Weekend fun down on the farm (TMI)

Submitted by louiseds on July 12, 2009 - 5:53am
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Hi All

Well, I suppose it is about pregnancy and prolapse. Nightmare day today. Our ewes started lambing yesterday. 512, who had been looking very ill for about a week had a stillborn lamb yesterday. She moped around looking unhappy all day today, lying around on some hay away from the other ewes. About lunchtime today no 511 had a lamb, which we tagged 902. 511 was still looking uncomfortable late this afternoon. Thought she might have been having another lamb. On closer inspection, not only did she have a prolapsed uterus, but it was turned completely inside out and hanging out of her by about 12 inches and still bleeding from the site where the placenta had been attached. Eeeeeiiiooooowwwww!! The lamb was fine, and wanting attention, and she was allowing him to suck.

Phoned the vet who gave me instructions for getting the uterus back inside her and 'fully the right way in again'. He said we would be able to breed from her again without problems, next year, if we could get the uterus cleaned up properly and loaded back inside her. Alas, she went into shock and died by about 6pm, probably compounded by blood loss. However, 512 had been displaying interest in this little lamb, no 902, and we managed to yard her as well and got 902 sucking on 512. He now has a good outlook, because he has had plenty of colostrum from 512, and she has a good outlook because suckling a lamb will clamp her uterus down and get rid of the placenta that is still inside her from the stillbirth.

I have never seen a ewe so quick to allow an orphan lamb to suck on her. Normally it is a real battle, and would take several days of trying before you could allow them to suckle hands off. She is not entirely happy about it, but I think she will go OK. It is not an ideal outcome, but we have a very maternal ewe to raise the lamb, and I don't need to be tied down to bottle feeding a lamb for the next two months!! Yay! I'll keep you updated.

Time to sit down with a glass of wine, I think.

Louise

davemayamom

July 12, 2009 - 6:32am

Thanks for the wonderful story! Made me smile:)!

bad_mirror

July 12, 2009 - 4:54pm

That story is both joyful and sad . . . good grief that "drive to be a mother" is a strong thing, no? I spent the early hours of a miscarriage watching March of the Penguins and *felt* exactly what those poor mama birds whose eggs broke must feel. What a beautiful outcome for your lamb, how nice to know that motherhood can transcend so much tragedy.

kiki

July 13, 2009 - 9:31am

wow, you are incredible Louise!
Thank you for sharing your story, and I do hope baby and adoptive mama do well. They are lucky to have you two looking after them...

Mae

July 14, 2009 - 4:18pm

You never cease to amaze me Louise..even after all this time! Thanks for sharing this sad/sweet story. I hope the little lamb and his "adopted" mama continue to do well.

~Mae