Hello all!
Seems I am always posting about the bad and never the good!
We had another Finn ewe (first time mama) give birth last night to 4 babies. 2 were dead, 2 were alive but incredibly smaller than the other two that had passed. The two little boys definitely look premature to me. However the dead ones were much larger. Is that possible? Of the two boys who were born alive, one has weepy still half closed eyes and the other boy has open eyes but appears blind in one of them. Teeth are barely there on both. Both have trouble standing but nurse from mama when we hold her down (she was a nervous wreck and keeps licking the babies but will not let them nurse when they head towards the back of her, she keeps moving so she can continue to lick them.).
Both boys nurse from mama well when we hold them (we wanted to ensure they are getting colostrum) and also are supplementing with a bottle as well, as she is just such a wreck. They are nursing fine. Still very wobbly, but standing up for a bit longer than before. They were born at 1 AM this morning.
Now for the questions...how can lambs from the same ewe be so much further along and others (these little guys) be so much smaller? Did the two large ones take all of mamas nutrients leaving nothing for these two? And most importantly, should we continue to do what we can or are we just prolonging the inevitable on these babies? They seem to be doing as well as they can so I think they have the will to survive, but want to make sure I am not keeping these poor guys around if they are in pain, etc...
On a happier note, the other Finns all had beautiful healthy full term baby ewe lambs! The rest of the herd did so well, we thought all births were to go that smooth. (Our first year, now we see that was wishfull thinking). After this one and the other Finn that aborted for unknown reasons last month, we have a wonderful new crop of babies on the farm!
Please ignore any typos! I have been up since 7 am yesterday, really trying to pull these guys through!
Appreciate any advice, thoughts...
Not sure if this is important or not, but one of the dead lambs did not have a sac (hope that is the right word). A ton of clearish liquid came gushing out and then the first dead one was born. The other one that didn't make it was still in the sac but it has a yellowish almost oily look to the fluid?
Seems I am always posting about the bad and never the good!
We had another Finn ewe (first time mama) give birth last night to 4 babies. 2 were dead, 2 were alive but incredibly smaller than the other two that had passed. The two little boys definitely look premature to me. However the dead ones were much larger. Is that possible? Of the two boys who were born alive, one has weepy still half closed eyes and the other boy has open eyes but appears blind in one of them. Teeth are barely there on both. Both have trouble standing but nurse from mama when we hold her down (she was a nervous wreck and keeps licking the babies but will not let them nurse when they head towards the back of her, she keeps moving so she can continue to lick them.).
Both boys nurse from mama well when we hold them (we wanted to ensure they are getting colostrum) and also are supplementing with a bottle as well, as she is just such a wreck. They are nursing fine. Still very wobbly, but standing up for a bit longer than before. They were born at 1 AM this morning.
Now for the questions...how can lambs from the same ewe be so much further along and others (these little guys) be so much smaller? Did the two large ones take all of mamas nutrients leaving nothing for these two? And most importantly, should we continue to do what we can or are we just prolonging the inevitable on these babies? They seem to be doing as well as they can so I think they have the will to survive, but want to make sure I am not keeping these poor guys around if they are in pain, etc...
On a happier note, the other Finns all had beautiful healthy full term baby ewe lambs! The rest of the herd did so well, we thought all births were to go that smooth. (Our first year, now we see that was wishfull thinking). After this one and the other Finn that aborted for unknown reasons last month, we have a wonderful new crop of babies on the farm!
Please ignore any typos! I have been up since 7 am yesterday, really trying to pull these guys through!
Appreciate any advice, thoughts...
Not sure if this is important or not, but one of the dead lambs did not have a sac (hope that is the right word). A ton of clearish liquid came gushing out and then the first dead one was born. The other one that didn't make it was still in the sac but it has a yellowish almost oily look to the fluid?
