[Jacob-list] lambing

[Melanie Boxall]

Could have been worse.....I've had rabbit Moms eat their babies ears. You try explaining earless rabbits at auction.
Melanie
"What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?" - Elvis Costello
http://www3.sympatico.ca/melanie.boxall


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Melody 
  To: jacoblist 
  Sent: Monday, March 24, 2003 9:36 AM
  Subject: [Jacob-list] lambing


  Well, Iambing has begun here. I am lambing a bit late because I try to get it timed for spring break (I teach at the local community college).  Had an unusual occurrence yesterday.  One of my "senior" ewes twinned, both ewes (good girl!)  but she got a bit overambitious in cleaning the first one. She was licking it nicely, cleaning up the membranes on the ground, and being a good mother, but she got hold of the poor thing's tail and, as it had some of the membranes adhering to it, apparently didn't realize it was part of the lamb.  Before I realized what she was doing and could stop her she had the tail in her mouth and was trying to eat it, too!  She had the poor lamb lifted up until it was standing on its front legs, just gnawing on its tail.  I got the lamb away from her, and she went back to more appropriate cleaning activities, but she had virtually amputated about 1 1/2 inches of the tail; it was just hanging by a bit of skin and wool. It didn't bleed very much,  I went ahead and snipped off the dangling bit and put antibiotic on the stump.   I think there is some crushing to a little bit of the tail above the amputation,  too.   Poor baby!  She is being a very good mom, has always twinned and taken very good care of them.  Just another example of the dangers of being too clean!  
  Melody at CritterLand
  Redmond OR
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