Q Project The Gambol Factor Bicton College

Question Why would the shepherd suspect this sheep will lamb soon? Answer The sheep is isolating herself Answer There are physical signs Answer The sheep is not feeding First signs of lambing? Click on the answers below to see if you are correct.

First signs of lambing Question The ewe seems slimmer why is this? Answer The unborn lambs are moving Answer The ewe has been observed not to be feeding for a while Click on the answers below to see if you are correct.

Bleeding sheep What are the possible reasons for bleeding occurring? Answer The sheep is injured Answer The sheep is ill Answer The ewe is starting to lamb Click on the answers below to see if you are correct.

Nesting The ewe may be restless at this stage, and also have some loss of blood

Water bag Question What does the water bag indicate? Answer That the lamb is dead Click on the answers below to see if you are correct. Answer That the lamb is alive Answer That the lamb will be born very soon

Star gazing Question This is a classic sign of? Answer Indigestion Click on the answers below to see if you are correct. Answer Milk fever Answer Lambing imminent

Contractions Question What should you do at this stage? Answer Check her using minimum disturbance Click on the answers below to see if you are correct. Answer Catch her

Head showing Question How long before the lamb should be born? Answer 10 minutes Click on the answers below to see if you are correct. Answer 1 hour Answer 2 hours

Birth at last! Question At this stage, it is critical that the lamb is? Answer Bleating Click on the answers below to see if you are correct. Answer Suckling Answer Breathing

Stood on my own four feet Question The lamb needs colostrum within? Answer 6 minutes Click on the answers below to see if you are correct. Answer 6 hours Answer 6 days

First signs of lambing Yes the sheep would generally isolate themselves Back to First signs of lambing

First sign of lambing Yes the sheep may eat less than normal Back to First signs of lambing

First signs of lambing No, there may not necessarily be any physical signs at this early stage Back to First signs of lambing

The ewe appears thinner Yes, the lambs would be moving from the uterus through the cervix. Back to ewe appears thinner

The ewe appears thinner No, a shepherd would take action long before any weight loss could occur Back to ewe appears thinner

Bleeding No, the sheep would not normally bleed in this way. Back to Bleeding

Bleeding Yes, this is an initial sign that the lambing process is about to start. A shepherd would make note of the ewes showing signs of bleeding and regularly (every 30 minutes) observe for any signs of progress of the birth. Back to Bleeding

Water bag Yes, this is the start of the lambing process Back to Water bag

Water bag No, the water bag showing does not indicate whether the lamb is alive or not. Back to Water bag

Star gazing - indigestion No this is not a sign of indigestion Back to Star gazing

Star gazing – Milk fever No this is not a sign of milk fever Back to Star gazing

Star gazing – Lambing imminent Yes the lamb should be born very soon Back to Star gazing

Contractions – Check with minimum disturbance Yes, the ewe must be checked, but very carefully. You would check that the lambs head is showing and that the feet are in a normal position. (The diving position) Back to Contractions

Contractions No, you must not try to catch the ewe as this may cause her to be distressed and affect the birth cycle. Back to Contractions

Head showing The lamb, or first lamb should be born within 10 minutes from the time that the head is visible. If there is more than one lamb to be born, the time scale of the deliveries can vary, but normally within 30 minutes for the next delivery. Back to Head showing

Birth at last! - bleating No, the lamb may not bleat for a few hours, you may find that some lambs may bleat straight away and then constantly! Back to Birth at last

Birth at last! - suckling No, the lamb may not suckle for up to 30 minutes. If the lamb has not suckled within 30 minutes the shepherd would take action to encourage suckling. Back to Birth at last

Birth at last! - breathing Yes, the most important sign at this stage is that the lamb is breathing. To find out if the lamb is breathing, check that there is movement of the chest cavity and that the lambs head is held up. Back to Birth at last

Stood on my own four feet! The lamb needs Colostrum within 6 hours. Because it builds their immunity to diseases at this early stage Back to Stood on my own four feet