Saving a little lamb

When Lucinda was born her mother was too ill to care for her.  She is an older ewe and giving birth again was too much for her.  She was worn out.  Lottie has survived, we gabber here time for rest and recover and will make sure she never breeds again.  She had no milk for her little lamb this time and was too poorly to be worried about her.   Lottie is alright now but it took a few weeks for her to get back on her feet and we were worried about her. In a farming life she would be culled as no longer being productive but  instead she’s going to have a happy retirement here.

Lucinda was tiny to begin with but although she was frail she had a good spirit to live.  We gave her colostrum from one of the ewes who gave birth at the same time.  It’s essential for all young animals to have colostrum and makes sure their immune system can cope.  Lucinda took to her baby bottle straight away and when we put her on to formula milk she began to thrive.

Lucinda had four bottles a day to begin with but is now down to three.  She nibbles grass and lamb feed but try missing her lunch time bottle – it’s baa!  baa!  baa!- she goes ballistic!

Lucinda is now what’s called a ‘cade’ lamb – she’s a pet and tame and follows us around.  She still knows who her real mother is and goes to see her every day.  She plays with the other lambs and is well socialised with the flock but the minute the others start suckling from their mothers it reminds her that it’s feeding time and is ‘where’s my bottle?’ she dashes to find us and be hand fed.