Are you ready for the newborns? Have you got your birthing kit set up yet? The best ones contain:
- Paper towels and a bag of old towels
- A big rubbish bag, for anything you need to discard
- A headlamp or torch; headlamps are better because then you have two hands free
- Sharp scissors, for trimming the cords
- Betadine soap, for washing your hands and arms
- Long gloves – vet clinics can supply disposable gloves that go right up your arm, important to keep infection out
- Lubricant, in case you need to assist with a birth
- Iodine, for dipping the cord, and a small container to hold it (an old film canister is a good
size) - Bottle and nipple, for a calf, lamb or kid, in case you need to milk colostrum off the mother and feed the kid
- Ketol or Ketol Xtra (glucose products), for a mother that is not eating
- Bearing retainer (if you think you can put a bearing back in a mother)
- Calving chain/rope and handle
- Thermal blanket
- Tube and/or syringe, in case the kid can’t feed
- Thermometer (shake before use)
- An electric blanket to wrap any cold/wet lambs, kids or calves in (one you don't mind getting dirty!). This is much better than the old method of running a bath of warm water as the baby doesn't get wet, it's easier to hold multiple young ones, and you can regulate the temperature.
- The phone number of an experienced farmer, neighbour and/or your vet, in case you need advice or help.
