Lab #1 - Lambing

the length of a sheep’s pregnancy

5 months or 144-152 days

~145 days

parturition

process of giving birth → 3 steps

STAGE 1 → preparation:

• activation of the lamb’s hypothalamic-puitary-adrenal axis (HPAA)

  • the lamb releases a hormone (cortisol) that signals the end of the pregnancy and the beginning of labor

• removal of the ewe’s progesterone block

  • progesterone produced by the corpus luteum and placenta had been preventing dilation of the cervix and contraction of the uterus

  • once the ewe’s progesterone starts to decrease, her cervix and the uterus can contract

• stage 1 ends when water breaks

  • water breakage describes the rupture of the membrane or sac that surrounded the lamb during pregnancy

  • visible release of the fluid

STAGE 2 → expulsion of fetus:

uterine contractions and abdominal contractions move the lamb out into the world

usually takes 30 min - 2 hours

STAGE 3 → Expulsion of the fetal membranes (also called the placenta)

• fetal membranes may be expelled with the lamb or shortly afterward

• if the fetal membranes are not expelled within 8-12 hours, the membranes are considered retained, and they serve as a potential source of infection for the ewe

describe normal lambing presentation and position

feet first then head follows, any other variation is considered abnormal

• nose + feet together is a nice cone shape that pushes the cervix apart

• spine of lamb parallel to spine of ewe

• front feet have dewclaws

describe 2 abnormal lambing presentation or positions

1) front leg is bent which can stop progress

2) front leg is back or both legs are back

3) front feet in normal position and head is back

4) backwards lamb → dewclaws facing the tail

5) breach → butt is coming, see the tail instead of the front legs

what must a lamb do IMMEDIATELY after birth to survive?

breathe

• nurse within the hour

list 3 reasons it is critical for a lamb to stand and nurse within the 1st hour of life

1) receive colostrum that contains antibodies that protects against disease

• passive immunity

2) fluids + energy

3) maintain body temp

how frequently should you check on ewes during lamb watch?

30 minutes

what should you look for during lamb watch?

• getting up and laying down repeatedly

• nesting

• not chewing cud

• nickering and flipping lip up

• isolation

• water breaking, discharge, water bag

zoonotic disease

disease transmitted from animals to humans

possible routes of transmission for zoonotic diseases

1) direct contact (skin/clothes etc)

2) inhale/respiratory

3) oral/ingestion

4) indirect contact (fomites)

meaning of abbreviation PPE

personal protective equipment

5 items that are considered PPE

1) boots

2) coveralls

3) masks

4) gloves

5) goggles

when must full PPE be worn at the farm + why?

when assisting with a birth in order to prevent disease transmission

why is it critical to dip a newborn lamb’s umbilicus with an antiseptic?

to disinfect and prevent any infection from going directly into the body

• dip 3 times and make sure to splash it around

• cut umbilical cords to no less than 3 inches