How to reduce the chances of infection at lambing time

Lambing is well under way here. Nearly all the Bluefaced Leicester ewes have lambed. Despite a few hiccups it went quite well, and we are fairly happy with the lambs.

The Mule ewes are lambing away outside with Suffolk lambs. They’re having good strong lambs and have plenty of milk to keep them thriving. These are mostly lambed but we have another batch coming in April.

We used AI with frozen straws of some of the best Lanark-type blackfaced rams in the breed last year — the £130,000 Allanfauld and £82,000 Loughash.

The lambs are looking very classy so far and we are hoping they can really improve the flock. With all going well we will have a few ram lambs for sale off them later in the year.

We chose those two rams as they are from flocks with generations of good breeding ewes in hill conditions; both have gone well and are proven, with some top-class progeny sold.

Lambing indoors can give rise to many infectious diseases such as E coli, watery mouth and joint ill, so we are very strict with hygiene.

The main two entries of infection for lambs are orally and through the navel. We treat the lambs with strong iodine and repeat after four hours to help dry up and heal the wound.

When a ewe lambs down we always wash the udder with a sponge, warm water and a soap product. The teat is one of the first areas a lamb will suck and if it is dirty and contaminated it could give rise to infection. We have found washing works very well.

It is important to keep the lambing pens clean and disinfected. We clean out all the straw after each ewe, sweep the pen, let it dry and disinfect it and re-bed once it is dry again.

The old bedding needs to go as a build-up of infection can occur over time, especially as we get further into the main lambing period.

We often use a probiotic spray to put a culture of ‘good’ bacteria into the shed.

We make sure all stomach tubes are clean, washing them every now and again in Milton to disinfect them.

Another factor in keeping disease at bay is good-quality colostrum.

If the ewes are in good shape and lambs get enough good colostrum, they have a great chance of thriving.

Any ewes that lamb indoors are let out after a day, and sooner if the weather permits.

If there are any weaker lambs they might get another day inside, which helps them bond to the ewe — and I can keep a close eye on how they are doing. It also helps against predators such as foxes.

Ewes and lambs are brought by quad and trailers to sheltered fields and let off individually, which avoids mixing of lambs.

The very wet spring makes lambing all the more difficult. If lambs have the sun on their backs they are much happier, thrive better and there are fewer problems.

However, if lambs are getting plenty of milk and have shelter it’s amazing how well they can do, even in the rain.

We are looking to horn, brand and mark the ewe hoggets soon and let them off to the hill for the spring and summer until shearing time. This will free up a bit of ground for ewes and lambs.

The ewe hoggets have wintered well and should go on and make good ewes.