Updated for 2015 Lambing & Kidding School, December 5, 2015, Pylesville, Maryland

1. Ready, set, go . . .
Getting ready for lambing and kidding
. . . the last 4-6 weeks (late gestation)
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
Western Maryland Research & Education Center
sschoen@umd.edu – www.sheepandgoat.com
We’re
coming out
. . . soon!

2. What’s happening during late gestation?
▪ Roughly 70 percent of fetal
growth is occurring.
▪ Mammary (udder)
development is accelerating;
most mammary development
occurs during pregnancy,
especially with sheep (78%).
▪ Rumen capacity is decreasing
due to growth of fetuses.

3. Extra nutrition is usually needed.
▪ To ensure adequate intake of nutrients.
▪ To support fetal growth
▪ To support mammary development.
▪ To prevent pregnancy toxemia and milk
fever.
▪ To ensure birth of strong, healthy
offspring of moderate birth size.

4. Birth weight is the single most important
predictor of offspring survival.
0 4.4 8.8 13.2 17.6
Birth weight (lbs.)

5. Nutrition during late gestation
▪ Late gestation is not a time for low quality feed.
▪ Energy (TDN, ME, kcal) is the nutrient most likely to be
deficient.
▪ Nutrient requirements vary by species, age, size (weight),
and fetal numbers. Also, by weather and activity.
▪ To meet increased requirements for energy, it is usually
necessary to feed some grain, especially in flocks and
herds with a high percentage of multiple births.
▪ If forage quality is low, it may also be necessary to
supplement the forage diet with a source of protein (CP,
MP) and/or calcium (Ca).

6. Do not underfeed during late gestation.
Can result in . . .
▪ Pregnancy toxemia
▪ Small and weak offspring
▪ Higher offspring mortality
▪ Reduced quantity and quality of colostrum.
▪ Poor milk yield, resulting in lower weaning weights.
▪ Increased ewe and doe mortality.
▪ Reduced wool production (in offspring), due to fewer
secondary follicles in offspring.

7. Do not overfeed during late gestation.
Increased risk of . . .
▪ Dystocia (difficult birthing)
▪ Vaginal prolapse
▪ Uterine prolapse
▪ Due to . . .
▪ Increased intra-abdominal fat
▪ Oversized fetuses
▪ Malpresentation of fetuses

8. Proper nutrition includes proper feeding management.
▪ Weigh feed to make sure livestock are getting what you think they
are getting.
▪ Minimize feed wastage: check wastage, cleanout troughs
▪ Adequate feeder space: make sure all females can eat at the
same time.
▪ If necessary, separate old timid animals from aggressive dominant
animals.
▪ Feed pregnant ewe lambs and doelings separate from mature
females.
▪ Separate males from females after breeding season.
▪ Do not feed on ground.
▪ Separate feed and water to encourage exercise.

9. Water is the most important nutrient.
▪ Water requirements increase during pregnancy and are
virtually doubled during the last month of pregnancy (as
compared to maintenance requirements)
▪ Sheep/goats get water from many sources including
digestion (metabolic water), feed, snow, dew, and drinking
water.
▪ Water should be clean, high quality, and ice-free to ensure
adequate intake.
▪ Failure to meet requirements during late gestation can
reduce dry matter intake, predisposing females to
pregnancy toxemia.

10. Selenium (Se) and vitamin E are important
nutrients during late gestation.
▪ Mid-Atlantic soils (thus feedstuffs) are generally deficient in
selenium.
▪ A selenium and/or vitamin E deficiency can cause white
muscle disease in lambs and kids
▪ Other symptoms of selenium deficiency are non-specific and
similar to other mineral and nutritional deficiencies.
▪ Selenium is passed from the placenta to the fetuses during
late gestation.
▪ There is a narrow margin between selenium requirements
and selenium toxicity.

11. Selenium and vitamin E in late gestation diets.
▪ Commercial mineral mixes usually provide
adequate selenium, assuming mineral is
consumed at labeled amount.
▪ Adding a selenium-fortified mineral mix to the
grain will ensure adequate selenium intake.
▪ Feed supplementation of selenium is preferred to
giving injections [Rx].
▪ Besides feed, there are oral preparations of
selenium and vitamin E (gels).
▪ Farm with a diagnosed history of white muscle
disease may need to give selenium injections [Rx].

12. The importance of calcium to the pregnant female
▪ Needed for bone development (in offspring) and milk production.
▪ Greatest demand for Ca in non-dairy animals is late gestation; Ca
requirements virtually double during late gestation.
▪ Doe’s (especially dairy) highest requirements are during lactation.
▪ Incorrect feeding of calcium in late gestation can result in milk fever (low
blood calcium, < 4-5 ml/dl)
▪ Low Ca may be a contributing factor to prolapses [?].
When? Who? Why? Prevention
Before parturition Meat and fiber animals Inadequate Ca in diet Sufficient dietary Ca
After parturition
High-producing dairy
animals
Inadequate mobilization of
Ca from bones
Excessive Ca in diet
Diet low in Ca
Low cation: anion ratio
Alfalfa

13. Calcium in the late gestation diet
▪ Don’t over or underfeed calcium.
▪ If low quality forage is fed, calcium will probably
need to be added to the concentrate diet.
▪ Free choice minerals do not guarantee adequate
consumption.
▪ Ratio of Ca to P should be between 2:1 and 1:1
for pregnant and lactating females.
▪ Save alfalfa hay for lactation diet.
Sources of calcium
Corn Poor 0.02%
Orchardgrass hay Low 0.32%
Alfalfa hay Moderate 1.2-1.4%
Kelp Better 2.7%
Ground limestone
Dicalcium phosphate
Bone meal
Best
34%
22%
31%

14. Periparturient egg rise (PPER)
▪ Ewes and does suffer a temporary loss of immunity to
parasites (GI worms) at the time of parturition.
▪ Nutrients are partitioned to meet the animals’ needs for
maintenance and reproduction -- before immunity;
healthy animals, especially adults, mount an immune
response to parasites.
▪ The PPER begins approximately 2 weeks before
parturition and can last for up to 8 weeks after.
▪ With spring lambing/kidding, the PPER coincides with
hypobiotic larvae resuming their life cycle, resulting in
the “spring rise” of worm eggs.
▪ The spring rise is the primary source of infection for
lambs and kids that graze later in the season. J F M A M J J A S O N D
FECs

15. Countering the periparturient egg rise
▪ Deworm females during late pregnancy -- but leave a few
untreated to maintain refugia on pasture; refugia are worms
that have not been exposed to drug(s).
▪ Use the FAMACHA© system and Five Point Check© to
determine which females require deworming during late
gestation and early lactation.
▪ Increase the level of protein in the late gestation ration;
rumen by-pass protein has been proven to be especially
beneficial.
▪ Lamb/kid in winter or fall when parasites are less active.
▪ Maintain females in pen or dry lot (zero grazing) during
periparturient period.

16. Vaccinations during late gestation
▪ Ewes and does should be vaccinated for clostridial
diseases (CDT or Covexin®-8) during late gestation,
approximately one month prior.
▪ Late gestation vaccinations are the only way to protect
offspring against clostridium perfringins type C
(enterotoxemia).
▪ If dams were not vaccinated for tetanus, the tetanus
antitoxin should be given to lambs and kids at the time
of docking, castrating, and/or disbudding.
▪ Females that have never been vaccinated for clostridial
diseases require two vaccinations, 3-4 weeks apart @
approximately 8 and 4 weeks prior to parturition.

17. Feed a coccidiostat during pregnancy,
especially late pregnancy
▪ In feed or mineral
1. Bovatec® (lasalocid)
2. Rumensin® (monensin)
3. Deccox® (decoquinate)
▪ To reduce level of coccidia in lambing and
kidding environment.
▪ As an aid in the prevention of abortions
caused by toxoplasmosis [Rumensin®]
 Ionophores (Bovatec® and Rumensin®)
are toxic to equines.

18. It may be wise to administer antibiotics
during late gestation.
▪ In feed to prevent abortions caused
by Chlamydia spp. (Enzootic) and
Campylobacter spp. (Vibrio).
▪ Chlortextracycline (aureomycin) is
approved for this use in sheep @ 80
mg/head/day. [Rx for goats].
▪ Give injections of oxytetracycline
(LA-200®) in the event of an
abortion storm [Rx].

19. It’s a good idea to shear prior to lambing
(30-45 days).
▪ Shearing creates a cleaner environment for newborn
lambs and helps lambs nurse sooner.
▪ Shearing may improve blood flow to lamb.
▪ It is easier to spot ewes that are close to lambing or have
udder problems.
▪ Shearing will stimulate ewes to seek shelter for lambing.
▪ Shearing increases ewe feed intake.
▪ Shorn ewes are less likely to lie on their lambs.
▪ Shorn ewes take up less space in barn and around
feeders.
▪ The barn is drier; less bedding is required.
▪ Shearing improves the quality of the wool clip.

20. Considerations for late gestation shearing
In winter
▪ A good building is necessary to prevent
losses due to exposure.
▪ Additional feed is required during cold
weather for the first week or two after
shearing.
▪ Extremely cold weather may be too
stressful for thin and/or old ewes.
▪ Rough handling at shearing could
result in stillborn lambs.

21. If you don’t shear – crutch.
▪ Crutching is a less risky alternative to shearing.
▪ Crutching is the removal of wool around the vulva and udder
(sometimes belly).
▪ Excessive wool can also be removed from around eyes and
face.
▪ Much like shearing, crutching creates a cleaner environment for
newborn lambs and helps lambs nurse sooner.
▪ Crutching minimizes risk of flystrike by removing tags.
▪ Some wooled sheep are naturally devoid of wool around their
hindquarters.
▪ There is generally no need or benefit to shearing or crutching
hair sheep ewes (hair x wool crosses - ?).
Image by Kelly Cole

22. Avoid stress in late pregnancy
Sources of stress
▪ Trucking
▪ Handling
▪ Dog worry
▪ Visitors
▪ Mixing
▪ Declining nutrition
▪ Change in nutrition
▪ Weather

23. Encourage exercise
Why?
▪ Health of ewe
▪ Produce strong offspring
How?
▪ Drive sheep at a moderate pace
▪ Feed away from shed, barn
▪ Scatter feeders
▪ Scatter dry roughage (on frozen ground)
▪ Separate feed and water
▪ In snow – plow a path
▪ Extreme exercise and crowding

24. Know when to expect arrival of the first lambs/kids.
▪ Write down breeding and/or exposure dates.
▪ Sheep and goats have similar gestation
lengths.
▪ Gestation length varies from 138-159 days
and is affected by breed, sex and number of
offspring.
▪ Average is 145-150 days (147 d).
▪ Gestation is shorter for early maturing and
prolific sheep breeds.
▪ Females carrying multiple births have shorter
gestations.

25. Prepare facilities
Inside or shed lambing/kidding
▪ Shed or barn
Clean, dry, and well-ventilated
Easy access to feed and water
▪ Drop area or pen
▪ Jugs (pens): 1 per 7-10 ewes or does
Hay rack, feed bucket, and water bucket
▪ Nursery pens for small number of
females/offspring
▪ Mixing pens for larger number of
females/offspring
▪ Creep area
▪ Isolation area
▪ Hospitalization area

26. Prepare facilities
Outside or pasture lambing/kidding
▪ Clean, well-rested pasture
▪ Well-drained soils
▪ Multi-species sod
▪ Natural break from wind
▪ Natural shade, shelter
▪ Easy observation and access
▪ Drift vs. set-stocking
▪ Have a plan for inclement weather,
mothering issues, and predators.

27. Organize supplies ahead of time
▪ Clostridial vaccines
▪ Colostrum*
▪ Disinfectant
▪ Docking, castrating, and/or
disbudding equipment and supplies.
▪ Ear tags and tagging equipment.
▪ Esophageal feeding tube
▪ Ewe and/or doe milk replacer
▪ Feeding bottles and teats or lamb bar
▪ Halter
▪ Lamb/kid pullers, snare, or rope
▪ Medications*
▪ Navel disinfectant (e.g. iodine)
▪ Needles and syringes of various sizes
▪ OB gloves and lubricant
▪ Prolapse harness and/or retainer
▪ Quick ID (spray or crayon marker)
▪ Record keeping notebook or device
▪ Scale and sling (or cradle) for weighing
(and carrying) newborns.
▪ Scissors, scalpel blade
▪ Syringes and needles of different sizes
▪ Thermometer
▪ Towels

28. Recommended medications to have on hand for
lambing and kidding
Should have
▪ Anthelmintics (dewormers) [ELDU, goats]
▪ CDT antitoxin [OTC]
▪ Dextrose [OTC]
▪ Electrolytes [OTC]
▪ Injectable antibiotics
Penicillin [ELDU, goats]
Oxytetracycline, e.g. LA-200® [ELDU]
▪ Iodine or betadine [OTC]
▪ Oral and injectable calcium [OTC]
▪ Propylene glycol [OTC]
▪ Scour-halt® (spectinomycin) [ELDU, OTC]
▪ Vitamin B-complex [OTC]
Nice to have
▪ Epinephrine [Rx]
▪ Injectable selenium (BoSe®) [Rx]
▪ Lidocaine [Rx]
▪ Mineral oil [OTC]
▪ Nutridrench [OTC]
▪ Oral selenium and vitamin E [OTC]
▪ Oxytocin [Rx]
▪ Probiotics [OTC]
▪ Red Cell [OTC]
▪ Today® (cephapirin sodium) [ELDU, OTC]

29. Colostrum sources
Best sources
 The best source of colostrum is from the
dam of the kid or lamb.
 The next best source of colostrum is from
an older female in the same flock or
herd.
 Land O’Lakes makes a colostrum
replacer for lambs and kids which
contains immunoglobulins (igG).
 Other farms
There is some disease risk (OPP, CAE, and/or JD) in
getting cow colostrum from another farm.
Because cow milk is lower in fat, you need to feed 2x
as much of it to lambs (colored cows colostrum).
Less desirable sources
 Colostrum
supplements
Good nutrition, but
no igG
 Homemade
colostrum
 Lamb or kid milk
replacer
 Multi-species milk
replacer

30. Happy Lambing
and Kidding!
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
sschoen@umd.edu