LambPeriodL8

• Why are lamb deaths an issue for farmers?

  Loss of potential income, loss of selection intensity for replacements, wasted winter feed, less demand to utilize spring feed
• What are the 2 biggest causes of lamb deaths around birth?

  Dystocia and starvation-exposure
• Dystocia death is due to either:

  Pelvic opening disproportional to size of the lamb (i.e. bigger lambs), incorrect fetal presentation at birth, fetal entanglement with multiples, weak dam which displays a prolonged weakened birth process
• A farmer can't detect this fetal presentation

  
• These fetal presentations are the correct/wanted position

  
• Lambs in this fetal presentation can't generally be birthed

  
• Breeched birth

  
• Fetal entanglement

  
• How can we reduce losses to dystocia?

  Controlled feeding, don't overfeed single-bearing ewes and don't under feed multiples, sire selection (birth weight and shape), intervention/monitoring
• How is dystocia detected?

  Swollen head, lungs not inflated, intact footpads, empty stomach/rumen, liver rupture/hemorrhage
• Starvation-exposure death is due to either:

  Exposure or starvation
• Death by exposure is caused by:

  Very cold conditions where the lambs can't physically produce enough body heat to survive
• Death by starvation is caused by:

  Lambs not getting enough milk regardless of weather conditions - more of an issue if its very cold and/or wet
• Which lambs are more susceptible to death by starvation?

  Under-fed ewes, multiples and one or more lambs missing out, udder not functioning properly, separation from dam
• What can be done to maximize lamb survival?

  Plan timing of lambing which minimizes the chance of poor weather, adequate nutrition in mid-late pregnancy and lambing/lactation, good ewe BC, paddock selection - avoid risk areas, cull ewes with poor udders