Sheep Veterinary Society
Division of the British Veterinary Association

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1)       Situation

Ewes which cannot move back home to lamb because of movement bans existing (as of Friday, 9 March 2001) will in all likelihood be in one of two situations:

a)      Situations in which shepherds will have the opportunity to construct make shift lambing yards outdoors and use the same basic process as when inside, ie. moving lambed ewes from the lambing yards to individual pens for mothering up and then to hardening off yards before turning away as far as is possible depending on the circumstances.

2)       The pregnant ewe

a) The advice “Recommendations on Management and Nutrition of Sheep when Movement of Livestock is Restricted” gives advice on the feeding of pregnant ewes under the circumstances likely to prevail.  It is very important that the nutrition of the late pregnant ewe due to lamb is a challenging environment is as good as possible.  Failure in this regard will lead to metabolic disease, poor colostrum supply and poor milking, thereby making an already difficult situation worse.  Ewes will require supplementation after lambing also – as a guide, 1 kg concentrates or alternatives per day for a ewe with twins on limited grazing (<4cm sward).  Supplies of concentrate and other feeds kept at the site should be protected from the weather as far as possible.

b) Personnel: Experienced shepherds and flockmasters will be required to oversee the lambing, the situation will be difficult and the inexperienced may inadvertently do more harm than good.  Students or other hastily trained people should have strict roles within their capabilities.  Farmers should apportion tasks through the work force available according to capability, leaving the experienced free to lamb problem ewes etc.

c) Pre-Lambing treatments: The pre-lambing period is a time for important treatments and foremost among these is the carrying out of vaccinations against clostridial disease (in all circumstances), pasteurellosis (in many circumstances) and some other diseases (eg. E.coli scours) in special circumstances.  The handling of pregnant ewes for vaccination at the “away wintering” sites being used for lambing may pose problems.  Consider the following:

i) Ewes should be handled in small groups and within the capacity of the handling systems and numbers of handlers available

ii) The procedure will take longer than under ideal conditions and temporary interruption of food supply is an important trigger of metabolic disease.  Feed/water must be made available as continuously as reasonably possible.

iii) If more than one vaccine has to be used then it must be remembered that the whole operation will take much longer.  Essential vaccines only should be used (clostridial disease or combined clostridial disease/pasteurella vaccines).

iv)     Data sheet recommendations are that pre-lambing injections  be given 4-6 weeks pre-lambing.  Vaccinating closer to lambing may bring the problem of metabolic disease in stressed ewes and a lack of protection through colostrum of the earliest lambs.  Nevertheless, under the guidance of your veterinary surgeon it should be possible to reduce the interval between vaccination and onset of lambing to two weeks if the circumstances dictate.  Benefit will still be achieved.

v)      No other treatments should be carried out at the same time as vaccination.

vi)     Careful observation for the first few hours after vaccination is vital and a supply of calcium boroglucanate and twin lamb disease treatments should be on standby at the site for immediate use.

d) Shelter: The newborn lamb’s worst enemy will be wet coupled with wind.  Shelter in the form of straw bales, plastic webbing, wooden pallets etc. should be provided wherever possible.  If possible a marquee is ideal – many of the companies have old ones that can be hired for this purpose.  When building lambing pens, consideration should be given to using materials which can be disposed of in case of disease contamination (eg. E.coli scours).  Lambers will also need shelter, caravans, porta cabins, gas light and heat including hot water.  Hygiene is very important at lambing time to limit spread of disease.

e) Organising equipment and supplies: Have essential equipment in a box which can be easily carried.  Each lamber should have their own box and full set of equipment, otherwise much time will be wasted trekking back and forth for essential items and ewes and lambs will have to be re-caught.  ATV’s will be invaluable, consideration should be given to hiring or borrowing vehicles not currently in use (eg. “crop walking” vehicles).

f)  Equipment should include the following:  for assisting the ewe at lambing, care of the newborn lamb and general purposes:

Navel dip (tincture of iodine is far and away the best)
Castration/tail rings
Disposable gloves, preferably arm length
Lubricating gel, or soapflakes
Lambing ropes
Prolapse equipment
Flask with warm colostrum or water to mix colostrum substitutes
Stomach tubes and feed bottles/teats, suitable disinfectant for these
Thermometer
Sterile syringes and needles, disposable vaccinators
Foot pairing equipment
Drenching bottles and equipment
Marking equipment and fluid
Ear tags and applicator
Lamb racs
Old towels, sacking etc. to dry lambs
Calcium borogluconate
Magnesium sulphate
Glycerine or other pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb) treatments
Glucose
Electrolyte solutions
Antibiotics and pessaries
Antiseptic spray
Lamb warming boxes if feasible/suitable power supply exists
MAFF approved disinfectant, dry disinfectants, lime

g) Lambing pens: Some pens will be necessary, at least for ewes/lamb with any difficulties, 1.5m x 1.5m is the ideal size.  When ground is unsuitable, a plastic sheet underneath can be used as a barrier or as much clean straw as possible.  A dry disinfectant is preferable to a solution under these circumstances.  Pens may be part covered with corrugated sheeting or similar.  Aim for a dry lie for ewes and lambs.  Do not attempt to raise ewes and lambs off the ground by use of pallets – the “slats” so produced are totally unsuitable and would lead to leg fractures and other problems.

h)  Power: Where there are any buildings accessible, power can be taken from them and warming boxes etc. set up.  If this opportunity does not exist, then lights may be run from vehicles or, in some cases, a hired generator.

i)  Water supply: Lactating ewes have a considerable demand for drinking water (10 litres per ewe per day), so normal supplies may not be enough.  Bowers may be an option including those present on arable farms to facilitate spraying.  Troughs can be a significant hazard to lambs (drowning).  A concrete block in the bottom will save many lives!

3)      Care of the Newborn Lamb

a) Colostrum is of vital importance (see also under Section 2(a)) and every effort must be made to observe lambs sucking, catch and deal with “hollow lambs”.  Stomach tubing is very useful and all lambers and helpers should be familiar with the technique.  Remember that colostrum requirements are greater in the outdoor situation (240 ml per kg bodyweight over the first 24 hours).  Supplementation can be achieved with ewes, goat or cows colostrum (keep in mind the lamb anaemia problem and apply the usual methods of avoidance) or commercial powders.

b)  Hypothermia and starvation will be a real risk.  MAFF booklet “Lamb Survival” (PB 2072) should be referred to, and ADRA newsheet number No.1 (Detection and Treatment of Hypothermia in Newborn Lambs) is very useful.  Feeding by stomach tube and intra peritoneal glucose injection are very important techniques.  Have plenty of old sacking or towels to hand to dry lambs.

c)  It is important that ewes and lamb are identified to family groups clearly.  Products used to mark must be long lasting to help with shepherding outdoors, mark singles, twins and triplets with different colours.

d)  Navel dipping, ringing, should only be undertaken once bonding has occurred in loose mobs of sheep (see Section 1b).  Navels should be dipped (not sprayed) with tincture of iodine.  Navel dipping is vital.

e)  Under veterinary guidance and prescription, routine prophylactic treatment of all lambs with oral or injectable antibiotic should be undertaken once bonding has occurred.  Some disease conditions (eg. “watery mouth”) may require earlier treatment, ie. as soon after birth as possible.

f)  Orphan lambs and casualties will need care.  “The Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers” (D.C. Henderson, ISBN 0-85236-189-0, Farming Press) is a valuable source of information here.  When required, if humane care is not possible, casualty lambs should be euthanased.

4)      Grouping Post Lambing

a) Try to keep to groups of 25-50 ewes if possible and within tight age groups.  This will reduce mis-mothering, allow for easier movement at a later stage and longer term reduce the risk of coccidiosis.

b)  Ewes with lambs at foot that need to be transported long distances should not be moved until the lambs are at least three weeks old.  Even then movement should be in small mobs (up to 50 ewes).  Those simply needing transport to nearby fields in a trailer can be moved as soon as restrictions are lifted.

c)  Fencing will have to form much more of a barrier to keep lambs in.  Extra netting, straw bales etc. will be required in many cases.

d)  Feeding for ewes post-lambing is vital.  A ewe with twins will need 1kg concentrates + grass or conserved forage (or equivalents).  Large cobs (12-16 mm) can be very useful for feeding on the ground in poor conditions.  Because of the logistics, many farmers will also find they need to let some ewes take their chances with these lambs because they cannot be moved round for fostering very easily.

e)  When these sheep do move, grazing could be quite lush having not been grazed as normal.  Staggers will be a huge problem and farmers should be prepared.

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