Cutting lambs out of a dead ewe

[waltonCharollais]

I'm having a bad day! Ewes due on Monday (all sponged) and my old ewe who had twin lamb 6 weeks off lambing has been absolutely fine, looks horrendous but was up and eating, been having Glycol twice a day. This morning at 6am I found her flat out, legs straight and pretty much unresponsive. Gave glycol and calcium. She perked up and walked about, I popped home for two hours and find her again on return flat out. Spoken to the vet and he's taking steroids and a jab to induce her home so I can pick up this evening. Anything else I can do for her?

She's looking like she's going to die in all honesty and I can see the lambs moving. I know it's possible and hoping I don't have to do it but can anyone share their experience of cutting out lambs once the mother has just died? How long do I have? I know not long. Any tips?

Please go easy on me, I'm a stressed out wreck and I've not even started yet!!!!

 

[Blue.]

I'm having a bad day! Ewes due on Monday (all sponged) and my old ewe who had twin lamb 6 weeks off lambing has been absolutely fine, looks horrendous but was up and eating, been having Glycol twice a day. This morning at 6am I found her flat out, legs straight and pretty much unresponsive. Gave glycol and calcium. She perked up and walked about, I popped home for two hours and find her again on return flat out. Spoken to the vet and he's taking steroids and a jab to induce her home so I can pick up this evening. Anything else I can do for her?

She's looking like she's going to die in all honesty and I can see the lambs moving. I know it's possible and hoping I don't have to do it but can anyone share their experience of cutting out lambs once the mother has just died? How long do I have? I know not long. Any tips?

Please go easy on me, I'm a stressed out wreck and I've not even started yet!!!!

If you know it's not going to make it ring the knacker and get him to do it for you.

I've done it with cows,it feels like it's taking an age to get the calf out.

 

[Flossie]

Ewe's left side, sharp knife. Did a cow once and got a live calf Knacker man will do it for you if a bit squeamish and you can get hold of him sharpish

 

[neilo]

I'm having a bad day! Ewes due on Monday (all sponged) and my old ewe who had twin lamb 6 weeks off lambing has been absolutely fine, looks horrendous but was up and eating, been having Glycol twice a day. This morning at 6am I found her flat out, legs straight and pretty much unresponsive. Gave glycol and calcium. She perked up and walked about, I popped home for two hours and find her again on return flat out. Spoken to the vet and he's taking steroids and a jab to induce her home so I can pick up this evening. Anything else I can do for her?

She's looking like she's going to die in all honesty and I can see the lambs moving. I know it's possible and hoping I don't have to do it but can anyone share their experience of cutting out lambs once the mother has just died? How long do I have? I know not long. Any tips?

Please go easy on me, I'm a stressed out wreck and I've not even started yet!!!!

You won't have long at all, maybe a couple of minutes. Personally, as she's so close and unlikely to make it to be a ten pound cull ewe, I'd pre-empt her mission. I certainly wouldn't be messing about trying to salvage the ewe by aborting her now.
Shoot her and immediately cut the lambs out of the side with a sharp knife. I use an old carving knife, slicing carefully across each layer of skin/muscle, rather than stabbing, if that makes sense. Doesn't matter how much of a hash you make, but just get to the lambs, without cutting them, as quickly as possible. If they are still alive, and viable, you should be able to get them out alive. Good luck.

 

[crazy_bull]

ones I have seen done, they sheared the side, one person shot the ewe, just as the other went in the side, with a razor blade, going layer by layer, they had done it before, so lambs were out in under a minute.

Remember when you shoot an animal in the brain, although it is senseless, it's heart doesn't stop immediately so it does give you more time than you perhaps think, as the lambs will still be getting oxygen, for a bit.

Similarly I saw it done on another place where they had a ewe in a coma, cut the lambs out and shot her as soon as they were out, that took a bit longer as they were a bit on the steady side.

C B

 

[waltonCharollais]

It's really not about the money I just don't want her to suffer. I'd quite happily keep her retired! Stupid I know

How do I know if she's going to make it?

I've no colostrum or even milk! Nothing has lambed. Just powder!

 

[Forever Fendt]

it would be worse to let her die and the lambs inside her, is she close enough for the lambs to be viable does this ewe have any milk or do you have a dairy farmer nearby that may have some cows frozen colostrum it sounds like its going one way to me

 

[bovine]

If you cut the lambs out before lambing has started they will most likely die. Give the steroids as they will mature the lungs. If she's down in the morning then do it.

You have 4 or 5 minutes but they will kick even after being shot so be careful and don't cut yourself.

 

[David.]

Bang caesarian.
Shoot ewe, turn on back immediately and carefully cut from front of bag about 9" up midline, stanley knife is good enough and will be sharp. Uterus ought to come out to meet you and you can then cut through and lambs will both be reachable. You will not have long 'cos soon as blood stops pumping they will gasp inside her and start to drown.
My experience is that 75% of lambs out of guts out prolapse cases will die, suspect fall in blood pressure in ewe maybe responsible.
Depends how far off lambing ewe is, a week or more away, and lungs seem not to be fully formed and lambs will kick like hell, but seem unable to breathe.
Works best on ewes that you simply cannot lamb, or would prefer not to torture with trying any longer, eg; when first lamb is dead/dried out and wont shift.
One of those circumstances where all the options are bad and there is nothing to lose.

 

[banjo]

Take it to the vets for f**ks sake, get the job done proper!
She might perk up after the lambs are out cos of twin lambs taking all her energy, might save them all!

 

[jemski]

If you can see the lambs kicking, it's often a sign they are in distress. If you don't mind the £ I'd take her to the vet for a c section. My ewe lambs are not due til Monday and I've had 17 lamb already with very healthy lambs so hers should be fine. Vet can always give them a little shot of steroid but I doubt it's necessary.

 

[MJT]

I'd just get on with it, done a few times here and usually very successful. Just don't hang about, youl kick yourself when ewes dead tomorrow.

 

[waltonCharollais]

Jobs done, two live lambs, one ewe not suffering. The man who did it, I take my hat off to him. So quick and skilled! He agreed there would have been no point having a c section.

 

[GrannyAching]

Did he go side or belly?

Sorry you lost the ewe.

 

[waltonCharollais]

He did the side


thank you

 

[Al R]

I'd just finished stitching a prolapse today when the ewe (due triplets in the next 2-3days) I was giving her some Betamax LA when she gave a massive sigh and just died there and then. I could feel the lambs moving inside her for a few minutes. I hadn't thought of cutting her :/ bad enough losing a ewe a few weeks before but a day or 2 before was gutting. Next time they'll be gutted!

 

[spin cycle]

It's really not about the money I just don't want her to suffer. I'd quite happily keep her retired! Stupid I know

!

i'm just the same don't worry

 

[Al R]

@polk_farmer

 

[bovine]

My experience is that 75% of lambs out of guts out prolapse cases will die, suspect fall in blood pressure in ewe maybe responsible.

Depends how far off lambing ewe is, a week or more away, and lungs seem not to be fully formed and lambs will kick like hell, but seem unable to breathe.

It's to do with steroid production and something called surfactant. Lambing is brought on by the lambs becoming stressed and producing steroids. The stress initiates the cascade of events that lead to birth, but they also turn on surfactant production. Surfactant is a detergent like substance produced in the lungs and it reduces the tension in the lungs when the lamb takes its first breath - allowing them to expand. Think of it like a balloon, with no surfactant the balloon is fresh out of the bag and unable to inflate, put a drop of washing up liquid in there (or pull the walls apart) and it inflates easily.

If something happens and the ewe is lambing then this has already happened. If the ewe is already very sick then there is a small chance the stress may have done something to help, but in general its not worth just cutting in without giving some steroid at least 12 hours before doing the salvage caeser.

I hate seeing strong lambs starve for air, the steroid takes many hours to work, so there is no merit giving the lambs steroid after birth.

 

[David.]

Thanks for the explanation.