ewes lambing and not opening

[sheep&cows&stuff]

quick but yet urgent question.

ewes have started to lamb, starting to see a trend where by the ewes put out the water bag and then do not open up. First one had 2 monstorous lambs and could hardly pull a leg out. Second one dropped the water bag and had no notion of lambing - and they are all due (not early or late) Can hardly get a hand inside them. These are not first lambers, and have not been over fed. Never had this problem so consistently before - what could be the cause? cant keep ringing the vet...

 

[Barry Jhon]

Lack of calcium, give them 50ml of calciject no6 under the skin each side nd they should open up in 5 to 10 min. And get some licks with high calcium in front off the.

 

[sheep&cows&stuff]

Lack of calcium, give them 50ml of calciject no6 under the skin each side nd they should open up in 5 to 10 min. And get some licks with high calcium in front off the.

have licks with them - so next one to do it give her a jag of calcium?

 

[Barry Jhon]

Yes give them a jab if they don't open, our vet seen a lot of it this year. The weather doesn't help.

 

[bovine]

I agree giving calcium and some time. It is almost impossible for it to work in the space of 5 minutes.

I usually say leave for 45-60 mins. I suspect the time does as much as the calcium. If not opening up after an hour then an early caesarian gives the best outcome. I've messed about with all sorts of treatment over the years.

Calcium - time - cut is a recipe that works.

 

[cooksey]

could be the calcium is locked up in the animal as they get dependant on it from one source have you looked into that?

 

[hillman]

Emm bit confused read somewhere give calcium if putting out lambed as it should help tighten up the muscles , now read here and before to give calcium to encourage opening for lambing @bovine

 

[bovine]

Emm bit confused read somewhere give calcium if putting out lambed as it should help tighten up the muscles , now read here and before to give calcium to encourage opening for lambing @bovine

I don't understand the question.

Cows with milk fever don't get ringwomb. I don't believe calcium deficiency is the problem. It's the time and a placebo for the farmer......

 

[Bury the Trash]

Patience is needed for sure...are the lambs helping ....or are they not quite right in some way.....true ringwomb should be a rare occurrence

 

[Bury the Trash]

quick but yet urgent question.

ewes have started to lamb, starting to see a trend where by the ewes put out the water bag and then do not open up. First one had 2 monstorous lambs and could hardly pull a leg out. Second one dropped the water bag and had no notion of lambing - and they are all due (not early or late) Can hardly get a hand inside them. These are not first lambers, and have not been over fed. Never had this problem so consistently before - what could be the cause? cant keep ringing the vet...

just wondered is there any/sign of/ abortion within the flock?.................. and what are they being fed?

 

[The Devonshire Bloke!]

We've had a lot like that but in all the younger ewes!

 

[bovine]

We've had a lot like that but in all the younger ewes!

You are rushing them. They need more time

 

[MJT]

Time is the best thing to give them and don't panic aslong as she's not in distress. Beltex yearling last year not opened up , only the head there and no way could get one leg let alone 2 through pelvis, brought legs up by head and left her for nearly 2 hours. Went back and lamb was sat there with his head up being licked off. Nothing worse than rushing , stress on both ewe and lamb.

 

[jemski]

You will be suprised how long an unstressed lamb can happily hang about inside a ewe that's started lambing before it dies. I've had a ewe waters break before midnight and her not open up til morning the next day and produce 2 live lambs. I will happily leave a ewe for a few hours or more if I know the lamb is presented correctly, especially if she's young and/or faffing about. You do far more damage IMHO by jumping in too soon than you do by leaving them an extra hour or 2.

 

[Bury the Trash]

unhealthy lambs affected by some sort of abortion will not help trigger things off

 

[johnspeehs]

I don't understand the question.

Cows with milk fever don't get ringwomb. I don't believe calcium deficiency is the problem. It's the time and a placebo for the farmer......

I think Hillman meant to say "putting out their lamb bed".

 

[The Devonshire Bloke!]

You are rushing them. They need more time

Well don't know about you but I think six hours is long enough! Takes some pulling!

 

[bovine]

Emm bit confused read somewhere give calcium if putting out lambed as it should help tighten up the muscles , now read here and before to give calcium to encourage opening for lambing @bovine

Ah - got it now.

Calcium is required for uterine tone. The uterus (womb) is a muscle and muscles need calcium to contract. A lack of calcium could delay lambing or calving (but in cows, anyway, doesn't seem to cause ringwomb). A lack of calcium could (theoretically) make the uterus more flaccid and more likely to prolapse. I always give dairy cows calcium if they have a uterine prolapse (but not beef cows or sheep....).

Does that explain?

(I read 'lambed' as in had produced her lambs)

 

[hillman]

Sorry @bovine for confusion reread and had left out a B


Just had a dedate one night on Twitter about this ,one suggestion was down to mag/calcium imbalance , and an injection of 50ml calcium should help ? Or mag salts either ?? But no injection of magnesium

Differing thoughts

 

[Macsky]

Does anybody know of any work done on the role of vitamin d in calcium mobilisation?
Wetter winter= more cloud = less sun = less vit d = more calcium related problems?
Just a theory, any thoughts?