This is the third presentation in a series of webinars on ewe and doe management. This presentation covers parturition.

1. SUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy-nē-ŭn) Sheep & Goat SpecialistWestern Maryland Research & Education Centersschoen@umd.edu – www.sheepandgoat.com 2011 Ewe and Doe Management Webinar Series Small Ruminant Program

2. 2011 Ewe and Doe Management Webinar Series Jan 13 I. Late Gestation Jan 20 II. Vaccinations Feb 3 III. Parturition Feb 10 IV. Neonatal Care Feb 17 V. Lactation Feb 24 VI. Weaning

3. Parturition The act or process of giving birth Lambing and kidding

5. Shorter Sheep Meat breeds Prolific breeds Female offspring Multiple births Lighter offspring Goats Late-maturing breeds Male offspring Single births Heavier offspring Gestation length Pregnancy lasts 142 to 157 days (avg. 147) Longer It takes more time to make a big boy!

6. BEHAVIOR Separation Isolation Acting more territorial Restlessness Nervousness Tail twitching Frequent urination Pawing the ground Getting up and down Reduced appetite Udder filling up Engorged teats Vaginal discharge Relaxation of muscles in hip area Belly drops Sides cave in Swollen vulva Signs of approaching parturition PHYSICAL

7. Preparation The three stages of parturition Expulsion Cleaning

8. 1) Preparation12 to 24 hours Rhythmic contractions Cervix dilates Fetus positions itself Mucous discharge

9. Rupture of the water bag Fetus is expelled. Repeated for each offspring Ewe or doe may give birth lying down or standing up. Some females want to be left alone for birthing. 2) Expulsion

10. Normal presentation In the “dive” position Head resting on fore legs Sole of the hooves rests downwards Widest part of the fetus is the hips Backwards (not breech) is also “normal”

11. Normal time frame**Varies between females** Once forceful straining begins and the water sac breaks, delivery should normally take place within 45 to 60 minutes. Once the front legs are visible, delivery should normally take place within 30 to 45 minutes. Subsequent offspring are normally delivered within 30 minutes of each other. Prolonged delivery beyond these times may indicate birthing difficulty.

12. When to check for problems If the female has made no progress after 45 to 60 minutes of hard straining (and the water sac has broke). If female has been in distress for 2 or 3 hours without progress, even if nothing is visible at vulva.

13. How to assist with deliveries Catch and confine female Lay female down Can lay her on her back or hoist her. Wash hands, arms, and female’s vulva Wear gloves or OB sleevesShort fingernails, no rings Apply copious lubricant Lubricant jelly Obstetrical lubricant Bland soap and water Shortening

14. How to assist with deliveries Examine for dilation of cervix Bunch fingers and thumb into a cone shape to enter She may need more time Determine presentation Correct position Apply traction After care

15. Tips for assisting with deliveries Be clean Be gentle Be calm Be patient Call veterinarian (or experienced shepherd) if you have not made progress after a half hour. Check for more offspring. Give long-acting antibiotic to prevent uterine infections.

16. Aftercare – assisted delivery May need to revive baby Clear airway Clear mucous from nose Insert piece of straw or hay into baby’s nose Raise front leg to expand chest cavity Hang baby by hind legs and swing in circle. Blow air into lungs Put baby in front of mom’s nose Have mom lick babies unless she’s too exhausted.

17. Aftercare – all deliveries Put mom and babies in a small pen together (jug). Clip (if necessary) and disinfect navels Remove wax plug from teat Check milk supply Observe to make sure babies nurse. Let mom take care of her babies.

18. 3) Cleaning30 to 60 minutes after last offspring is expelled Afterbirth (placenta) is expelled from the body Uterine involution(uterus returns to normal) Complete involution takes more than a month

19. Placenta (afterbirth) Red, liver-like mass with strawberry-like lumps and whitish cords. Is separate for each offspring. Is usually expelled 30 minutes to 1 hour after last baby is born.

20. Should you let the female eat the afterbirth? It’s her natural instinct Protection from predators Contains oxytocin Helps with milk let down Uterine involution Some people eat it

21. NO!Properly dispose of placenta Biosecurity Scrapie is transmitted via infected placenta. Abortive diseases are spread via infected placenta. Sanitation You don’t want to attract wild animals and scavengers. Is highly indigestible USDA APHIS NAHMS, 2003

22. Things that can go wrong Pregnancy toxemia Milk fever Abortion Vaginal prolapse Dystocia Ringwomb Retained placenta Uterine prolapse Agalactia Rejection

23. Pregnancy toxemia ketosis, lambing paralysis, twin lamb disease, sleeping sickness What is it? Low blood glucose caused by insufficient intake of energy during late pregnancy and breakdown of fat into toxic ketone bodies. Who’s most susceptible? Females carrying multiple fetuses Fat females Thin females Old females Timid females

24. Pregnancy toxemia Occurs during final trimester of pregnancy Symptoms Lags behind Depression Neurological symptoms Salivating Rear legs splayed out Lack of appetite Recumbency Death Treatment Oral propylene glycol IV dextrose Other Tx Calcium borogluconate Vitamin B-complex Remove fetuses [Rx] Induce parturition [Vx] Caesarian section If pregnancy toxemia is suspected, you need to evaluate your feeding program.

25. Milk fever (hypocalcemia)Occurs during late pregnancy or early lactation What is it? Low blood calcium Symptoms Overlap with pregnancy toxemia Treatment Oral calcium Sub-Q calcium IV calcium If milk fever is suspected, you need to evaluate your feeding program.

26. AbortionEarly termination of a pregnancy Causes Toxins Trauma Unviable offspring Stress Disease Chlamydia (Enzootic) Campylobacter (Vibrio) Toxoplasmosis Salmonella Symptoms Birth of stillborn, weak, or premature babies. Female may be sick for several days before she aborts late in her pregnancy (or not).

27. AbortionSome level of (non-infectious) abortion is normal Control Isolate aborting ewes Dispose of fetuses, placenta, and fluids. Administer antibiotics to remaining females. Work with diagnostic vet to determine cause. Prevention Aborting females develop immunity Feed or inject antibiotics Vaccinate Control cat population Feed ionophore Young females are most susceptible to infectious causes of abortion.

28. Vagina prolapse Usually occurs during last month of pregnancy More common in ewes than does Extent of prolapse varies.

29. Vagina prolapseMany factors have been implicated as possible causes Multiple fetuses Increased rumen fill Poor quality forage Phytoestrogenic forages Short tail docks Gravity Overcrowding Lack of exercise Obesity intra-abdominal fat Previous history 40% chance of re-occurring Genetic predisposition Image source: NADIS UK

30. Vagina prolapseTreatment [Rx] Pain relief Clean vagina [Use mild soap] Replace vagina Keep vagina in Spoon/bearing retainer Prolapse harness Prolapse truss Purse-string suture[must remove sutures before lambing] Parturition usually corrects problem Cull ewe and her offspring

31. Dystocia (difficult births) Causes Fetal malpresentation Failure of cervix to dilate Incomplete cervical dilation. Fetal-maternal size mismatch Vaginal prolapse

32. Dystocia Causes/contributing factors Age Young and old Obesity Oversized fetuses Overfeeding Small pelvic area Breeds and males that sire large offspring Lack of exercise Multiple births

34. Cup hoof in your palm

35. Extend legs

36. A small baby can be pulled with one leg back

38. Head back - push back, turn head

39. Breech - deliver backwards, cup fetlocks, extend rear legs forward , deliver quickly

40. Simultaneous - figure out what belongs to who

42. Retained placentaCauses and contributing factors Abortion Stillbirths Premature birth Uterine infection Difficult/prolonged birth Assisted delivery Dead baby still in uterus Nutritional deficiencies Exhaustion Stress

43. Prolapsed uterus Uterus is turned inside out and pushed through the birth canal. May occur immediately after parturition or several days later. Is life threatening. Image source: NADIS UK

44. Prolapsed uterusCauses and predisposing factors Uterine infection Retained placenta Difficult/prolonged birth Assisted delivery Nutritional deficiencies Obesity Genetics Image source: NADIS UK

45. Prolapsed uterusTreatment Protect uterus (before treatment) [Rx] Epidural Cleanse uterus Sugar may reduce swelling Elevate hindquarters Replace uterus Pour 5 gallons of water into replaced uterus Purse string suture (optional) [Rx] Oxytocin Calcium borogluconate Systemic antibiotics

46. AgalactiaNo milk (or delayed milk let down) Causes Hormonal Nutritional Difficult birthing Stress Disease Mastitis OPP / CAE Treatment [Rx] Oxytocin Tube feed babies colostrum Cross foster or bottle-feed babies

47. RejectionWhat causes a ewe or doe to reject one or more of her offspring? “Rookie” mother High-strung mother Over-bonding with first baby Slow arrival of second baby Separation Painful or sensitive udder or teat(s) Baby has sharp teeth Babies got swapped Abandonment She can’t count Racism ->

48. RejectionOptions Put dam in pen with babies. Put baby in front of dam’s nose Try to “fool” dam with different odors Manually hold dam for nursing Put dam in a head stanchion Rear baby(ies) artificially Give away babies

49. Most ewes and does lamb and kid on their own without any need for assistance or intervention. Don’t be eager to intervene if everything is progressing normally, even if it’s taking longer than the book says. If you have a lot of problems, you need to look at your entire program: feeding, breeding, management, etc.

50. Thank you for your attention.Questions? Susan Schoeniansschoen@umd.eduwww.sheepandgoat.com Small Ruminant Program