Getting lambs off to
a fast start
Dan Morrical
Iowa State University
Lamb losses and Profit
 Baby
lamb losses
 10-25
% per year
 most of the losses are before 72 hrs
 without records you do not know
Lamb Mortality Study, Rook
1986/3600
P
22%
S/H
17%
P
12% 1987/5200
S/D
17%
S/H
25%
O
28%
A
9%
O
27%
S/D
22%
S/H
14%
A
21%
P
14%
S/D
24%
O
25%
1988/7000
A
23%
McNay Death Loss by Seasons 1995
Winter Lambs
251/lambs/124 ewes
Spring Lambs
151 lambs/74 ewes
S/D
41%
O/U
9% P
0%
S/H
50%
A O/U
10% 10%
P
S/H
20%
20%
S/D
40%
Fall
148 Lambs/ 81 ewes
P
13%O/U
0%
S/H
13%
S/D
74%
Goals of Late
Gestation Ration
1. Healthy, vigorous ewes
2. In condition for heavy milking
3. Healthy, vigorous lambs of
moderate size.
Birth Weight on Livability
Best
11.4 pounds
VPI
1 pound increase in birth weight
= 4%  in death loss
Texas A & M
Birth Weight & Feedlot Performance
Birth Weight
Small Medium Large
8.5 8.6-13.3
13.4
Wt. gain/
day of age
.69
.75
.82
Feed eff.
4.8
4.3
3.8
U. of
Kentucky
So what is the right birth weight?
•Depends on:
ewe size
type of birth
•Singles 7% of dam wt.
•Twins 6.5% of dam wt.
•Triplets 5.5% of dam wt.
•175 ewe single 12-13
twin
11-11.5
triplet 9-10
Goal of Lambing
Season Management
“Maximize Lamb Livability”
Starts before lambing
What you do can not
raise number born
Causes of Death
Starvation
Poor
ewe condition
Weak ewe or lamb
Plugged teats
Mastitis
Mis-mothering
Poor suckling
Prevention: Weak or
Starved
 Adequate
ewe nutrition (i.e. good
condition)
 Energy level of diet
 Crossbreeding
 Exercise
 Weaning management
Prevention: Weak or Starved
 Pre-lambing
shearing
 Observation
 Condition
score
 Dryer environment
 Lamb indoors
 Easier nursing
 Intake
Trouble Shooting-Use the
Thermometer
 Normal
temp. - 101° - 102°F
 Elevated temp.-above 103°F
(think infection)
 Cold
Lambs
- mild hypothermia 99°-102°F
- severe hypothermia below 99°F
Mild Hypothermia 99°-102°F
1) Remove and dry
2) Supplement warm dry heat (100°-103°F
max. temp.)
3) Tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum (20
mls/lb.)
4) Return when rectal temperature is
normal (1-3 hours)
5) Assure future nutrition
Elevated Temperatureabove 103°F
- or animals showing clinical signs
- assume infectious process
- probably pneumonia, joint ill or liver
abscess
- LA200 1/2cc/10 lb.
under the skin given daily for 4-5 days
- Long acting penicillin 1cc/10-20 lb.
under the skin given daily for 4-5 days
- Assure nutrition and hydration
Severe Hypothermiabelow 99°F
 *Under
6 hours old
remove and dry
supplement heat warm dry moving air
100-103°F
tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum
return when temperature normal
1-3 hours
assure future nutrition
Severe Hypothermiabelow 99°F
*Over 6 hours old
remove and dry
supplement heat with warm dry moving air 100103°F max
tube feed 120-200 ml colostrum CAUTION
inject 40 ml of 20% dextrose into body cavity
1 inch beside and 1 inch behind navel,
20 ga 1 inch needle
return when rectal temp. normal 1-3 hours
assure future nutrition
Solution - Observation
 Paint
brand
 Cubicles & lambing jugs
 Shear pre-lambing
 Stomach tube
 Proper feeding at lambing & weaning
 Selenium status
Stillborns/dystocia
Symptoms of dystocia
yellow fleece
causes - Fat ewes, Poor hybrid vigor
Was it truly born dead?
check lungs and feet
Stillborns Two types
-infectious
-hypoxia (observation)
Solutions
 Condition
score
 Observation
 Intercom,
 Feed
video camera
antibiotics
 Vaccinate against vibrio, EAE
 BoSe ??????
 Assist after 30 minutes in labor
Abortion Diseases
 Iowa



Camphylobacter (vibrio)
Enzootic abortion in ewes (EAE)
Toxoplasmosis
Solutions
 Vaccinate
vibrio/EAE
 Closed flock
 Late gestation feed antibiotics
 (5
mg/lb. if abortion occurs)
 Sanitation
 Isolation
 Pray
Pneumonia
 Causes
Poorly
ventilated buildings
Inadequate space
Wet bedding
Solution
ft.2 area for ewes with lambs
 Sulfa water treatment
 Open up barn
 Use more bedding
 Pre-lambing shearing
 20
Antibiotics
 60-65
mg/day
 6 weeks prior to lambing
 Results
65-73%  in lamb losses
Univ. of Wyoming
S.D. State univ.
Intestinal Disorders Causes
 Wet
bedding
 Stress
 SolutionsLime jugs
 Adequate colostrum (esp. Ecoli)
 Vaccinate ewes


CI. perfringens C & D toxoid
Increase space and bedding
 Relieve stress

Equipment & Supplies
 Colostrum
 Lamb
Reviver i.e. stomach tube
 Thermometer
 Head Snare
 Ropes or dog choke collars
Equipment...cont.
 Lubricant
 Cubicles
 Gloves
 Intercom
 Bonding
Pens
Equipment...cont.
 Grafting
Stanchion
 Hot box / incubator
 Towels
 Biologicals
Lambing Problems
 How
Do You Know?
1
- Length of labor
 2 - Position of feet
 Toes
up okay
 Toes down backwards
 Tail first backwards
 One foot first
 Nose first
Newborn Management
1 - Colostrum intake
- minimum 2 ounces/8 pounds
- ideal 10% of BW first 24 hrs.
2 - Clip - Dip - Strip
castrate early
3 - Lambing Jugs
4 x 6, 5 x 6
4 - Observe often
5 - Check for inverted eyelids
Weaning
 Wean
60
early
days or less
Dry up ewes prior to weaning
Remove protein
Remove energy
Remove water ?