How pregnancy and lambing proceeds in sheep, it is important to know the sheep breeder, as awareness of these issues will allow you to conduct successful farming activities. After a successful mating with a ram, the sheep is pregnant, which means that she bears offspring. During this period, she needs special care, as well as after lambing. That is why it is important to know by what signs it is determined whether a sheep is pregnant; how long pregnancy lasts and how lambing occurs in sheep.
Pregnant sheep
How to determine pregnancy in sheep?
After mating with a ram, sheep do not always get pregnant. There are gaps, so it is important to learn how to determine pregnancies. The main sign that a sheep is carrying a lamb is the absence of estrus after three weeks. This is a state of arousal characterized by increased production of the hormone estrogen. If the hunt does not come at the right time, it is likely that the sheep is pregnant.
Attention! The lack of sexual arousal in some cases is associated with cycle disorders in sheep and hormonal imbalances.
Consider the signs of hunting:
- swelling of the external genital organs;
- secretion of mucous secretion from the vagina;
- a sheep jumps on its fellows;
- accepts a lamb cage.
If this is not observed in a sheep 3 weeks after mating, it is likely that she is pregnant. Some farmers report that during pregnancy, females become calm, but this is not the case for young individuals, as they remain active and energetic, even when pregnant.
To exclude possible health pathologies in an animal in the absence of sexual hunting, farmers resort to other methods for diagnosing pregnancy:
- reflexological;
- palpation method;
- rectal examination.
The reflexological method is based on the instincts of animals. It is known that males react sharply to females when they begin their period of sexual hunting. To check which sheep are covered and which are not, a ram is brought to them. They do this within a week, from 12 to 19 days after the mating. The male is not excited at the sight of pregnant individuals, but he smells the secretions of uncovered females and shows interest in them.
Sheep and wanted
The palpation method can be resorted to no earlier than 2,5 months after conception. By this time, the fetuses in the womb of the animal can already be felt from the outside. In order for the diagnosis to be accurate, you can not feed the sheep for 12 hours. It is best to palpate it at dawn. The farmer needs to stand behind the animal, clasp his stomach with both hands. With experience, you can feel that the uterus is enlarged.
The rectal diagnostic method is carried out by a veterinarian. He will be able to determine the pregnancy of a sheep by the characteristic vibration of the uterine arteries. The doctor inserts his hand into the sheep’s rectum and, at the moment of muscle relaxation, examines the animal’s uterus from the inside.
Sheep gestation period
Novice livestock breeders are interested in how much a pregnant sheep walks in order to know when to prepare for lambing. The gestation period of a lamb depends on many factors:
- breeds;
- the health status of the animal;
- conditions of detention;
- the number of fetuses in the uterus;
- season.
On average, a sheep carries lambs for 145 days. Deviations in one direction or another for 5 days are considered the norm. Primiparous individuals slightly overwhelm offspring. When 2 or more fetuses develop in the uterus, the gestational age of the sheep is reduced.
Attention! In order not to be mistaken with the date of lambing, it is necessary to keep detailed records, which record the date of mating and other important information for each ewe.
Preparing for childbirth
Throughout pregnancy, the sheep needs good nutrition. Among other things, vitamin and mineral supplements should be included in the diet. The health of the offspring and the milkiness of the sheep after lambing will depend on this.
Feeding a pregnant sheep should be balanced
2 weeks before birth, the hair growing in the udder area is sheared to provide access to the mother’s nipples for the lambs. From this time on, the animal is transferred to food with feed that is easily digested.
Attention! Sheep must have access to drinking water at all times.
Shortly before the expected date of birth, the corral is put in order. It is necessary to change the bedding, disinfect the drinker and feeder. The following signs indicate the approach of lambing:
- 2-3 days before the birth of the lamb, the udder swells a little, drops of colostrum stand out from the nipples;
- the sheep shows anxiety;
- her belly sags a little;
- the external genitalia also swell;
- sensing the approach of lambing, the sheep begins to dig the bedding and look for a place for solitude;
- the animal often bleats.
The pregnancy of a sheep ends when a lamb is born. And how lambing occurs will be discussed further.
Sheep giving birth
Just before giving birth, when the sheep begins to push, she usually lays on her side and breathes heavily. Generic activity in these animals lasts about an hour. In rare cases, lambing lasts longer, for example, when there are several lambs in the womb of a sheep.
Sheep with lambs
The presence of a person is desirable during lambing, despite the fact that usually the process proceeds without complications. But the farmer must be there at least to take the newborn and clear his respiratory tract of mucus. To do this, you need a clean sheet or towel. What else should be prepared for lambing:
- iodine;
- scissors;
- alcohol;
- warm water in a basin.
First, the fetal bladder will appear from the birth canal. Normally, it bursts on its own, then amniotic fluid flows out of it. Sheep usually lick the contents of the bladder, as it contains minerals and the hormone oxytocin, which stimulates the production of milk in the udder.
Important! If the bubble does not burst, you need to burst it so that the lamb does not die.
After waiting for the amniotic fluid to pour out, you need to be ready to receive the lamb. It usually comes out with its forelimbs forward or head first. You should not help him, the baby will slip out of the vagina on his own, thanks to the contractions of the muscles of the uterus of his mother. The umbilical cord will break after the lamb is born. Next, the nasal passages and oral cavity of the baby are wiped with a towel, removing mucus so that he can breathe.
Now the mother must lick the newborn. This is a very important process, as the bond between the sheep and its offspring is strengthened. During licking, the ewe remembers the smell of her lamb.
Placenta exit
The afterbirth separates and exits the birth canal about 5 or 6 hours after lambing. As soon as it separates, it is immediately carried away from the corral and buried in the ground. One of the complications is retained placenta. If after the specified time the placenta does not come out, it is advisable to invite a veterinarian.
Important! Retained placenta in sheep is extremely dangerous. Inside, the placenta may begin to decompose, which will lead to tissue necrosis and blood poisoning.
Possible difficulties
Lambing does not always proceed without complications. Sometimes it happens that the fetus in the womb is located incorrectly, so it comes out of the womb with its hind limbs or sideways. This situation is dangerous, since childbirth can be delayed, and the sheep may have internal tears. In this case, one cannot do without the help of a person.
Birth of lambs
What to do if the lamb comes out wrong:
- break the fetal membrane;
- wait for the water to flow out;
- while relaxing the muscles of the uterus, insert your hand into the vagina of the sheep and give the fetus the desired position, as far as possible;
- during attempts to help the lamb to go outside.
Reference. If the umbilical cord does not break, it is cut with sterile scissors, stepping back 10 centimeters from the lamb’s tummy. Then the place of the cut is filled with iodine.
Another significant moment of lambing is the attachment of a newborn lamb to the mother’s udder. In the first hour of his life, he must receive colostrum, on which his health in the future will depend.
Determining the pregnancy of a sheep is not as easy as it seems, but experienced farmers successfully use the palpation method and other diagnostic methods. When breeding sheep, it is important to follow the recommendations regarding the age of the first mating. The female must not only reach puberty, but also get stronger, because pregnancy is a big burden on the body. If everything is done correctly, then there is a high chance of getting 3 offspring of sheep every 2 years.
