Another year, another lambing season
It is hard to believe that another lambing season is just around the corner, but once Christmas is over focus inevitably shifts to the prospect of early lambs. If you are expecting ewes to lamb in January, it is a good idea to have a full plan in place before the New Year. Mortality rates among very early lambs tend to be higher than they are among those born in March and April. Still, there is major variation among flocks, and the farmer that prepares well for lambing, paying attention to health, hygiene, logistics and safety will invariably enjoy better outcomes.
Causes of mortality at lambing
When making a plan for the lambing season, some consideration should be given to the causes of lamb mortality. That unborn and newborn lambs succumb to a wide range of ailments and afflictions need hardly be stated. Infectious disease, congenital issues, predation and poor mothering all play a part in increasing the risk of mortality. So too does hypothermia. Arguably the most common cause of lamb death is actually difficult birthing, leading to hypoxia (insufficient oxygen) reaching the lamb's brain.
Some of the above are more readily preventable than others. There is little you can do about congenital health problems, and predation is rarely a problem with indoor lambs that is done indoors. Similarly, hypothermia should be a less immediate risk for January lambs that are birthed indoors. Infectious disease, however, is a significant problem among lambs born indoors. This is because infectious agents (many of them bacterial) tend to proliferate in the sheds where animals are housed. Inadequate nutrition is also a potential factor at this time of year.
Ewe and lamb nutrition
As we have always said on this platform, adequate dietary nutrition is essential to producing healthy lambs. Pregnant ewes cannot be malnourished, or be suffering from nutritional deficiencies, in the last days of pregnancy. These underfed ewes will inevitably fail to produce sufficient colostrum to successfully deliver and feed a new lamb. Lambs born to ewes that are in poor condition tend to be smaller and weaker. An insufficient supply of colostrum is also a major risk factor for lambs, making them far more likely to contract infections like navel ill.
You should keep an especially close eye on ewes that are lambing for the first time. Lambs born to ewes born last year are likely to be smaller and weaker, and often have a poorer nutritional status. In these cases, both ewe and lamb need to be monitored for signs of poor mothering or lack of colostrum. Try to keep first-time lambers in very lightly-stocked pens for the first weeks, as this will reduce the risk of separations, physical injuries and disease.
Hygiene and logistics
Good hygiene around lambing is, of course, essential. Indeed, many would argue that this is the single most important part of any early lambing plan.
All housing should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly before lambing begins. Jeyes fluid and lime are suitable disinfectants to use. You should only bed with straw once all surfaces have been cleaned down as described. I would also recommend cleaning lambing pens between each lambing, as this mitigates the risk of cross-contamination (i.e. bacteria from one lambing surviving on surfaces and creating problems with a subsequent lambing).
You also need to make sure that you have all the supplies and equipment you are likely to need during the lambing process. If necessary, update your supply of the following equipment:
Having all of these essentials on hand will prevent the risk of time loss at crucial moments over the course of the season. As many of us know too well, half an hour can make a huge difference when it comes to delivering lambs safely.
Look after yourself
The lambing season, if not suitably managed, can take a massive toll on a farmer's physical and mental health. This is something that is too rarely talked about in our occupation, and which also needs careful consideration. If you are experiencing physical or mental exhaustion/burnout, it is better to acknowledge it and take action. No matter what happens over the course of the season, you need to make sure that you are getting adequate sleep and that you are eating properly. If that means taking on additional help, you should not hesitate to do so. Remember that you are more use to your animals when you are not tired and hungry!
MPG
