"JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t" (jawzx2)
02/23/2020 at 10:43 • Filed to: Sheeplopnik
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"JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t" (jawzx2)
02/23/2020 at 10:43 • Filed to: Sheeplopnik | 4
| 10 |
Difficult triplet ram-lambs from a Border ewe... #1 had it’s neck back head facing the wrong way, we had to use the puller on it, amazingly, it seems fine. #2 and #3 were BOTH breech (butt first). Lots of time with hands up sheep hoohaas this morning.
This is number 2... 1 and 3 are out with momma right now.
Momma is rather understandably quite pooped, so we are warming them inside one at a time while she gets back on her feet
All three back together... #2 (in blue) is a little behind, but he is trying...
ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/23/2020 at 11:36 |
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It sounds like there was a lot of getting it on in the barn (x) number of months ago.
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
02/23/2020 at 11:44 |
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5 months ago... And yes, there was.
Nom De Plume
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/23/2020 at 11:55 |
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Jawz Herriot
Glad you r efforts been rewarded with health outcomes by all participants.
DasWauto
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/23/2020 at 12:08 |
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My grandparents had sheep when we still lived in Holland but I’ve never seen an assisted birth with them . What does the puller look like? I’m imagining a sort of snare, like the one I use occasionally if a farrowing sow is having trouble. Using the snare is usually rare for us (like once every month or two) but I’ve had to use it on 2 gilts this morning.
sn4cktimes
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/23/2020 at 12:35 |
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I like that adult top left there trying to get to the good stuff...
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> DasWauto
02/23/2020 at 14:34 |
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Yup, just about identical I think. Rigid plastic handle about 1/2 meter long with a Y and snare at the end. This is actually the first time we’ve had to use ours. Breech births are not too difficult to handle in sheep, as theres a good amount of room to manuver the legs, but the bent neck is tough. You have to get the snare around the head, then shove the whole thing all the way back in while holding onto the front feet and pushing with the stick, then get feet and head realigned and pulled out in unison. This is the first one of these I’ve ever done, and frankly we’re surprised the lamb made it. He seems really fine though!
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> Nom De Plume
02/23/2020 at 14:35 |
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Momma is still laying down a lot, we're gonna give her some molasses tea and see if that perks her up...
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> sn4cktimes
02/23/2020 at 14:36 |
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Yeah, they know where the food is. Sheep are extreemely highly food motivated, and are actually quite easy to train using food rewards.
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DasWauto
> JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
02/23/2020 at 15:59 |
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Very interesting, thanks for the explanation. With pigs we can usually pull them by the head or hind legs easily enough, having enough wiggle room to reorient them as necessary. The only time I really need to use the snare is if the piglet is too big or the sow’s hips too narrow to pull out while holding it in my hand.
Issues in farrowing vary in sows; you can have multiple piglets entering the birth canal and getting stuck, bent over necks like you described or piglets having their front legs forward alongside their head, rather than down by their body. Breech births can be an issue but a double digit percentage (educated guess) are born as such without problems.
Very large litters (like 18+, or smaller numbers of just big piglets) can also twist the uterus or create an exaggerated S-shapes birth canal, both of which are usually alleviated by pulling the first few piglets. The challenge there is recognizing when a sows is having trouble getting started and taking timely action.
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JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
> DasWauto
02/23/2020 at 16:30 |
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Ha, i never even thought about the leg positioning in pigletts... Lambs have a much greater leg to body ratio, and their shoulder joints dont bend backwards (without breaking) so the front feet actually have to lead the head, like a diver going into the water. The same problem with the pelvic joint means in a breech the hind feet have to come out first, they jam up in the birth canal if you try to fold the feet forward... Like I said, there’s a fair amount of room to move, so reorienting the hind legs in a breech is not so bad, the real problem comes in that in a breech the umbilical cord breaks while the lamb’s head is still in the uterus. If they try to take a breath while still under water, as it were, they don’t do so well... so a breech is sort of a ready, get it all aligned, and YANK FAST event. Both Border Leicesters and Blue Faced Leicesters tend to have fairly large lambs, so there’s almost never room for a hand and a lamb head/chest in the birth canal at the same time.