University of Maryland Small Ruminant Extension December 17, 2020

1. DYSTOCIA
RECOGNIZING PROBLEMS ON THE BIG DAY AND WHAT TO DO!
SUSAN SCHOENIAN | SHEEP & GOAT SPECIALIST | UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION | SSCHOEN@UMD.EDU

2. DYSTOCIA
Difficult birth due to a long, unassisted parturition or prolonged delivery requiring assistance.

3. CONSEQUENCES OF DYSTOCIA
 Risk to health of ewe/doe
 Death of ewe or doe
 Risk of health to offspring
 Death of offspring
 Reduced maternal behavior
 Mismothering – rejection of
offspring
 Extra work

4. CAUSES OF
DYSTOCIA
 Complications
 Oversized fetus
 Malpresentation
s

5. PROBLEMS
THAT CAN
OCCUR BEFORE
PARTURITION

6. PREGNANCY TOXEMIA (DISEASE)
KETOSIS, TWIN LAMB DISEASE, LAMBING SICKNESS, FATTY LIVER DISEASE
 Low blood glucose
 Occurs mostly in the last six weeks of gestation to
ewe/does carrying multiple fetuses.
 Caused by inadequate nutrition in late gestation;
insufficient energy (TDN) intake.
 Anorexia and depression, neurologic signs
 Differential diagnosis: milk fever
Can occur at same time
 Treatment depends upon stage of disease
Oral dosing with propylene glycol (2x/day for 3
days)
IV glucose (Vx)
Induced parturition or caesarian section (Vx)

7. MILK FEVER (HYPOCALCEMIA)
 Low blood calcium
 Occurs mostly in late gestation but can occur after
parturition, especially in dairy females.
 Caused by insufficient intake of calcium in late gestation
diet or excessive calcium in late gestation diet.
 Similar signs as pregnancy toxemia, but much faster
progression.
 Usually good response with IV calcium (Vx).

8. RINGWOMB: FAILURE OF CERVIX TO DILATE
 Female strains for hours with no progress
Membranes may be seen protruding from vulva
 Unknown cause, but genetic component has been
identified, so best to cull females that survive ringwomb.
 Partially dilated cervix (false ringworm) may respond to
manual manipulation and smooth muscle relaxants
 “False” ringworm may be caused by overzealous
shepherding.
 Do not attempt to pull lamb/kid through cervix that is
only partially dilated.
 Only treatment for “true” ringwomb is caesarian section
by a veterinarian.

9. VAGINAL PROLAPSE
 Ewe/doe pushes her vagina
out of her vulva
 Appears as a smooth red mass
 Occurs last month of
pregnancy
 Need to replace quickly
 Keep in with harness, bearing
retainer, or purse string suture.
 Many contributing
factors, including
genetics. Reason
for culling.

10. ABORTION
 Birth of lambs/kids before end of
normal gestation period.
 Dead or weak babies that die
soon after birth; some
premature.
 Occasional abortion is normal.
 Both infectious and non-
infectious causes of abortion.
 Beware most infectious causes of
sheep/goat abortion cause
abortion in women.
 Always handle fetuses and
afterbirth with gloves or sleeves
 Pregnant women should not
have contact with flock while
birthing.
 After abortion, isolate female and
dispose of fetus(es) and
afterbirth.
 Seek veterinary advice

11. ASSISTING DIFFICULT BIRTHS

12. WHO AND WHEN TO
ASSIST
 Ewe/doe walking around with
blood-stained rear end, but no sign
of offspring
 Ewes/does that have been
attempting to lamb/kid for awhile,
but only have string hanging from
vulva.
 Straining for more than one hour
and no sign of lamb/kid at vulva
 Straining for some time, with part of
lamb/kid visible, but no progress
 Ewe/doe is straining, water bag has
burst, but an hour with no progress
 Female has given up straining
 Lamb/kid is being born in abnormal
position
30:30:30 rule

13. SUPPLIES FOR ASSISTING WITH DIFFICULT BIRTHS
 Halter
 OB sleeves
 Lubrication
 Ropes and snares
 Bucket
 Towels
 Essential drugs

14. HOW TO ASSIST WITH
DELIVERIES
 Catch and confine female
 Restrain female
 Washing female
 Wash hands and arms with
soap
 Wear OB sleeves
short fingernails, no rings
 Apply copious lubricant
 Check for dilation of cervix
 Determine position of offspring
 Need to know how to
differentiate front and rear legs
 Correct position
 Apply traction

15. NORMAL POSITION
 Diving position
Head resting on legs
Both fore legs extended
 Most presentations are normal.
 Assistance not required unless
over sized fetus, small pelvic
opening, or weak/tired ewe/doe.

16. KNOW HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE FRONT AND BACK LEGS
Fore legs
Hind legs

17. BACKWARDS: ALSO, NORMAL
 Backwards - hind legs first - spine up
 Most ewes/does can deliver lambs/kids that are
backwards in the birth canal.
 There is some risk of suffocation if lambs/kids
get stuck halfway, due to umbilical cord being
crushed against pelvis.
 Pull lamb/kid out quickly if assisting birth
 Never attempt to turn lamb/kid around.

18. ONE OR BOTH LEGS BACK
 If there is enough room,
draw each leg forward by
cupping hoof with your
hand.
 If there isn’t enough room,
push the head back far
enough to allow legs to be
drawn forward.

19. HEAD STICKING OUT OF VULVA
 If head and one leg are sticking out, it may be
possible to deliver offspring with only one leg
forward.
 If not, head will need returned to uterus so fore legs
can be extended.
 If just the head is sticking out, it will need to be
returned to the uterus, so fore legs can be extended.
 If head has been outside of vulva for some time, it
can become very swollen: gross with bulging eyes
and swollen tongue (can survive for long time).
 Head must be washed before it is returned to
uterus.
 Can be challenging to return swollen head to uterus.

20. HEAD TURNED BACK
 One or more legs out
No sign of the head
Head is twisted back and facing wrong way
 Find head (Attach rope to head behind ears)
 Return legs to uterus (attach ropes to legs)
Need to straighten out head so that it is resting on
legs
Can be difficult to do, patience is needed
 Don’t use jaw as anchor point; use eye sockets, if
you have to

21. BREECH: JUST THE TAIL
 Ewe/doe is in labor but making no progress.
Only tail showing
Lamb/kid is coming rear first
 Do not try to turn the lamb/kid around
Gently push back into uterus
Bring hind feet upwards and forward by cupping
hoof
Deliver lamb/kid backwards
Pull downward and quickly

22. MULTIPLES
 All sorts of entanglements possible
 Task is to determine which legs belong to which
offspring and which offspring to deliver first.
 Sometimes simple; sometimes not
 Use ropes to identify heads and limbs
 May need to push one back to deliver another

23. OVERSIZED FETUS
 Large fetus, small pelvic area
Sticking points are head, shoulders, and hips
 Heavier birth weights
Large single births
Larger and more muscular sires
Overfeeding during late gestation
 Easiest cases may require only gentle pull
Plenty of OB lubricant
Rotation and changing angle can help
Worst case scenarios: caesarian section

24. DEAD AND DEFORMED
FETUSES
 First indication of dead lamb/kid
is smell.
 Brownish membranes indicate
death.
 May be able to deliver same as
live lambs/kids, with sufficient
lubrication.
 May need veterinary assistance.
 Antibiotic treatment for ewe/doe.

25. REVIVING
DISTRESSED
LAMBS/KIDS
 Clear mucous from nose
 Put straw in nostrils to initiate
breathing
 Twisting ear may stimulate breathing
 Hold lamb/kid by its back legs with
head down to clear fluids from
mouth and nose.
 Swing lamb/kid to clear fluids in
nose and throat (?)
 Position upright in “frog position”
 Stimulation, vigorous rubbing
 Blow air into lungs
Image: Sez the
Vet

26. BIGGEST MISTAKES
ASSISTING BIRTHS
 Intervening too quickly
 Intervening too much
 Not knowing when to get help
 Waiting too long to intervene
 Failure to check for more babies
 Not using enough lubrication
 Not being clean
 Not being careful
 Damaging uterus

27. GENERAL ADVICE
 Clean
 Gentle
 Patient
 Decisive
 Know when to ask for help

28. PROBLEMS
THAT CAN
OCCUR AFTER
PARTURITION

29. RETAINED PLACENTA (AFTERBIRTH)
 Usually passed within 2-3 hours of parturition
 Retained placenta (<12 hours) is usually associated with other
problems.
 Many factors responsible
 Do not forcibly pull placenta out (gentle tug okay)
 Long-acting antibiotics is usually all that’s needed.
 Some veterinarians advocate no treatment if female is eating/not sick.
 Other treatments might include oxytocin, prostaglandin, and
dexamethasone (Vx).

30. UTERINE PROLAPSE
 Occurs when the whole of the
womb is turned inside out and
pushed through the birth canal.
 Occurs immediately after
parturition or 12 to 48 hours
later.
 Usually result of difficult birth.
 Need to replace quickly and
keep from coming out again.
 A uterine prolapse is best
replaced by a veterinarian
under appropriate epidural
anesthesia.
 Protect uterus until vet gets
there.
 Follow up supportive care.

31. LITTLE OR NO MILK
 Many causes, including
stress, nutrition, and disease
 Make sure teats aren’t
plugged.
 Check bellies of babies.
 Check for disease: mastitis,
OPP, CAE
 A shot of oxytocin (Rx) may
help with milk let down (not
milk quantity).
 Need to make sure
lambs/kids get colostrum in
first 12-18 hours.
 Cull ewe/doe

32. RESOURCES
 Manual of Lambing Techniques (free download)
https://www.ablamb.ca/images/documents/resources/www.alkottob.com-Manual-of-Lambing-
 Veterinary Book for Sheep Farmers (free download)
https://www.thesheepsite.com/publications/1/sheepfarmers/
 Detecting, Diagnosing, and Treating Lamb Problems (and other Laura Lawson Books)
http://www.lawsonsheepskins.com/sheepcarebookslawson.html

33. SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland
sschoen@umd.edu
sheep101.info
sheepandgoat.com
wormx.info