We will be at the Montessori School
@ 1618 Tower Grove Avenue
Sometimes on the Farm, it seems as if no matter how hard that you try, how diligent you are, things are out of your control. Last Blog, I mentioned that we had a Ewe that I was watching to lamb. I am very careful about this, I take shepherding seriously. So the night of the Market, the coldest night in 2 months, I checked at 11:30 and she looked like she was starting to efface but not into labor yet. At 5:30, I went out again to check and there was a lamb face showing already but she could not pass it. During the examination that I made, I could not figure out which legs belonged where, seemingly because the lamb behind that one couldn't get out either. Finally I was able to get the first lamb out, finding it had a leg that was formed incorrectly, foreleg at a 45 degree angle outward from the thigh bone. Once I achieved this, the other soon followed, both dead. Nigella staggered across the room and laid down in the correct position for a sheep(or cow, or horse), with her forelegs folded under her. I showed one of the lambs to her, she smelled it, licked it for seconds but showed little interest, unusual for her but she was exhausted. She's been a very good mother in the past. As she seemed okay, the first sign being that she was on her forelegs instead of her side, I fed her some oats and molasses, good for replenishing iron, potassium and magnesium and went back to the house. Awhile later, I went out and not only the afterbirth but with her cervix AND uterus lying on the floor behind her. Now I've seen the cervix come out before but not the uterus. This of course is caused from the constant and repetitive straining. Dealing with this is simple but back straining for everyone involved. The ewe must be stood on her shoulders by one person while the other person lifts the uterus and cervix both above her now upward posterior. Both must be put back in the correct order and many times this is sufficient, it's just a matter of gravity. In this instance we did it 3 times, even finally lifting her into a wheelbarrow, taking her into our basement and leaving her in that position in the wheelbarrow to allow gravity to do its thing. It was not allowed to happen because she continued pushing it out. After calling our (amazing) Veterinarian, I later found out that a big part of the reason for this was the cold. The uterus was in a 15-60 degree temperature (barn then basement) and her body is 101 degrees. This is not comfortable. Many of you have read about my Vet before. He is so good to me but he could not come right away as he was in the middle of haying his sheep an hour away, with all the gates on his farm frozen, but about 2.5 hours later, he showed up with long gloves, iodine, sutures, local anesthetic, peroxide and a bowl. He helped lift her up again, easier since she was still in the wheelbarrow, replaced everything and then had me hold them inside of her while he gave her the local and put a shoestring sized suture in to keep them place.
The next day, we moved her back to the barn and she continued to eat well but could not stay standing. Small wonder as I didn't go through as much as her and I could barely move. She continued to have contractions for about a week and then she was able to walk a few steps. About 10 days in, she broke the stitch and the cervix came back out again. Also the next coldest night again. I called my vet gain and again he was trying to take care of his cows an hour away. At 11:30 at night we were replacing it again with another stitch, me asking if we should put her down and Doctor Hale saying "let's give her one more chance". In any case, the next morning, she had broken the stitch and again the cervix was out. At this point, I do not feel that I can put her through this anymore regardless of how much crazy I am about her. So after all this, we had to put her down. So hard, especially since she was eating and walking.
Earlier this Fall, we cleaned out a different section of the barn where we had not had sheep in for about 10 years and unearthed a 20 year old Clostridium virus. Unfortunately, we had moved the sheep into that section and 2 days later, with no warning, 3 dead sheep. Took a day to figure out what it was and 2 more to get a handle on it but everyone else survived. It was a difficult 3 days for everyone involved. There has been a hay shortage due to the 2nd year drought and we have had a time with these new 350 lb. square bales. In short, this has been a difficult winter. I know this seems completely depressing but a lot of you appreciate knowing what we go through to bring food to you and sometimes, it really is enough to make you want to give up.
In any case, we are not doing that but while the market is tomorrow, I will not be there. Bill and Tom will be there until 9 so come early if you want to see him and then Tom and Jeff will finish up the shift. I am under the weather and the weather being what it is, Bill wants me to stay out of it. So come by anyway, grab some eggs and some salsa to go on them, maybe something pickled to chase away the winter blues. Soon it WILL be Spring again.
God's Blessings on you and yours,
TTFN,
Sam and Bill who have not given up.
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