Ewe not letting lambs feed

Fourofakind

Member
Livestock Farmer
We have a yearling ewe, lambed twins, mothers them brilliantly except for the fact she wont let them feed. Every time they go under her she will move away. No signs of an issues with the udder. We tried locking her in today which allowed them to feed but as soon as she was out of the restraints she wouldnt let them feed. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.
 

yellowbelly

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
N.Lincs
20200222_151834.jpg

We have a range of buckets with different sized holes cut in the bottom to suit all breeds.
 

Old Shep

Member
Livestock Farmer
You could try pinning her against the hurdles and letting her lambs have a really really good suck, until they are really full. Then pen them up with her but behind a board or something so they can't suckle her for a couple of hours. Her milk will hopefully come through and her udder swell and become a bit uncomfortable then pin her again and let them suckle - be real gentle with her, no stress, and she might realise that her lambs suckling is a relief. If that doesn't work tie the bitch up !
 

Ryan774-80

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mid Wales
:stop::stop:
Steady on there - you know I'd never waste a good bucket :inpain:

Have another look at the pic.............you'll see that it's one that leaks - it's even written on it in case anybody tried to fill it with water. Couldn't risk wasting any water :facepalm:
Is it a coxi bucket?,why DB made them with 2 small holes in I’ll never know🤦‍♂️
 

AftonShepherd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Ayrshire
Nobody said it was easy. Got one Texel (3rd crop) lambed early here, lamb doing great for two days then looked hungry. She keeps moving away when it tries to feed. Bag feels fine and milk looks and smells A1 so no idea what's happened. Holding her up 3 times a day and she doesn't seem that bothered but lamb not keen to suck when I'm not there.
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
Had one shearling last year , tied on a long halter for 2 weeks +, every time i let her off she would have a go at lamb and jump out the way every time it tried to suckle , got fed up in the end and let her out in big pen thinking will just bottle lamb , yes you guessed it she bellowed after lamb while i carried it out and stood and let it drink , she lambed again last month no problems at all ,
dont ask me what goes on in their heads ?
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
:stop::stop:
Steady on there - you know I'd never waste a good bucket :inpain:

Have another look at the pic.............you'll see that it's one that leaks - it's even written on it in case anybody tried to fill it with water. Couldn't risk wasting any water :facepalm:

Looking at the size of the split in that bucket, one has to wonder at the quality of your lambing staff if you need to write ‘leaks’ on it.... :whistle:
Perhaps you should deduct a Jaffa Cake from his wages as penance?
 

Anymulewilldo

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cheshire
Had one shearling last year , tied on a long halter for 2 weeks +, every time i let her off she would have a go at lamb and jump out the way every time it tried to suckle , got fed up in the end and let her out in big pen thinking will just bottle lamb , yes you guessed it she bellowed after lamb while i carried it out and stood and let it drink , she lambed again last month no problems at all ,
dont ask me what goes on in their heads ?
Had cows with adopted calves do the same.
its infuriating but they are female... sent to test the best of us. I stole half my wife’s last chocolate muffin tonight when she wasn’t looking. I have now learnt the error of my ways and won’t do it again.

She threatened too pour my brew down the sink if I didn’t apologise... 😭
 

AftonShepherd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Ayrshire
Had one shearling last year , tied on a long halter for 2 weeks +, every time i let her off she would have a go at lamb and jump out the way every time it tried to suckle , got fed up in the end and let her out in big pen thinking will just bottle lamb , yes you guessed it she bellowed after lamb while i carried it out and stood and let it drink , she lambed again last month no problems at all ,
dont ask me what goes on in their heads ?
In a previous job, tried to twin an orphan calf onto a cow. For 5 weeks she would only let calf suck if she had a bucket of cake. Eventually had another dead calf so gave the calf to the other cow. Original adopted mum went mental and wrecked two gates to get back in shed. The calf spent all winter suckling two cows and was the dearest calf we ever sold lol.
 

AftonShepherd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Ayrshire
Had cows with adopted calves do the same.
its infuriating but they are female... sent to test the best of us. I stole half my wife’s last chocolate muffin tonight when she wasn’t looking. I have now learnt the error of my ways and won’t do it again.

She threatened too pour my brew down the sink if I didn’t apologise... 😭
Just before Christmas my wife "fell asleep" with a couple of centimetres of red wine left. After half an hour I drank it so.it wasn't wasted. I'm still not allowed.to forget it. I can't, however, promise to have learnt the error of my ways though.
 

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