Lab 1: Lambing

Feb 7, 2009:
Tonight I will be at the Hadley barn, watching over the ewes. Everyone in ANISCI103 has to spend at least one night with the lambs. The purpose of this lab is to show students the parturition of a ewe lambing, and to watch out for signs of breech births, so to prevent any lambs from suffocation while still in the ewe’s placenta.

Postpartum
At the barn I am required to make sure certain things happen after the lambing. During the parturition my group must call a TA about the lambing, so that the TA can come up to assist us in caring for lambs. The navel of the ewe is dipped in 7% iodine solution. Within an hour of birth, the lambs must nurse, because it is essential the lamb gets something to eat and that the mother has accepted the lamb as her own or else the mother will not allow the lamb to get nourishment from her teat.

After the parturition, the placenta of the ewe should drop after a few hours. Once the placenta falls, it must be disposed of for sanitary reasons. The time and date of the birth is recorded to help keep track of how old the lambs are.