Triplets are always problematic in pasture lambing, there is often a smaller one that doesn't get the attention that it needs. Generally we bring triplets and the mom back to the barn area for closer observation and often the smallest, weakest one goes off to be an orphan with Jackie. In the above case, the birth was difficult, I had to help pull the brown one out. The other new born in the area (with no other moms around) was not cleaned up well and needed attention. So I rubbed the new brown one and the white one together and put them in front of the mom, who started cleaning them up. I went off to check on the other ewes in the pasture. When I returned there were three lambs there. Also the mom was having trouble standing, presumed hip stress from the difficult birthing. So, intervention is required.
First step is to ring the mom and lambs with temporary net fence to keep them localized and just as importantly prevent other ewes from coming in and disturbing the group.
As described in the previous post, we get the "circus trailer" and load the lambs and then the ewe into the trailer. Often the ewe will walk in to get back with the lambs, sometimes the ewe doesn't want to walk the ramp and has to be coerced, and in this case the ewe needed help (it couldn't stand or walk very well at this point). Jeffrey helps load her in the trailer.
Up goes the trailer ramp.
Down goes the ramp at the barn and Jeffrey has to help the ewe get out.
Since at this point the ewe couldn't stand, we rolled her from side to side and put each lamb to her udder to nurse. Brown and last white lamb nursed well even though it was a non-standard position.
The first white lamb would not nurse. And I now suspect that this lamb belonged to some other ewe. That ewe abandoned the lamb when it would not nurse. So we decided the best plan was to make this lamb an orphan and send it home with Jackie.
After a few hours the ewe was able to stand again and has been taking good care of her two lambs.
