Circle M Farm

Finally, ram two is out and safe nearly two hours after his big brother. Whew. Poor mamma.

Karla didn’t really start laboring on this lamb until a half hour or so before it arrived, and wasn’t at all distressed until the last 20 minutes or so of hard pushing. In fact, immediately after the first strapping lamb came out, she was up and eating. Ravenously. Pretty much chowing down. Maybe she knew she’d need strength later, so she was noshing hay so loud her teeth sounded like a motor grinding. I remember being in a hungry panic a few times in labor myself. When you are in the thick of things you just don’t know when the next break will be.

Turns out it was good she stocked up on energy, because number two put up a fierce battle. Karla groaned and strained, face to the stone wall and nose stretched up at an uncharacteristic angle. She stood, pawed the straw, lay down, then got up. Again, I remember doing the very same things myself, minus the pawing. Good mom that she is, between contractions she nuzzled and licked ram one. As labor went on, she actually seemed to take comfort in his presence, several times tucking her nose beneath his warm body during a break.

Watching her struggle, I frantically debated whether to get washed up and reach in. She was laying on her side, straining mightily, when the head slowly crowned, nose first. I got close up to check the presentation and felt the problem. Lambs are best, and most often, delivered with both little front feet emerging with the head. This one’s large head was obstructing the feet. One foot was just next to the neck, but the other was pulled backwards.

I gently pushed the vulva back behind the head, and with my right hand grasped the tiny hoof that was stuck just beyond the chin. Holding that foot firmly, I slid my left hand in just up to the wrist. It took a surprising while to find the other leg. But at length I perceived the long bone angled from the shoulder and worked my fingers down behind the knee to pull it up toward the head. The lamb slid slowly out with the next contraction and I placed him next to Karla’s face. She was happy to take it from there.