[SavageU]

Ok, so I have read the books and think I will be fine knowing when to ask for help or a vet incase of a random leg presentation or ewe becoming ill.

What i'm really worrying about is cleaning the lamb after (iodine to cord) in terms of when to do that and with what spray bottle, or jar and tipped upside down so it covers it?

Then dealing with the afterbirth.

Do I just put it on my muck heap?

I'm really hoping for mother nature to be kind to me and the ewes and that they all get to get on with it, without any mishap.

Once that's all done do I just keep them in for two days ish, weather dependant, and then get them outside? Would you bring them in on a night?

[Bywaters]

iodine just the navel, if you do it by spray, it is more efficient use (ie less) No need to clean the lamb off - best not to or it will lose the smell and ewe might abandon it
We collect up the afterbirth, using the big red gloves / plastic bag, tie a not in it and it goes into the bin.
Leaving it around or in the muck heap will encourage fozes / rats / badgers etc

Ours lamb outside. It's the ones who have needed treatment or are thinking about rejecting their lambs that we bring in. Some first timers , if they have had a hard birthing or have twins, benefit from being inside, on their own, so they can bond and also easy to get hold of if there are any problems

They are pretty wonderful things and generally get on with it, however, feeding too much to late can cause problems with big heads and horn buds, as will crossing with texels types (dependant on what they are put onto of course) GOod luck and keep watching them

[twizzel]

Iodine for the navel, I use a 60:40 mix of iodine and surgical spirit as it dries the navel quicker. I have dipped and sprayed, my preference would be dip as long as you keep the dip cup clean- get one like this rather than using a jar.
https://www.moleonline.com/ambic-standard-dipper-teat-dip-cup-ad100-30ml-1003872


I lamb inside, my ewes stay in individual pens for 1-2 days on average; then onto a nursery pen, normally when the nursery is full I will turn out providing the weather forecast has 36-48 hours dry. Once mine are out they don’t come back in. If the weather is dicey and I have run out of space I do use lamb Macs, they are very good.


Don’t forget to ring your lambs tails and balls before you move out of individual pens if they need doing.

[SavageU]

Ok, yes I can move to a nursery pen I think easily enough after. I’ve been checking for bagging up and any other behaviours.

Tailing then I am a bit nervous about (balls) more than anything but I need to have a bit more confidence in my abilities I think.

Cleaned the barn out with the jetwash and Christ, 💩 really sticks doesn’t it 🥴

[harmony]

Dipping navels is much more effective than spraying. It seals up the navel quicker than spraying. And because when you dip the iodine goes into the umbilical cord you are less likely to trap bacteria in there when it dries off and seals. Twizzel's suggestion of iodine and surgical spirit is a good one and better than just pure iodine.


Cleanliness is very important. Keep bedding dry and make use of disinfectant powder too. Once mothered up the sooner you can get them out the better.


Make sure they get up and sucking as quickly as possible. As twizzel say's deal with tails and testicles before they go out too.


You might want to number up ewes and their lambs so that once they are out you know who belongs to who. Invaluable if you find an abandoned lamb or are registering offspring etc.


Have everything you might need handy.

[twizzel]

Don’t be afraid to call for help if you’re not sure- I tend to say that if I’ve been lambing a ewe and not got anywhere in 10 minutes I’ll ask for help. Better to ring for help than have a dead lamb or ewe.

[SavageU]

Yes, friends or a vet will be rang in the event of any emergencies. I've checked my lambing box and i'm happy with my kit, I have everything I think I can manage myself with the ewes and lambs.

We are going to try making some pens out of pallets and the hurdles we have.

So I have checked my serving dates and allowing for 2 weeks of him acting as a teaser to the 14th September,...the ewes should be sue any date from the 6th February.

For serving 13 ewes, i'm hoping he's covered them all at a good rate and that it's reasonably tight and not 3 months of a job 

[twizzel]

Raddling your ram next year is well worth doing. You can tell he is working and know when each ewe was served- which is great at lambing as you know who to keep an eye on and when.


Have you got any practical experience? If not it may be worth trying to find a farmer locally that would let you come along for a few mornings lambing, because to be frank reading books is ok but nowhere near as good as practical experience. Good luck!

[Rosemary]

The world is divided into dippers and sprayers. I prefer dipping using 10% iodine. I think you get better coverage and iodine helps to dry up the cord very quickly.

[Rosemary]

Don’t forget to ring your lambs tails and balls before you move out of individual pens if they need doing.

We pretty much did the same as twizzel. Tip - if you can't get the balls, don't do the tail. THen you can pick out the ones not castrated. We didn't castrate our Ryelands as they went off before they were sexually mature, but that won't work for all breeds.

[SallyintNorth]

Dipping is likely to be more thorough, it's too easy to have a spot not covered spraying.  I sprayed initially, the  helped on a farm which dipped, and switched my own thereon.

Having said which, I don't do anything these days, all ours lamb outdoors in April!  But if I ever did have to bring any newborns in, then I would dip the umbilicus.

[Bywaters]

out of interest why don't you treat the umbilicus any more ?

[SallyintNorth]

out of interest why don't you treat the umbilicus any more ?

Lambing outdoors in warmer drier weather and using small primitive tups, we aim for as natural a lambing as possible.  Ewes lamb onto (usually) dry clean grass, are not interrupted and so clean off their lambs very quickly and successfully.  Dry warmish weather helps dry the cord naturally.  Our choices have for us resulted so far in excellent bonding, first feeds happening very quickly so maximum passive immunity passed from ewe to lamb, and so on.  We have experienced no joint ill thus far, and so do not feel the need to intervene with the ewes' natural behaviours.  If we started to experience joint ill then we would of course review our practises.

[SavageU]

That sounds lovely, no intervention or spraying.

I’ve bought a spray so I can dunk and spray.

[Penninehillbilly]

I prefer to spray, I seemed to spill a lot trying to get a good cover with dipping. One of the goats kidded early, outside, other things going on, it didn't get sprayed, weeks later baby couldn't walk, joint ill 😥.treated but still not right.
I lamb outside unless there looks to be a problem, mainly weather, but normally wait for late March/April lambing, then get them inside for a few days,  tail the females, (not too short, prefer to leave longer than legal requirement) I leave tails on males but band them. I can see at a glance females/male lambs.
Some little floozies got through to the boys this year though, no idea when they are due .
Afterbirth I leave for ewe to eat it if she wants, but anything left goes under muckheap.