Hypothermia

[AriesX]

We found that in the cold it was crucial for the newborns to have colostrum in the first two to three hours. We checked up on them every couple hours to make sure they nursed. Also, bottle feeding a lamb for a few hours doesn't mean it has to stay a bottle lamb. We had one who we bottle fed for about 24 hours and then reconnected it with its mother and got it to nurse.

 

[alsea1]

There may have been something wrong with the baby. That may explain why the mom was not to interested.

 

[Country Gal]

The lamb did seem smaller than the ones from this summer, even the twins. My single lamb was enormous. I suspect that she was early.

 

[alsea1]

I feel bad for the little ones that don't make it. Sometimes raising stock can be heart breaking. But when it goes right it's exillerating.

 

[babsbag]

I don't raise sheep, but goats, and yes I will pull a kid for any and all of the reasons you mentioned. That colostrum is critical.

Go ahead and milk her if she will let you.

 

[norseofcourse]

I'm so sorry you lost the lamb.

Yes, you can milk the ewe. I milked my sheep last year and I'm really looking forward to milking again this year. I have posts about it in my BYH journal, and in the Milking section. Quite a few others have also milked sheep and posted good information, too, and they were very helpful when I was learning last year and had lots of questions!

 

[L J]

so sorry for the loss of your lamb. Whereabouts are you? I'm just outside Spokane. I am raising a bottle ram (8 weeks now). I'm kind of new to the sheep thing myself, so always good for local contacts.

 

[Country Gal]

I'm in the Ellensburg area.

 

[Fireflyfarms]

I am so sorry, we lost our only ewe lamb of the season last year with combined cold and to prematurity, kept her alive 10 days and then she just passed away rather suddenly.

She was born in April but our weather did a cold snap, the weather is so frustrating sometimes.