Lambing Season

I witnessed something today that I hadn't ever seen before—the birth of a lamb.
 
A friend of ours obliged to take us on a tour of the local university farm. It was a family ordeal, and I was there with my wife and three daughters.
 
We were shown where and how the cows are artificially inseminated. We learned that some bulls don't have horns. We were shown the indoor arena where students can ride horses, and the tack barn where the saddles, bridles and other equine equipment are stored.
 
Then came the sheep.
 

Expecting ewe with sagging water bag and swollen udder.

Inside a large pen we noticed an ewe with what appeared to be a sagging red balloon coming from her hind-side. It was clearly full of liquid and about ready to pop. Another smaller sack protruded just above it. Chad (our guide) noted that this mother was about to give birth.
 
“How soon?” we asked.
 
“It could be anytime soon, or as late as this evening.”
 
As for us, we were hoping it was “any time soon” and the sooner, the better!
 
Instantly we were all excited. For once in our lives we were at the right place at the right time!
 
For the next twenty minutes we watched the ewe fidget back and forth and paw the ground. Chad told us that when the time comes she will lay down, which will help her to push out the baby.
 
We continued to watch the mother sheep, but she never laid down. Once she bent to her knees and we were excited that “this was it,” but it was a false alarm and she soon returned to her feet.

“Maybe she can't perform when she's being watched,” I suggested.
 
“Maybe she has stage fright,” Jenelle added.
 

Another cute lamb.

We decided to leave her alone for a while. We walked to another pen nearby and spent a quarter of an hour there, watching other sheep which were of a different fold. Chad was still busy filling us with all sorts of information on sheep, but most of my focus was on taking pictures.
 
When we returned to the pen with the expecting dam, I will admit that I wasn't expecting much. I knew the kind of luck I had, and with my luck there would be no new baby lamb for another four hours—long after we were gone.
 
We found the ewe in the same spot and still with a sack of water sagging from her bright pink vulva. But now, upon closer examination, we spotted a newly-born baby lamb at her feet. We had just missed it!
 

Mother with newly-born lamb.  Lamb #2 will be born in about 20 minutes.

The animal appeared like a black blob, lying limp on the manure-littered dirt. The weakling propped up his head and the mother meticulously licked off the blood and slime.
 
Usually lambs are born in two's. But often the gap between births can last a couple hours. That would be too long for us. We were a little disappointed.
 
We watched as the mother continued to lick clean her lamb. It was like getting a sponge bath. From the slime and blood emerged a clean white face.
 
Other sheep looked on in curiosity. One came over and nosed the yeanling. Soon the lamb was making his first attempts to stand, but was still too weak.
 

Licking clean lamb #1.  If you look closely you can see a black foot starting to come out.

Still licking lamb #1 while lamb #2 is being born.

Ready or not, here he comes!

Then we saw something exciting. Something black was now emerging from the vulva of the ewe. That must be a leg! We watched in curiosity as the black object grew and soon it became obvious that it was two hind legs and a set of hips.
 
It is interesting that the ewe never laid down to birth her second lamb. Not only did she remain standing, but she continued to lick the first one clean during the whole process.
 
Not long after the exit of the legs and hips (kicking as he came), the entire baby lamb plopped to the ground. Encased in amniotic fluid the newly born sheep laid there helpless, but Mother came to the rescue, licking him clean also.
 

Baby lamb plops to the ground encased in amniotic fluid.

Mother takes the first look at her baby.

Immediately she begins licking him clean, too.

The spectacle attracts onlookers.

Lamb #1 stands on all-fours for the first time, in less than 30 minutes after his birth.

Onlooker offers his nose for a friendly nudge.

It is fascinating how fast animals adopt to their new environment. Not long after his twin brother was born, lamb #1 was standing on his own four feet, a bit wobbly, but as clean as a whistle.
 
After having witnessed such an incredible event, we all felt satisfied. I had always wanted to witness the birth of an animal. I remember watching the movie Black Beauty several years ago and recalling the scene in the barn when the horse is born. Whether it is a farm animal or a human being, there is something divine about watching a new creature come into the world.
 
As for the twins, they are in good company. They share birthdays with Warren Spahn, Shirley Temple, and of course . . . William Shakespeare! ♠

Lambs are not the only young ones at the farm: a mare with her foal.