inexpensive and useful
Pepto Bismol - help ease diarrhea symptoms
Rumen booster or active yogurt – one with active acidobascilus culture to repopulate rumen with good bacteria
Iodine  7 % for dipping navels -if that is your practice
Electrolyte powder or ingredients for homemade version
Lubricant such as J Lube – a dry powder which you sprinkle on your hands. It becomes very slippery when wet for lubrication during internal exams.  You can also buy liquid lubricants.  Mild dish soap can also be used as a lubricant.
Colostrum suitable for lambs. Save some colostrum from early lambing ewes, freeze into ice cube trays or purchase from feed store.
Milk replacer - dry powder of instant lamb milk.  Very handy to have a small quantity on hand.  It is expensive and does not keep forever so getting a small bag and knowing where to get more if needed will do

For the shepherd in the barn  

Don’t forget yourself! You may need some emergency supplies too:
Tea, coffee,  juice
Biscuits, cookies, granola bars, raisins, fruit…whatever you like that will give you an energy boost if needed
Hand cream -especially helpful if you are lambing large numbers and are washing your hands constantly
Band-Aids, antibiotic cream for cuts

Extra Cold Weather lambing items:

Heat lamp set up in a jug or set a jug up in a heated area of barn
Cardboard box with towel in bottom in warm, secure area of barn to place chilled lambs for recovery
Woolover coats for chilly lambs. You can also use  sleeves cut off old wool sweaters

See also Surviving Sub Zero Lambing for more cold weather tips.