Raising animals has many rewards, but it can also be very heartbreaking.  Today was one of those days.

Infiniti was the first ewe due to lamb and it looked like today was going to be the day.  I made many trips out to the barn and each trip it looked like she was getting closer, but it wasn’t progressing like I thought it should.  Around 2:00 I put on a big glove to inspect what was wrong with the lamb.  I found two front feet (a good sign) but couldn’t find the head (a very bad sign).  I finally found the head bent back and sideways.  I worked for 1/2 an hour trying to get the head to flip around and each time I had it in the right position and would pull on the legs, it flipped back…combined with how BIG the lamb was, I knew I was in trouble and needed some help.  At this point I was more concerned about Infiniti because I had the feeling the lamb was already dead.  I called my vet and he arrived very quickly.  While Infiniti sat in my lap, he worked and worked on getting the lamb out.  Both of us were afraid it was going to end up with him doing a c-section.  Finally we laid her on her side and he was able to manipulate the lamb out.  He was 12.5 lbs.  Her last two ewe lambs have been in the 7 lb. range.  I am just devastated over the loss of a beautiful ram lamb, but am trying to focus on the positive…

Infiniti is going to be ok.

I have a great vet that was able to come help so quickly.

Infiniti has a lot of milk and is very willing to let me milk her, so I will have a wonderful supply if we end up having a bottle lamb.  I already have 10 oz. of colostrum in the freezer.  My sister has an EZ-Milker which will make this task easier.

My son has such a sweet, caring nature and offered to give me one of his lambs when they get here because he felt so bad that my lamb died.

Infiniti is already eating and seems to be in good spirits.

  I wish this was a happy post with lots of pictures of a new baby lamb, but that is the unpredictability of raising animals.