How to care for newborn lambs? Keep these precautions in mind

After the lamb is delivered, immediately use a clean cloth to clear and wipe dry the mucus from the mouth, nose, eyes and ears, and let the ewe lick the lamb dry all over. If the ewe is unwilling to lick it, sprinkle some bran on the lamb's body, or smear the mucus from the lamb's body on the ewe's mouth to entice her to lick the lamb. Also light a fire for warmth, and quickly dry the lamb's wool to keep it warm.

1. Navel disinfection. For many years, some lambs have contracted tetanus, mainly because sheep raisers lack disease prevention knowledge. When assisting with the birth, they use unsterilized scissors to cut the umbilical cord or unclean thread to tie off the umbilical cord, or even do not disinfect or tie off the umbilical cord at all, allowing tetanus bacilli to infect through the navel and cause disease. Therefore, after the lamb is born, clean the umbilical wound with 3% hydrogen peroxide, then cut the umbilical cord with sterilized scissors, tie it tightly with sterilized thread 5 cm from the umbilical cord, and apply 3% iodine tincture to the umbilical end to kill germs. The lamb can also be given a subcutaneous injection of 1,500 units of tetanus antitoxin to give the body automatic immunity.

2. Dehumidification and warmth. After the lamb is delivered, immediately use a clean cloth to clear and wipe dry the mucus from the mouth, nose, eyes and ears, and let the ewe lick the lamb dry all over. If the ewe is unwilling to lick it, sprinkle some bran on the lamb's body, or smear the mucus from the lamb's body on the ewe's mouth to entice her to lick the lamb. Also light a fire for warmth, and quickly dry the lamb's wool to keep it warm.

3. Rescue. When a lamb appears to be in a state of apparent death, immediately use a clean white cloth to wipe away dirt from its mouth and nostrils. If the lamb has inhaled mucus and has difficulty breathing, hold its hind legs and hang it up and pat its chest to make it cough up the mucus. If this does not work, place a rubber tube into its throat to suction out the mucus. In cold weather, when a lamb is frozen stiff and cannot stand, while lighting a fire for warmth, quickly bathe it in warm water at 38°C, gradually add hot water to bring it to 40-42°C, soak for 20-30 minutes, then pull it out, dry it quickly, and place it in a warm place with a fire.

4. Feed colostrum early. After the lamb is born, let it drink colostrum early to obtain higher maternal antibodies. The milk secreted by the ewe within 1 week after giving birth is called colostrum, and it is an ideal natural food for newborn lambs. Colostrum is thick and nutrient-rich, contains a large amount of antibody globulin and abundant mineral elements, and can increase the lamb's disease resistance and promote healthy growth.

5. Cold prevention and warmth. A lamb has just left the mother's body, and its thermoregulatory center is not yet fully developed. Spring weather is changeable, and if attention is not paid to cold prevention and warmth, it is very easy for the lamb to catch a chill and become ill. The lamb shed should be built in a place sheltered from the wind and facing the sun. Inside the shed, manure and urine should be removed frequently, dry soil bedding should be changed frequently, and it should be kept clean. Spread plenty of dry grass and dry soil where the lambs rest. In snowy and rainy cold weather, thick straw curtains should be added to the doors and windows of the lamb shed. Also light a fire for warmth, and prevent rain from wetting the lambs. During the day, let the sheep spend more time outdoors to receive fresh air and sunlight. More sun exposure increases the content of vitamin D and cholesterol in the body, promotes the lambs' bone development, enhances resistance, and creates a clean and warm living environment for the lambs.

6. Supplement feeding in time. During the first month, lambs mainly rely on breast milk for nutrition, but as their age in days increases and their stomach capacity expands, breast milk alone can no longer meet the nutritional needs of the lambs' growth and development, so grass feed must be supplemented in time. Starting at 15 days of age, supplement grass feed, mainly high-quality fresh forage, hang fresh dry green grass in the air or let them eat freely. From 20 days of age, train them to eat feed: grind roasted beans, add a few drops of sheep milk, mix into a paste with warm water, put it in the feeding trough, and let the lambs sniff and eat freely, about 20 grams per day. In this way, they can learn to eat within 2-4 days, and afterward the starter feed can gradually be replaced with compound feed. Tebuxin