Lamb Nursed From Pregnant Ewe

[CityFarmer]

My son put his sheep together in the field to enjoy the nice day. One of our ewes has 2 week old twins that she will not feed (we have to hold her still so they can drink). When my son stepped out to check on them, he noticed the twins feeding from our pregnant ewe who is nearly due. I have 2 concerns: (1) there goes the colostrum her own babies need, and (2) will nursing cause any hormonal problems for the start of labour and delivery for the ewe?

Thanks for any input. This is our first time lambing and we apparently have lots to learn!

 

[Latestarter]

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There are lots of great Sheeple her, and I'm not one, but I don't think it will have any affect on her delivering her own baby(s) but yeah, you don't want that colostrum all sucked out by the other ewes. I suggest separating the to be mom from the rest until after delivery. I believe she produces colostrum for the first couple of days. It won't be as strong as that first shot, but hopefully strong enough. @Sheepshape @mysunwolf @farmerjan others?

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[farmerjan]

The lambs will compromise the colostrum for the lambs yet to be born, but it won't be a disaster if you get the pregnant ewe away from them immediately. The ewe will produce colostrum for 1-3 days, and if it is an older ewe, not first time, then there will be anti-bodies for the yet to be born lambs when she does lamb. If you are having that much trouble with the ewe not wanting to feed her own lambs, then you might want to consider keeping her separate from the other sheep instead of segregating the pregnant ewe. If she is going to continue refusing to feed the lambs unless you are holding her, she would be a candidate to take a permanent ride down the road.
The nursing may cause the increase in oxytocin which can help to push up her lambing, but if you get the lambs away so they can't steal anymore, it might not cause a problem. If she is that close, it shouldn't make much difference anyway.

 

[mysunwolf]

I'm having a similar problem, my bottle lamb gets hungry in between meals and nurses from the heavy pregnant ewes. They usually don't let her, but I worry she'll suck all the colostrum out before babies are born. @farmerjan, are you saying that it should be fine as long as the soon to be moms are separated from the pilfering lambs as soon as they lamb?

 

[Latestarter]

I think she meant removed from the pilfering lambs now or even better, yesterday...

 

[mysunwolf]

Ugh, in that case I am screwed lol

 

[farmerjan]

@Latestarter is right. Get them away now and keep them away. The colostrum will be nursed out if they keep stealing. In cattle, there are farmers who have started milking an animal because she has gotten so big, has alot of edema or for whatever reason, to relieve the pressure. By the time they do calve ( usually within a week or so) there is no more "colostrum". It is thickest, with the most antibodies when first made. So while the ewe or cow is waiting to have the baby (ies) their body has this colostrum ready to go. Once it is nursed, she will continue to make some but it will not be as good or as strong with antibodies. After about 3-5 days, it will look just like regular milk, even if she hasn't had her baby yet. And there is no, "making more" for the baby.
I think that all pregnant animals need to be kept where they are not subjected to nursing by any "oppotunist" bottle babies. Most always, a new baby, like a calf, will not try very hard to suck a cow that is not it's mother unless the mother rejects it. Besides, the cow often will go off to have it for some privacy, to give them a chance to bond a bit, so that the calf "knows" who it's momma is. Our sheep do the same, try to go off in a less busy area to have their lambs. And will often stay there for 12 to 24 hours to just keep the lambs to themselves.
Hate to say it, but get the bottle babies and the pregnant animals, separate and keep them apart.

 

[klcardella]

It may still be OK if you separated them right away. You can also get some powdered colostrum to help boost them just in case.

I keep all my ewes that have lambed in a separate pasture from those still waiting to lamb. I have had issues with a ewe in labor while another one is lambing that will clean and nurse the lambing ewe's babies, and then try to steal them! It is really hard to get them away from the new lambs. It only happens when they are in labor (or very close) themselves. If they are not close, they will usually stay away from a lambing ewe. I move new lambs very soon after birth into a jug or nursery area where they can bond, then out with the other moms with lambs.

Even if you can just separate an area with some panels, pallets or whatever to keep pregnant ewes from lambs.