In the hours before the ewe gives birth there are some noticeable signs that she is in labour. The ewe will be uneasy and show signs of sickness. No two ewes show the exact signs but there are many common traits. Its vital that you are aware of the signs so that if there is need for intervention you are on site. Check your ewes every four hours so that if a ewe is having difficulty she is not left to struggle too long on her own. Some ewes can be quite dramatic in the hours up to the birth and some can be quiet relaxed. I have seen a ewe that every year would clear the rest of the ewes out of the shed while she was in the process of lambing.   Signs of Lambing   The ewes udder will be bagged out a few days or a week before she is about to give birth. It becomes bigger and harder the closer to birth. The teats will stand out about a day before lambing. The belly sinks also around the day before birth. The vulva will get pinker and more swelled. ...

  Lamb pneumonia is an infections disease that is caused primarily by the bacteria pasteurella hemolytica. Detecting the signs of pneumonia on time is critical for the chance of survival of a lamb with pneumonia. The most common cause of death in young lambs is lamb pneumonia. You will usually notice the symptom's of pneumonia during the advanced stages of the disease. Your lamb is more at risk of getting pneumonia if he/she is housed in a damp drafty enclosure. Contaminated milk and feed  also puts the lamb at risk. Inadequate colostrum intake at birth and exposure to extreme cold and rain is a precursor for this disease.     .     Pasteurella hemolytica is a bacteria that is found in the respiratory and digestive tract in alot of lambs. Most newborn lambs are exposed to this bacteria but do not develop the disease that can be caused by pasteurell hemolytica as they have a natural resistance. Their resistance to ...

If you have an orphan lamb or a lamb that is not getting enough milk from their mother then you may consider lamb fostering. Lamb fostering is when you find a surrogate mother in the form of a ewe that is willing or that can be convinced to take on another lamb. Ewes usually are not willing to take on another ewes lamb but there are some tricks of the trade that can be used. If a ewes lamb has just died you can rub her birth fluids on your orphan and let the ewe think that your orphan lamb is her lamb. This is known as wet fostering. Keep and eye on them to see that they bond. Sometimes its best to tie the orphan lambs two back legs lightly with a string so his movements seem more like a newborn lamb. Untie after an hour. This is often the most successful. Leave together in small pen. You could also try putting the dead lambs fleece on the orphan lamb to fool the sheep into thinking your orphan lamb is hers. Leave the fleece on  the lamb for two to ...

Scours cause diarrhea and usually occur in the first month of the lambs life. Adequate intake of colostrum is the best protection against lamb scours. Good sanitation is also very important. Bad farm management leads to a higher risk of lamb scour. Bacterial scours are treated with antibiotics and fluids. Scours can lead to dehydration and pneumonia and if untreated death. Causes of the scour can be viral,parasitic,nutritional or environmental. Scours can be infectious. Too much milk replacer or pelleted feed can cause scours in lambs. Scouring lambs may appear gaunt,depressed with wet rear legs. They will loose condition very quickly. Its best to remove the infected animals from the rest of the flock. Contact your vet when you have an outbreak of scours. They can do fecal analysis to pinpoint the cause. An outbreak can lead to serious loss. Your vet may give fluid via iv drip and prescribe antibiotics. If your lamb has scours try to figure out why so you can try to...

Sheep have been kept by Shepard's for over 11,000 years. 900 different breeds of sheep in the world. Sheep farming is the oldest organized industry. Some sheep are kept for wool and some for meat. Female sheep are called ewes and male sheep are called rams. Neutered male sheep are called wethers. Most lambs will weigh around the same as a newborn baby when born 9lb. Lambs will drink their mothers milk until they are 4 months old. Twins are the most popular. Ewes can also have singles, triplets, quadruplets and even quintuplets. Lambs can walk minutes after birth. Lambs are born with 8 milk teeth. Two teeth will fall out each year until the 8 teeth have been replaced Some ewes need assistance while giving birth. Lambs like to waggle their tail when they are happy suckling.   Sheep have a slit on their upper lip which allows selection of preferred leaves off the plants. There are over one billion sheep in the world. China has the most sheep in the world...