In pulling lambs from ewes, try to attend to such ewes before the lamb
is dead. Get the legs out first; pull slowly and be careful not to
jerk--you may pull the lamb bed out of the ewe if you do. Should you do
this, or should you find a ewe with her womb cast, it can be replaced by
raising her hind parts and slowly forcing the womb back, inserting the
parts until the whole womb is turned in its proper shape and is in its
natural position. Tie her left hind foot to a bush, or something,
allowing her six to eight feet of rope; leave her for an hour, and her
pulling will keep the parts in place until they become set. Where the
parts have become dirty, they should be brushed clean with a clean brush
or rag. Do not wash with water. Inject or insert with a soft rag a few
drops of a 10 per cent solution of carbolic acid. When the lamb is in
his natural position he will arrive with his head and front feet first,
giving the ewe little trouble, unless the shoulder or withers are
abnormally large. When the head is swollen, or one foot is still back,
it is certain the ewe needs assistance at once. Nearly all lambs coming
with their hind legs or tail first must be pulled; do this as soon as
you notice it. Never neglect ewes laboring more than one hour. If they
have not had the lamb in this time, it is absolutely necessary to take
the lamb from them or it will be dead.
TWINS: THEIR CARE--DEAD LAMBS.
When a ewe has twins and is not willing or able to care for them both,
try to find a ewe with a dead lamb; take the hide off the dead lamb by
case skinning, cutting the hind legs off at the second joint from the
foot, then open the skin between the hind legs, pull what is left of the
legs up through this opening, then pull the hide back over the body. Cut
off the front legs the same way, then pull the hide down over the neck
to the head; cut it off there. This will cover the live lamb all except
the head and opening you made in taking off the hide. Over these exposed
parts rub the entrails of the skinned lamb. Do not make the lamb red
with blood, for the ewe may scare from it. Always put the hide on the
smallest of the twins, leaving the best one with its own mother. The
hide should be left on no longer than is necessary to make the ewe own
the lamb, which is generally about 24 hours. In real warm weather, when
flies give trouble, it may prove best not to bother with the hide
method, but simply cut the entrails out of the dead lamb and rub them
well all over the motherless lamb, so the ewe that had the dead lamb
will take it from the scent. In most cases where the ewe has not had the
opportunity of seeing or smelling her own lamb at birth, she will accept
any NEWLY born lamb the same as she would her own without using either
of the above methods. Nearly all ewes with much milk will take to such
lambs quickly, while those with little milk are not easily "fooled." By
either of the above methods it is best to keep the ewe tied or penned
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