What are the signs that a ewe is about to give birth? What should be done in case of dystocia? What should be done if she does not eat after giving birth?
As the ewe's due date approaches, certain organs and the external appearance of a ewe in late pregnancy will show some obvious changes. The work of lambing and delivery in ewes plays an important role in maintaining the ewe's health, increasing the survival rate of newborn lambs, and promoting the healthy growth of the lambs. So what are the signs that a ewe is about to give birth? What should be done in case of dystocia? What should be done if she does not eat after giving birth?
The signs of lambing in a ewe mainly show four changes:
1. Changes in the udder
Before lambing, the udder develops rapidly and the glands become full. The teats enlarge and thicken, and the whole udder swells, turns red and becomes shiny. As lambing approaches, a small amount of clear gelatinous fluid or a small amount of colostrum can be squeezed from the teats.
2. Changes in the vulva
As lambing approaches, the labia gradually become soft, swollen and enlarged, the folds on the skin of the labia unfold, and the skin turns slightly red. The vaginal mucosa becomes flushed, the mucus changes from thick to thin and slippery, and urination becomes frequent.
3. Changes in the pelvis
The pubic symphysis, sacroiliac joint and the ligaments on both sides of the pelvis become more mobile, and the area at the base of the tail and on both sides becomes soft and sunken. When the base of the tail is held and moved up and down by hand, the range of upward movement of the sacrum is felt to increase.
4. Changes in behavior
The ewe becomes restless, her appetite decreases, she looks back at her abdomen, lies down and gets up repeatedly, keeps straining and bleating, and her abdomen visibly sinks; some paw the ground with their front legs.
Points to note during assisted lambing
When a normal ewe is lambing, it is best to let her deliver on her own. The main task of the person assisting is to monitor the delivery and care for the newborn lamb. For normal assisted lambing, first clip clean the wool around the udder and on the inner side of the hind legs of the ewe about to lamb, then wash the udder with warm water; squeeze out a few drops of colostrum, then wash the base of the tail, vulva and anus of the ewe clean and disinfect with 1% lysol.
Generally, ewes that have lambed before deliver faster than first-time ewes; from the rupture of the amniotic sac, the lamb can be delivered smoothly within a few minutes to about 30 minutes. A normal lamb usually comes out with the two front legs first, with the head resting on top of the two front legs, and as the ewe strains, the lamb can be delivered naturally. When twins are being born, the interval is about 10 minutes to 20 minutes, though in some cases the interval is longer. After the ewe has delivered the first lamb, if she still shows straining and labor pain, this is a sign of twins, and at this point the person assisting should observe carefully and check thoroughly.
After the lamb is born, it is best for the umbilical cord to break naturally. If the umbilical cord has not broken, twist it off with your fingers at 5 cm to 8 cm from the abdomen, then apply 5% iodine tincture to the broken end for disinfection. Never cut the umbilical cord with scissors or a blade, and do not ligate the umbilical cord. About 1 hour after the ewe gives birth, the placenta will be expelled naturally; the afterbirth should be taken away promptly to prevent the ewe from eating it and developing a bad habit. If the ewe's afterbirth has still not been expelled 2 hours to 3 hours after giving birth, measures should be taken promptly.
Assistance for dystocia and management of dystocia in ewes
Dystocia in ewes can be caused by a narrow pelvis, an overly small vagina, an oversized fetus, or a weak ewe with ineffective uterine contractions or an abnormal fetal position. If 30 minutes after the amniotic sac ruptures the ewe is straining weakly and the lamb has still not been delivered, assistance should be given immediately. The person assisting should cut their fingernails short, file them smooth, disinfect their arms, apply lubricant, and adopt the corresponding handling method according to the type of dystocia. If the fetal position is abnormal, first push the exposed part of the fetus back into the vagina, raise the ewe's hindquarters, insert a hand into the birth canal to correct the fetal position, and only then, following the ewe's rhythmic straining, pull the fetus out; if the fetus is too large, repeatedly pull out and push back the lamb's two front legs several times, then pull one front leg with one hand and support the head with the other, and slowly pull downward and outward following the ewe's straining. Never use excessive force, and never pull hard without following the rhythm of the straining, so as to avoid injuring the vagina.
Handling of apparently dead lambs: If a lamb does not breathe after birth but is normally developed and its heart is still beating, this is called apparent death. The cause is the lamb inhaling amniotic fluid, or a long delivery time with hypoxia in the uterus, etc. Handling methods: first, lift the lamb by its two hind legs, hold it suspended and slap its back and chest from time to time; second, lay the lamb flat on its side and use both hands to press the sides of the chest rhythmically. After these treatments, most apparently dead lambs recover within a short time.
After giving birth, the ewe should be kept warm, protected from damp, sheltered from wind, protected from catching cold, and kept resting quietly. In the first few days after giving birth, she should be given good-quality, easily digestible feed, and the amount should not be too much; after 3 days the feed can be changed to normal.
Key points for managing and caring for lambs
After the lamb is born, first remove and wipe clean the mucus from the lamb's mouth, nose and ears, so as to avoid it swallowing amniotic fluid and causing suffocation or foreign-body pneumonia. While the person assisting wipes the mucus off the lamb's body, the ewe should also be allowed to lick it dry, which can both promote blood circulation in the newborn lamb and help the ewe recognize her lamb. Within 2 hours to 4 hours of birth, the lamb should nurse colostrum as soon as possible, because colostrum contains a kind of antibody and also contains relatively more minerals.
The lamb should nurse mother's milk in time: first, it can promote the expulsion of meconium; second, it can supply the lamb with antibodies, enhancing its resistance to harmful microorganisms in nature and reducing illness. In addition, weak lambs should be hand-fed milk in time. At the same time, early immunization should be carried out, injecting newborn lambs with 1500 units of tetanus antitoxin to prevent tetanus in newborn lambs.
Cold protection: Lambs have very weak resistance to low temperatures. Because temperatures are relatively low in early spring, doing a good job of cold protection and heat preservation is very important. The sheep shed should be kept clean, dry and warm. The ewe and lamb should be raised in separate pens. On windy and sunny days, the ewe and lamb can be allowed to bask in the sun.
Supplementary feeding: In the early lactation period, the lamb's nutrition mainly depends on mother's milk, so supplementary feeding of the ewe should be strengthened. The amount of supplementary feeding can be determined according to actual conditions; generally, 0.5 kg of concentrate, 1 kg of silage and 1.5 kg of green hay can be supplementarily fed each day. For ewes with insufficient milk, the following methods can be used to promote lactation so as to ensure sufficient milk. ① Boil 25 g of kelp and 100 g of lard in a pot to make soup, and let the ewe eat it in one feeding; generally, about half a day after eating, milk production increases noticeably. After that, feed once every 3 days to 4 days, for 3 times to 4 times in a row, and supply enough green, juicy feed. ② Soak 250 g of soybeans in water until swollen, then grind them into slurry and cook them; after cooling, let the ewe drink it on her own, twice a day, for 3 days to 4 days in a row. ③ Mix 250 g of honey and two egg whites evenly and administer orally to the ewe, once a day, for 2 days to 3 days in a row.
Feeding: After the lamb is half a month old, it should be trained to eat grass and feed, which can exercise its digestive capacity and lay the foundation for complete weaning and growth later. At first, feed some high-quality green hay and cooked carrots, vegetable leaves, etc.; later, feed crushed corn, soybean cake, etc., and mix in some chopped juicy feed to improve palatability.
What should be done if a ewe does not eat after giving birth
Causes of a sheep not eating after giving birth
1. After giving birth, the sheep's digestive function weakens, and feeding too much concentrate (especially beans) causes indigestion or constipation, leading to anorexia or reduced feeding.
2. After giving birth, the sheep is extremely exhausted and physically weak, which causes digestive dysfunction and reduced appetite.
3. After giving birth, the sheep's abdominal pressure suddenly drops, affecting the normal operation of digestive function and causing temporary anorexia.
4. After giving birth, due to infection and inflammation of the birth canal, body temperature rises, causing abdominal pain in the sheep and anorexia.
5. Not eating in the late lactation period is mostly due to feed being too monotonous, especially lacking protein feed such as beans, mineral elements such as calcium, and green feed rich in vitamins, causing malnutrition in the sheep; in severe cases it can also cause lameness or paralysis in sheep.
Treatment for a sheep not eating after giving birth
1. Decoct 250 g of Chanhoukang twice, mix the medicinal liquids and add 150 to 200 ml of yellow rice wine, then after it has cooled to warm, administer it to the sheep in one oral dose; decoct the medicinal residue twice again after an interval of 8 to 12 hours, mix the medicinal liquids, add an appropriate amount of yellow rice wine, and administer orally after it has cooled to warm.
2. Use 250 g of brown sugar and 500 g of wheat bran with 2500 ml of boiling water, and when the water temperature is about 40 degrees, give it to the ewe to drink.
3. Inject Houttuynia cordata injection