4.18.24 Movement Legacies, Reflection, and Review.pptx
Backyard Farming: Parturition in sheep and goats
1. PARTURITION
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE BIG
DAY!
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
sschoen@umd.edu |
sheep101.info | wormx.info
3. GESTATION
PREGNANCY
About 5 months
138-to-159-day range (142-152)
Averages ~147 days
Length varies by breed and individual
Some influence of sex, litter size, and parity
Moderately heritable trait (18-54%).
4. WE NEED TO
KNOW WHEN THE
BABIES ARE DUE
Need to know when to start
checking them more
frequently.
Need to know when to give
clostridial vaccinations.
Need to know when to make
changes to feed ration,
including feeding of
coccidiostat.
Need to have facilities and
supplies ready.
5. KNOW WHEN TO
EXPECT THE FIRST
BIRTHS
You might have a breeding date.
Marking harness or painted brisket
Hand mating/Artificial insemination
Observed mating
You need to write down the dates
the ram/buck was in with the
ewes/does.
You need to write down the
date(s) of any accidental
exposures.
Appearance: bagging up, deep
body
Be ready 142 days after
possible breeding date.
6. GESTATION
CALCULATORS
AND TABLES
Lots of online gestation
calculators and charts
Only one app for sheep/goats
(?)
They use different numbers of
days for gestation.
Use a calculator that uses
American date format
MM/DD/YEAR
Best to get a range of due
dates.
American Goat Society
raisingsheep.net
Shepherd
Magazine Flock
Record Book
7. IS THERE A WAY
TO MAKE THEM
BIRTH DURING THE
DAY?
KONEFAL CALVING METHOD
Named after a Canadian rancher
Based on observations in the
1970s
Feed cows twice daily at approx.
11:30 am and 9:30 pm.
80% of cows calved between
7 am and 7 pm
Theory: feeding delays calving
Cattle studies have been variable.
Evidence with sheep is less clear
No studies with goats
8. SIGNS OF
IMPENDING
PARTURITION
Bagging up (highly
variable)
Udder filling up with milk
(colostrum).
Red and swollen vulva
Vaginal discharge
Softening and
disappearance of
ligaments around base of
tail.
Caving in of sides
Interest in newborns
(“stealing”)
9. GETTING CLOSER
TO PARTURITION
Engorged udder and teats
Seclusion
Misses a meal
Restlessness
Circling
Pawing at ground
Straining
Appearance of first water
bag
10. PARTURITION: IT’S A HORMONE THING
Progesterone (CL) is the hormone that maintains pregnancy.
The fetus initiates the birth process by producing cortisol in
response to “stress” in the womb.
Cortisol causes progesterone to be converted to estrogen.
Estrogen induces changes in uterus and cervix.
As progesterone levels fall and estrogen levels rise,
prostaglandin F2α begins to act on the uterus, causing
contractions and secretion of relaxin.
Relaxin softens up tough tissues, stretching the cervix to
accommodate passage of the fetus(es).
Oxytocin stimulates contractions and milk let down. It may
also induce maternal behavior.
11. THREE STAGES OF PARTURITION
Preparatory stage
Dilation of cervix
Cleaning
Expelling afterbirth
Labor
Expulsion of fetus(es)
12. STAGE 1:
PREPARATORY
STAGE
Takes 3 to 6 hours
More rapid in older
females
Uterine contractions begin
Remains of cervical seal are
passed from vulva (thick,
creamy white mucous).
Cervix is fully dilated after
end of first stage
Stage ends with
appearance of first water
bag.
13. STAGE 2 LABOR
Begins with the rupture of the first
“water bag”
Uterine contractions become
stronger and more frequent.
Hooves and nose of lamb/kid can
be seen in the second water bag
before it bursts.
Ewe/doe continues to strain,
gradually expelling the lamb/kid.
Should take an hour or less from
the rupture of the first water bag
(can be longer with multiple births
or first timers).
Additional lambs/kids are usually
born within a half hour of each
other.
14. NORMAL BIRTH PRESENTATION(S)
Spine upwards.
Head pointing forward
and resting on legs
Forelegs forward,
partially extended
Only other positions
that can lead to normal
birth are backwards
(hind legs first) or one
foreleg back.
The Sheep Site
Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers
Not breach
Backwards
16. STAGE 3: CLEANING
Expulsion of afterbirth
(detached placenta with
cotyledons)
There are separate afterbirths
for each lamb/kid.
Is usually pass immediately or
by 2 to 3 hours after delivery.
Sucking stimulates uterine
contractions and expulsion of
afterbirth
More than 12 hours: retained
placenta.
Some ewes/does will eat
afterbirth.
Best to remove it (compost it).
17. 30-30-30 RULE
After starting to push, baby
should be born in 30 minutes
or less.
Next baby should be out in 30
minutes or less.
Babies should be up and
nursing in 30 minutes or less.
19. IMMEDIATELY AFTER
BIRTH
Don’t intervene; give nature a
chance.
Don’t towel dry lambs/kids or
wipe the membranes from their
nose.
If mother is ignoring lamb/kid,
can move it towards her head.
20. BIRTHING
PENS/JUGS
Small pen for females and their
offspring
Can put in before or after
birthing
Facilitates bonding
Makes it easier to monitor
females/offspring
Only keep in pens for a few
days, unless there is problem;
move to a bigger pen with
other litters.
No need for pens for pasture
lambing/kidding except if there
is a problem (or for first time
mothers).
21. LAMBING
JUGS/PENS
About 5 feet square
Larger for bigger breeds
and multiple births and/or
if being used for birthing.
Solid or open, depending
upon environment
Maximum slat spacing of 3
inches for open panels.
Can purchase or make from
wood or wire panels
Portable
22. BIRTHING
JUGS/PENS
Clean, well bedded
Free from drafts
Feed troughs and water out of reach of lambs/kids.
Dirt floors preferable (or plenty of bedding on concrete floors)
Clean between litters, if possible
23. WHEN TO PUT
EWE/DOES IN
BIRTHING PENS
Before
Keeps other ewes/does from
stealing each other’s babies
Keeps newborns from wandering
Helps to prevent mismothering
Prevents outside lambing/kidding
Easier to monitor
After
Keeps pens cleaner and drier
(healthier).
Helps to prevent ewes/does from
laying on babies
24. CLIP, DIP, STRIP,
AND SIP
Clip the navel to 1-1/2-inch
length
Dip stub of cord in 7%
tincture of iodine
(or chlorhexidine, betadine)
Strip first milk from teats to
remove wax plugs
See that lamb/kid gets first
sip of colostrum
25. IMPORTANCE OF
COLOSTRUM
“FIRST MILK”
Rich in nutrition and
antibodies
Need to consume as soon
as possible
Ability to absorb antibodies
diminishes; no absorption
after 24 hours.
Ingest 10% of body weight
in first 24 hours
Tube feed small or weak
babies.
26. STARVATION
HOW TO TELL IF LAMB/KID IS GETTING ENOUGH TO EAT
HEALTHY, GETTING ENOUGH TO
EAT
Full belly
Stretches when getting up
Bright
Bouncy
Always seeking udder
Wag their tails when nursing
NOT ENOUGH, MAYBE STARVING
Empty belly
Cold mouth
Cry a lot
Don’t get up
Stand around
Stand hunched up
Gaunt appearance
Mother won’t let nurse
27. BROWN FAT
During the last 60 days
of pregnancy, brown fat is
laid down by lambs/kids
while they are in the
womb.
Immediately after birth
and before consuming
colostrum, it is their only
energy source.
Lambs/kids must
consume colostrum soon
after birth to have a
source of energy for
keeping warm.
28. HEAT LAMPS
Only -- immediately after
birth and until they get dry
Not necessary if lambs/kids
are dry
Not necessary if lambs/kids
are well fed.
Not necessary if lambs/kids
are out of drafts.
Use covers instead of heat
lamps (safer).
If you use heat lamps, use
them safely.
Don’t overuse; lambs/kids
need to be able to regulate
their own body temperatures.
30. SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
W. MD Res. & Educ. Center
University of Maryland
Extension
sschoen@umd.edu
sheepandgoat.com
sheep101.info
wormx.info