A YEAH WITH THE EWES. Ill 



and a bottle of foot-rot mixture (to dress the ewes suffering from 

 foot-rot, which should be attended to as early as possible). 



Lambing, or Yeaning. When the time of lambing approaches, 

 the sheep must be closely watched, as it may be necessary to give 

 the ewes assistance. Many of the most complicated cases of 

 lambing occur among the first few, as those ewes which lamb 

 prematurely, carry dead lambs, or have other complications, are 

 likely to come on early. The normal cases come at normal 

 seasons. If the ewe comes on naturally, and the lamb comes right, 

 it is generally best to leave all to the course of nature. If the ewe 

 has a small opening, aid may be necessary, and this occasionally 

 occurs in the case of young ewes ; but many troubles arise through 

 too early interference. 



Signs of approaching parturition are generally noticeable some 

 little time before the lamb appears. For a few days the milk 

 forms in fair quantity, and the udder is somewhat distended and red. 

 Later the tail appears to rise up. This is a delusion, as its pro- 

 minence is due to the pelvic bones having parted to allow room 

 for the lamb to pass. Just before lambing the water-bladder 

 appears. If the lamb does not come forward within an hour or 

 two, there is reason to think that something is amiss, though 

 active steps need not be taken for some time. 



In the ordinary course the lamb will appear with its nose 

 resting on its two fore feet, the hind legs drawn up under the body ; 

 then little danger need be expected. If help is required, the legs 

 should be drawn out singly ; then stretching the opening with one 

 hand to give the head a better chance of coming out, the body 

 should be drawn forward by the legs, which should be pulled down- 

 wards towards the hocks of the ewe. The force should be applied 

 at the same time as the ewe heaves. The lamb is covered with a 

 thin skin (the placenta), forming a caul over the head, which should 

 be removed from the nostrils to allow it to breathe. If the lamb 

 is strong it shakes and sneezes this out, but weak lambs occasionally 

 have not sufficient strength to do so. 



Malpresentations. Sheep which have been subjected to high 

 treatment and close folding are liable to greater difficulties at 

 lambing than are those less highly developed and allowed to roam 

 with little restriction. This is mostly shown by what are known 

 as malpresentations, in which the lamb does not come forward in 

 the normal manner. Malpresentations take a variety of forms, a 

 few of the commonest of which may be explained. The simplest 

 form of malpresentation is where one or both fore legs are turned 

 back, although the body is otherwise in a proper position. In 

 this case the lamb must be pushed back until room can be found 

 to bring the legs forward naturally. This should be done gently, 

 and the advantage of a small hand is realized on these occasions. 



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