How to Help a Sheep Give Birth

With attention to detail, you can help deliver a baby lamb.

Reproduction is nature's way of ensuring continuity in any species, sheep included. Most sheep give birth without help; however, a small number may experience difficulties in the process. One of the main causes is a large lamb as a result of high grain feeds in the final six to eight weeks of gestation, so you are advised to keep your grain feeds in check. If your sheep needs assistance, a few household items are needed to help give birth.

Things You'll Need

• Scissors
• Iodine
• Clean towel

Instructions

1. Look for signs that the ewe is about to go into labor. A swollen vulva and pronounced hip bones are a couple of the signs to watch for. Some ewes may stand and arch their backs while others may lie down and stretch their hind legs as a sign of labor pains.

2. Move the ewe into a clean and dry environment. Separate it from the rest of the sheep so that you can attend to it without interruption.

3. Watch the progression of the labor. If lambing is progressing normally, a ewe's pushing will present a water bag. The bag will eventually break and right behind it should be the lamb. After the water bag breaks, it usually takes approximately five minutes for the lamb to follow.

4. Look for normal presentation of lambs. Normally presented lambs come out with the two front feet first (the hoof points will be facing up) followed by the head. If the hoofs are facing down, the rear legs are coming out first, indicating a backwards lamb.

5. Check for signs of birthing complications. If no water bag is present or a water bag is present but there is no lamb, it is a sign of malpresentation. Call the vet or an experienced shepherd if the ewe indicates signs of problems during the lambing process.

6. Take the newborn lamb and place it in a clean towel. Clean its nose, mouth and remove all liquid and mucous from the head. The lamb should be breathing. If the lamb is not breathing, hold it by its rear legs and swing it back and forth in the air like a pendulum a couple of times.

7. Cut the umbilical cord using scissors. Strip the cord in the direction of the ewe. Take scissors and cut the cord about 1-inch from the body of the lamb. Apply iodine to the navel. Repeat the iodine application after 10 minutes.

References

• Penn State University Extension; Process of Lambing
• Purdue University; The Lambing Process