It’s one of the most frustrating issues sheep farmers face. A ewe gives birth to a healthy lamb. The udder is firm and swollen, but there’s no milk coming through. How do you deal with this situation? Read on to learn what to do if ewe has no milk.
Why Your Ewe Not Producing Milk
Before we dive into how to get the ewe to milk, let’s explore why she has no milk in the first place. There are quite a few possibilities.
Below are some of the common reasons your lactating ewe has no milk.
The Teats Are Blocked
If one of your ewes has no milk after lambing, it’s probably because the teats are blocked. This issue is prevalent in wet and muddy conditions. A waxy plug at the opening seems to dry quite hard with muddy paddocks.
Blocking can also occur in ewes with teat injuries, making it hard for newborn lambs to commence suckling.
Teat injuries happen during shearing or crutching when the individual doing the shearing accidentally cuts off the ends.
Premature Birth
Another possible reason for the lack of milk from a just lambed ewe is premature birth. Sheep have a gestation period of around 142 days. A lamb born up to ten days early may be considered premature.
At this stage, a lamb may have a small but functioning body. If the lamb is born premature, the milk may take a few hours — up to a day — to come down into the udder.
First Lamb
It’s common for ewes lambing for the first time to have no milk after giving birth. Is it the ewe’s first lamb? In that case, it may take the ewe some time to let her milk down, but it will happen once she’s relaxed.
Mastitis
The worst-case scenario when a ewe is not producing milk after lambing is mastitis. Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder. It’s common in sheep, reducing the amount and quality of milk.
Symptoms Of Mastitis in Ewes
How can you tell if the lack of milk production by a ewe is due to mastitis? Here are the most common symptoms of mastitis in ewes:
- The udder becomes swollen
- The inflamed udder feels hot and tender to the touch
- Ewe’s milk production decreases significantly
- The little milk coming out is flaky and watery
- The ewe is feverish and fatigued
Symptoms of mastitis may vary from one ewe to another. If you suspect mastitis as the culprit for your ewe’s lack of milk production, speak to a veterinary doctor as soon as possible.
What Causes Mastitis in Ewes?
The causes of mastitis in ewes are varied, ranging from bacteria to viral infections to physical injury or stress. In most cases, though, ewes mastitis stems from an udder bacterial infection.
A series of bacteria species, including Pasteurella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and coliform (E. coli) is responsible for most mastitis cases in ewes.
Viral infections such as scabby mouth can also make ewes more susceptible to mastitis. Physical injuries to the ewe’s teats, such as those resulting from shearing cuts, can also lead to mastitis.
What Ewes Are Most Susceptible to Mastitis?
Any lambing ewe can develop mastitis, affecting the quality and quantity of milk production. However, this condition primarily affects sheep with high milk production or ewes raising multiple lambs.
Additionally, ewes raised in muddy, crowded environments have higher chances of exposure to high concentrations of bacteria to develop mastitis.
How To Get A Ewe To Produce Milk
Now that we know the possible underlying causes for the lack of milk production by the ewe, it’s time to devise a plan to fix it. Knowing what to do if ewe has no milk is easier if you know the reason.
So, how do you get a ewe to milk? Well, that depends on what’s causing the milk not to come out. Here are some of the steps you can take.
Check If the Teats Are Blocked and Clear the Blockage
As explained earlier in the article, blockage of the teats is the most likely culprit if a ewe is not producing milk after giving birth.
How do you know if the teats are blocked? Carefully examine the teat; it’s blocked if you can see a black or dark center.
If the teats are blocked, you’ll have to remove the blockage to get the milk to come through. You unblock the tit by removing the waxy plug blocking the opening — where the milk comes out — and it may be a little stubborn.
Gently grip the top of the teat, where it starts to join the udder between your thumb and middle finger. Pull down while applying even pressure. The waxy seal causing the blockage should come flying out.
Give It Some Time
It’s not always a cause for concern if a ewe is not producing milk shortly after lambing. It’s common with ewes lambing for the first time or after premature birth. Give the ewe some time to let the milk down.
It may take a while, especially if it’s a premature birth. Try to get some colostrum out for the newborn lamb, then leave the ewe to relax, and she’ll let her milk down. However, it may be a problem if that takes longer than 18–24 hours.
If the lamb is particularly weak, some bottle feeding may be necessary. Be careful not to overdo it, though. The newborn lamb needs to be hungry enough to suckle for a few minutes at regular intervals to stimulate the ewe to let her milk down.
Administer Antibiotics to Treat Mastitis
Bacterial infections such as mastitis are easily treatable with antibiotics. However, the bacteria that cause mastitis in sheep are resistant to commonly used antibiotics, so be sure to talk to your vet before commencing treatment.
Additionally, only a veterinary professional can accurately diagnose mastitis in ewes. Mastitis symptoms are similar to many other conditions affecting sheep. Unless you have veterinary experience, it’s best to let a professional administer treatment to avoid worsening things.
How To Prevent Mastitis in Ewes
Mastitis is not always treatable, but there are steps you can take to mitigate the risk of mastitis infections in your flock. Bacteria that cause mastitis thrive in wet, muddy, and dirty paddocks, and ewes are more susceptible to those conditions.
Therefore, the most effective way to protect your ewes from mastitis is to keep the milking and living areas clean and dry. Be careful when shearing the udder area in your ewes to avoid injuries that provide a way in for disease-causing bacteria.
Conclusion
Are you wondering what to do if ewe has no milk? There are various things you can do to get a ewe to milk. The most important thing is to identify why your ewe is not milking and then devise an effective remedy.
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