[Jacob-list] navel

[kbarrett at oregontrail.net]

I am suprised no one has mentioned the way I was taught to treat the navel 
cords, so I thought I would throw it out there as it works like a 
charm...although maybe we don't need to do it at all???  I would think if you 
have clean dry pasture you would be OK, but if you are lambing or calving were 
there may be mud or manure I wouldn't take the chance...I have seen lambs and 
calves with navel ill at the vets, and it isn't pretty. Anyway, we have a 1 
quart spray bottle with the iodine in it and just thouroughly spray the cord 
after cutting it if neccesary.  It is neat quick and sanitary.  I only cut 
cords that are very long, and usually leave those about 3 inches long. I would 
think if you are cutting cords you should definitely treat them. 
I agree with the majority that letting the ewes lamb where they please works 
best. I jug them for a day or two afterwards,depending on the weather and how 
they feel, and they seem to enjoy the break.  They also like to bring their 
lambs back in the open jugs in the evenings to bed down.  And I have 3 ewes who 
seem to like to lamb in the open jugs...so I try to provide for all types!!  I 
usually move them to the lambing pasture (1 1/2 acres)a week or so before 
lambing begins...it is easier to keep track of them there. I have a small group 
of 14 ewes, so it goes pretty quick. Then after all the lambs are born I open 
up the gate to the big pasture...and they continue to bring their lambs in for 
the night for a while as they please.
I am lambing late this year, and am getting anxious to get started now that all 
the lambing news is on the list. I usually start in January, but my kids won't 
be showing lambs in June this year, so there was no point to start that early. 
I will start at the end of March.  I am so glad I waited this year as it has 
been a very long cold winter in the mountains.  I will probably still be 
lambing in snow, but spring snow is so much warmer!!
Kate Barrett
Ruby Peak Jacobs 
Quoting Victoria da Roza <castlerockjacobs at yahoo.com>:

> Our ewe never laid down but stood for both births. 
> The lambs had very long navels that drug on the
> ground.  I tied the navels off with dental floss about
> half way up and dripped iodine down the whole thing. 
> Dental floss is great because you can really tie it
> tight and the wax coating keeps it from absorbing
> junk.  The navels had begun to dry very nicely and
> then we had lots of rain and they got all soggy and I
> was glad we had tied them off.With this method they
> dropped off in less than 2 weeks.
>    Our theory is to keep the birthed ewes outside and
> at night or during heavy rain  we put them and lambs
> in a clean straw, dry, warm hall in our bomb
> shelter:-) that is left over from the guy who built it
> in the 60s.  This keeps them away from the huge number
> of coyotes we have here at night( at the edge of state
> and local parks with high loads of deer for them to
> predate). When the sun is out and our fences are 6'
> high they can run and play all they want which keeps
> them from annoying a mom and she can move around too.
> So far this has worked like a dream.  This allows the
> ewe to be with her friends that have not lambed yet
> during the day and lets the other sheep meet the lambs
> and get used to them before other lambs.
>     
> 
> =====
> Victoria
> Castle Rock Farm
> Jacob Sheep & Nigerian Dwarf Goats
> www.castlerockfarm.net
> 
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