LAMBS FROM BIRTH UNTIL WEANED 99 



done by placing the hand flatwise on the skin of the 

 vulva and pressing it back over the head of the lamb. 

 When the head is thus freed, the front legs should be 

 drawn forth, one at a time, until freed. Then by taking 

 both legs in one hand and pulling in a somewhat circular 

 direction toward the rear of the ewe's udder the delivery 

 will speedily be completed. But the attendant should 

 only attempt to render aid thus at such times as the ewe 

 herself is straining ; that is, trying to deliver her progeny. 



False or unnatural presentations may occur in vari- 

 ous forms, but two of these that are most common are, 

 first, the head lying back against the side ; and, second, 

 the rear end of the lamb coming first, the legs at the 

 same time being doubled back. In the former instances 

 the lamb should be pushed back into the womb and there 

 so straightened that it will come in the natural way. In 

 the latter instances it is also pushed back and the legs 

 put in position. It then comes from the dam stern end 

 first. 



When a pregnant ewe separates herself from the 

 other members of the flock and appears dull and stupid, 

 it will usually be found that she has recently aborted or 

 that she is carrying a dead lamb. In the latter instance 

 relief must be prompt if the life of the ewe is to be saved, 

 as in such instances blood poisoning quickly follows, 

 which will certainly prove fatal. The ewe is best in posi- 

 tion, when relieved of her lambs, when resting on her 

 back or buttock, but it will be well if the position is occa- 

 sionally changed. The person who removes the lamb 

 should trim his nails short and anoint his hands with 

 some lubricant which is also antiseptic, and the hands 

 should be entirely free from wounds of any kind. Various 

 devices are practiced to aid the operator, as, for instance, 

 forcing the finger through the soft part of the under jaw 

 of the lamb and slipping a piece of string sufficiently 

 strong in the form of a noose over the under jaw of the 

 same. The effort to take away the dead lamb should 



