Lambing

Recognizing the First Stages of Labor – Kim Gooding, Author.

Knowing what “normal” labor looks like in a ewe, prepares you to recognize when a ewe is having a difficult labor and birth. With this understanding, you can be prepared to assist when necessary or to simply stand back and let nature take its course.A laboring ewe represents the perfect picture of the natural birth process, working with her body to bring the lamb into the world. A healthy ewe can labor, and deliver her lambs completely on her own.

First Signs of  Labor

There are several signs that a ewe is going into labor. She may appear hollow just in front of her hips. Her vulva will be bright pink and her udder will be swollen and teats distended.  A ewe in early labor will stay on her feet, walking, shifting her weight from side to side, arching and stretching her back.  They will keep themselves nourished, nibbling hay, drinking, or even chewing their cud.  As contractions begin, the ewe stands still, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. Once the contraction passes, she goes back to walking and eating. As the ewe’s contractions become more frequent, she no longer wants food, as she must focus her attention on each contraction. At times, ewes may squat or sway with each contraction, helping to get the lamb in the correct position.

Knowing what “normal” labor looks like in a ewe, prepares you to recognize when a ewe is having a difficult labor and birth. With this understanding, you can be prepared to assist when necessary or to simply stand back and let nature take its course. A laboring ewe represents the perfect picture of the natural birth process, working with her body to bring the lamb into the world. A healthy ewe can labor, and deliver her lambs completely on her own.

Recognizing Hard Labor

Once hard labor begins, the ewe begins to push. First, she paws at the ground, as though making her nest. Laying down, with her nose in the air, she works hard during each contraction. You may see what looks like a large bubble or water bag. When the bag breaks, amniotic fluid flows out in a gush. Often the ewe will nicker to her lamb, as if to encourage him along the way. Sometimes, the ewe will stand in between these contractions or change her position, but with each contraction, she lies down to push. Lambs enter the world with their front feet and nose first. Once you see the hooves and nose, you can be sure the lamb is in the correct position.  It often takes several pushes to get the lamb out entirely. Once born, the ewe speaks to her lamb in soft nickers as she cleans and nuzzles him.

The Last Stage of Labor

The last stage of labor involves the expulsion of the placenta. Typically, the placenta is expelled within an hour after delivery, though I have seen it take longer. As you begin to see the afterbirth, resist the temptation to pull on it. Pulling on it could cause it to tear, leaving a piece inside of the ewe. Any tissue left inside of the ewe can result in a serious infection. Sometimes, a ewe will eat the placenta once it is delivered.

Ewe relaxing before lambing

Ewe having contraction

Mucous plug and red swollen vulva

Water bag appears before lamb

Valais Blacknose Sheep Care Guide

If you have sheep already, you will be aware of the many ups and downs of looking after livestock—their welfare needs, how much land you will need and whether buildings are a necessity, their feeding guidelines, any legalities and an understanding of the multitude of diseases sheep can be prone to. If you already have pedigree sheep, you will know about breeding programs, showing standards, and the requirements of registering your sheep with the appropriate sheep organization. If, however, you have never owned sheep, then you should familiarize yourself with these matters before buying Valais Blacknose Sheep. Below, are some helpful tips to get you started!

Essential Items

  • A good mentor — purchase your sheep from someone who can help you with challenges or questions you may have.
  • Accomodations — Plenty of grazing land. Shelter/access to run in sheds.
  • Water — either a trough, bucket, or automatic waterer (our choice). Sheep need plenty of fresh water.
  • Hay racks — ground level are ideal to prevent hay seeds and grain from getting in their fiber.
  • Good minerals —We prefer THE MINERAL BAR by Little Avalon Farm. Sheep need minerals to thrive.
  • Medications — Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, fly spray, syringes, and needles.
  • Wormers — Parasite control is imperative with sheep. We usually use PROHIBIT, CYDECTIN, OR VALBAZEN as needed. Hoof Trimmers.
  • A GOOD EXPERIENCED VET!!

Newly Purchased Sheep

If you have other sheep or livestock on your farm, isolate your new sheep for about a week. This is an ideal time to bond with your new sheep, observe that they are in good health, and have your vet check them out. You may even want to get a fecal check on them to see if they need wormed.

General Care and Advice

Valais Blacknose sheep are a very rare and playful breed. It will be hard to get your chores done, as you will want to play with them and cuddle them! They behave more like a dog than a sheep. Spend time with them and remember, they ARE SHEEP! As you spend time daily with them, observe them and if you see anything that doesn’t look right, act on it. These animals are very stoic, so in some cases, you may not notice they are sick until it’s too late.

Feeding

Typical rule of thumb is 6-10 sheep per acre on quality grass. This may vary depending on topography and climate and grass quality. In the abundant months, you shouldn’t need to supplement with grain, unless of course you want to. We usually feed a textured sheep feed. We will give a pound per sheep per day when we do supplement. Most supplementation is done when the ewes are nursing their lambs and the month prior to lambing. Periodically—we will give them a treat of some grain or to tempt them into another pasture! We use a medicated creep feed for lambs between two weeks and 5 months of age. Whenever using any pelleted food, stay present as lambs can gulp food and choke. Do not give rams or ram lambs pellets. Good quality hay is especially important. Have your hay tested for the amount of protein present in it. Don’t skimp on giving your sheep hay!!

Immunizations

We give our bred ewes CDT booster in the last trimester of their pregnancy. This helps transfer immunity to the lambs via colostrum. You can then start your lamb CDT vaccination at 6-8 weeks with a one-month booster.

Bolus Use

We use copper and cobalt bolus for our lambs and pregnant ewes. We use a bolus gun as they are large capsules, to put them down their throats. Please contact us for a more complete description of why and how we use these to supplement our sheep. Valais blacknose sheep need more Vitamin D and copper than the average sheep.

Worming

Worming is a vital part of health management in sheep. We use the FAMACHA method of checking our sheep for anemia. It has been proven that overuse of wormers may build up a resistance to wormers in sheep. Alternating products can minimize treatment resistance. Doing regular fecal analysis will help you recognize if your wormers are effective. Lambs are more susceptible to worms than older sheep and it’s recommended to worm ewes pre-lambing.