Serving the farming industry across East Anglia for over 40 years
Good preparation is key to ensuring success when indoor lambing. Gwyn James from Nettex offers timely personal and professional reminders to keep on top... 5 top tips for indoor lambing

Good preparation is key to ensuring success when indoor lambing.
Gwyn James from Nettex offers timely personal and professional reminders to keep on top of your game.

I grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Wales and still help family and friends to lamb inside. We always started by trying to identify ewes that might not be in the best condition – and I still do today.

A nutritional imbalance, calcium deficiency caused by the lack of metabolisable calcium in the final weeks of pregnancy as ewes are put under significant nutritional stress due to accelerated foetal growth.

A calcium drench, such as CalciEwe+, with added energy, magnesium and niacin can support recovery after pre-lambing exhaustion. It should be used when the first signs of calcium deficiency are seen – including coma, paralysis, rapid breathing, tremors or uncoordinated movements.

Further health concerns for ewes carrying twins can be identified and dealt with quickly and easily thanks to high energy liquids that replace and rebalance the nutritional needs of ewes before lambing.

Also known as pregnancy toxemia, affects sheep in the late stages of pregnancy. If untreated, the ewe is unlikely to recover. It’s caused by low blood glucose levels and symptoms include weight loss, blindness and ewes will be unable to stand or eat.

It can be brought on by stress from handling or transporting ewes. Ewes with too high or too low a body condition score are at greater risk. A twin lamb solution containing a high energy liquid should be administered as early as possible.

If caught late and the ewe has gone down, twin lamb solutions become less effective, an important tool at this stage is make sure the ewe is hydrated via a drenching gun.

Despite the pressure of managing other aspects of the farm, spending the time indoors to make sure lambing pens and overall shed hygiene is at its best is crucial to preventing common diseases.

Preparation of a hygienic and comfortable lambing area is a discipline all farms tend to observe. However, once lambing starts it is often tricky to maintain these high standards.

Equipment should be cleaned between uses to minimise the spread of any bacteria and disease. Joint Ill and Watery Mouth are commonly caused by poor shed hygiene and can be avoided with a disciplined cleanliness regime.

Following a successful birth, lambs will benefit from a quality colostrum product to help recover from the birth.

For lambs that struggle to stand and suckle, an energy boost in the form of colostrum is a must. Lambs that don’t feed quickly are at risk from hypothermia, and a colostrum that can elevate blood glucose levels will help lambs to recover and suckle faster.

Finally, being able to identify lambs and ewes as housing fills up is important to ensure lost lambs are reunited with their mothers to avoid them becoming weak.

It is easy to lapse on marking as lambing gets busy, but it is important to use a quality spray. I tail and number lambs and dock the ewe’s tail too. Having a long-lasting spray helps when the flock is turned out, especially in heavy rain.