The Visual Guide to
Ovine Reproduction
- Lambing Facilities
- Normal Lambing
- Early Signs of Labor
- Presentation
- Lambing Injuries
- Cesarean Section
- Fetotomy
- Neonate
Obstetrics: Neonate
Normal Inflated Lung.
The nice pink appearance of this inflated neonatal lung indicates that this lamb was alive and did breathe before it died.
Smith MC (2006)
Head Covered by Membranes.
This lamb may have been born with a beating heart, but suffocated with the membranes over its nose. Most likely, the lamb was stillborn.
Smith MC (2006)
Close-up of Covered Head.
This lamb may have been born with a beating heart, but suffocated with the membranes over its nose. Most likely, the lamb was stillborn.
Smith MC (2006)
Cloudy Cornea.
A cloudy cornea in a stillborn lamb indicates that it has been dead for several hours.
Mogheiseh A (2013)
Meconium Staining.
Meconium staining indicates intrauterine defecation due to hypoxia and struggling.
Mogheiseh A (2013)
Stillborn Lungs.
The lungs are atelectatic. This lamb never took a breath.
Smith MC (2006)
Floating Pieces of Lung.
Two pieces of lung were placed in a jar full of water to verify that the neonate was born alive based on the fact that the lung contains air and floats.
Smith MC (2006)
Inflated Piece of Lung.
The floating piece of lung indicates that the neonate was born alive based on the fact that the lung contains air. The sunken piece of liver on the bottom does not contain air.
Mogheiseh A (2013)
Sunken Pieces of Lung.
These pieces of neonatal lung sank in a jar full of water, indicating the absence of air and evidence that the lamb never took a breath.
Smith MC (2006)
Partial Atelectasis.
Incompletely inflated lungs showing dark areas of atelectasis.
Smith MC (2006)
Fetus to Necropsy.
It is always a good idea to necropsy dead newborn lambs, among other things, to determine whether it was delivered alive or dead.
Smith MC (2006)
Fatal Hemorrhage / Umbilical Artery.
Rupture of the umbilical artery inside the abdominal cavity caused a fatal hemorrhage. Notice the black clot to the left.
Smith MC (2006)
Umbilical Artery Hemorrhage.
This is more than the normal amount of hemorrhage surrounding the ends of the umbilical arteries after separation from the placenta but not necessarily fatal.
Smith MC (2006)
Heat Lamp Burn.
The heat lamp was placed too low while the lamb could not get out of the way.
Smith MC (2006)
Burn from Heat Lamp.
The heat lamp was placed too low while the lamb could not get out of the way.
Smith MC (2006)
Dirty Feet.
Dirt on the feet of a dead newborn lamb indicates that it was born alive and had walked.
Smith MC (2006)
Eponychium.
The presence of the eponychium (or epionychium) indicates that the lamb has not walked. The soft eponychium tends to protect the uterine wall.
Smith MC (2006)
Grafted Lamb.
Lamb from another ewe placed with a surrogate ewe with ample milk supply.
Smith MC (2006)
Intestinal Torsion.
The dark, almost black, area in the intestines is due to torsion of the intestine in this premature lamb.
Smith MC (2006)
Urachal Infection.
The urachal infection has spread to the kidney (opened) causing a pyelonephritis in this young lamb. The intestines are green because of electrolytes fed to the lamb.
Smith MC (2006)
Postmortem Autolysis.
Postmortem autolysis characterized by hemolytic staining. The lamb was dead for several hours before delivery.
Smith MC (2006)
Large Hornbuds.
The enlarged hornbuds led to a difficult delivery. Note the swollen tongue.
Smith MC (2006)
Giant Lamb.
Giant, postmature, 1-day old, singleton, Dorset / Finn crossbred lamb delivered vaginally with assistance. Birthweight was 11.4kg [normal birthweight 3.5 to 4.5 kg]. This lamb's testicles never descended and he grew so slowly that the other lambs in the same age range quickly caught up with him in size.
Kane E (2011)
Post-Lambing Stall.
Ewe with live triplets in the recovery stall soon after lambing.
Villarroel A (2013)
Lamb Handling.
Simple restraint of young lambs by grasping the front leg and the hindleg on each side with one hand respectively.
Villarroel A (2013)