A skilled shepherd knows when to assist ewes at lambing. Most of the time, ewes lamb completely on their own. Their bodies are created to give birth naturally without intervention. As a shepherd, you must learn to resist helping until a ewe really needs assistance.
It is usually obvious when a ewe needs help with a birth. Typically, it can take a ewe up to 5 hours from the time her cervix begins to dilate until a lamb is on the ground. I have had some ewes take longer, and some less. Once I see a ewe is in labor, I take note of the time and will check on her periodically.
When to Assist at Lambing
I know it is time to assist when I see one of the following:
- the ewe has worked hard for 5 or more hours and the bag of waters has not presented.
- the ewe has produced the bag of water, but there is no sign of a lamb after much straining.
- the lamb is presenting but the ewe is not making progress in pushing it out.
- I see a lamb tail or back feet presenting.
- a ewe is exhausted and has given up pushing.
Reasons for Difficult Births
There are several reasons why a labor may not be progressing as it should. It often takes investigating to discover the exact cause. In most cases, the ewe just needs a little help to bring the lamb through the birth canal. Ewes may have trouble pushing lambs out due to:
- large lambs
- malpresentations
- the cervix not fully dilating
Most ewes have no problems bringing their lambs into the world. I sometimes find that my first time moms need more time than the experienced ewes. If it is a first time ewe, I will often give her a little more time to work before I intervene, as long as she seems to have the energy for it and is in good spirits. It is important, however, to recognize the signs of when to intervene with a birth and when to call a vet for assistance.
Looking for more information on laboring ewes and lambing? You may enjoy reading:
Recognizing the Stages of a Laboring Ewe
Abnormal Birth Positions
A Recipe for Weak Lambs – As a treat for all you shepherds, I want to give you a recipe to a secret sauce that Theresa at Great Bay Wool Works gave me a couple of years ago when I had a weak lamb. This sauce turned my lamb around and gave it the energy boost it needed. Please note that you should never drench a lamb that can not hold up its own head and always consult your vet when dealing with a sick lamb.
Patricia Howitt
One of the hardest calls to make is to decide whether to intervene or not. I had a ewe last year who for a good couple of hours alternated pushing with laying down, standing up, walking around etc. At times, this can be fairly normal, but it was going on altogether too long. She was not very tame and watching from a distance, the whole episode was one of “Should I? Shouldn’t I?”. Fortunately, I managed to drive her into a small enclosure I’d just opened while passing the time. As I walked behind her, she moved into a narrow corner and got her head stuck in the sheep netting. I grabbed a part roll of netting and used it to crush her in so I could see what was going on. It was a normal presentation of a huge. single lamb, and once I could operate, I pulled the legs forward and then it took a great, sustained pull to fetch him out. He would definitely not have come out on his own, so the small enclosure and roll of netting proved to be the lifeline.
Kim Goodling
Yes, it can be a challenge to know just when to intervene. Congratulations on helping this ewe at just the right time!