Sheepshape
Herd Master
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2012
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I don't usually leave triplets with a ewe as generally the smallest will be pushed out by the two larger lambs and fail to thrive. In addition, mastitis is far more common in triplet mums due to the lambs constantly trying to get enough milk. Occasionally a young, strong ewe with 3 lambs of approximately equal size can cope, but not so often.
This year my ewes were scanned and only 2 were expecting triplets.The first poor ewe contracted pneumonia and her lambs all died inside her. This left just one Old Girl (aged 8). In reasonable condition for her age, but going grey around the muzzle!
So, I planned to feed the smallest from the first day after birth (so they could all have colostrum from mum) and then to supplemental bottle feed the smallest whilst still leaving her with mum.Sounded like a plan....
So mum gave birth 4.5 weeks ago in the field whilst I was out for just a couple of hours. I came home to find her on the edge of the field with three live lambs, all on their feet, and one of two ewe lambs notably smaller than the other ewe and ram lamb. She came into the sheep shed happily enough, and the three lambs all clamoured for her teats, seemingly non-stop, over that first day. I decided to then systematically go to the smallest one 4 times daily (whilst feeding the other bottle lambs) to supplement her with bottles. Usually at this stage persuading a lamb to suck a bottle is easy....This time, and in spite of maybe 30 attempts, she never would suck. As the days went by she ran faster and faster and I could barely catch her. So I gave up....thinking mum's milk would give out.
4.5 weeks on, and with them confined to the sheep shed and the surrounds, they are doing very well. I have kept them close as our weather has been pretty cold and wet and confinement means they all have unfettered access to food.The lambs are all eating lots of solids and mum is actually growing rather fat.
SO....an Old Girl with 3 lambs, one of which was tiny, seems to have defied the odds.
Here she is with her family.
This year my ewes were scanned and only 2 were expecting triplets.The first poor ewe contracted pneumonia and her lambs all died inside her. This left just one Old Girl (aged 8). In reasonable condition for her age, but going grey around the muzzle!
So, I planned to feed the smallest from the first day after birth (so they could all have colostrum from mum) and then to supplemental bottle feed the smallest whilst still leaving her with mum.Sounded like a plan....
So mum gave birth 4.5 weeks ago in the field whilst I was out for just a couple of hours. I came home to find her on the edge of the field with three live lambs, all on their feet, and one of two ewe lambs notably smaller than the other ewe and ram lamb. She came into the sheep shed happily enough, and the three lambs all clamoured for her teats, seemingly non-stop, over that first day. I decided to then systematically go to the smallest one 4 times daily (whilst feeding the other bottle lambs) to supplement her with bottles. Usually at this stage persuading a lamb to suck a bottle is easy....This time, and in spite of maybe 30 attempts, she never would suck. As the days went by she ran faster and faster and I could barely catch her. So I gave up....thinking mum's milk would give out.
4.5 weeks on, and with them confined to the sheep shed and the surrounds, they are doing very well. I have kept them close as our weather has been pretty cold and wet and confinement means they all have unfettered access to food.The lambs are all eating lots of solids and mum is actually growing rather fat.
SO....an Old Girl with 3 lambs, one of which was tiny, seems to have defied the odds.
Here she is with her family.