Stubenthals to the Rescue!

Wednesday, March 28, 2007 - "Dad, come quick! We've got a lamb... or maybe two!" said Zach. "You'd better not be pulling my leg" I replied, grabbing a flashlight and following him out the door. Sure enough, "Lambus" was holed up in the Keener's dilapidated chicken coop with two little baby lambs. A quick call to local lamb experts Ralph & Vickie Stubenthal and I found myself attempting to milk a mama lamb (Zach flat-out refused). "You have to make sure the little wax plugs are out of each udder" explained Mrs. Stubenthal. I was able to get one udder working and after repeated failed attempts to get the lambs to take the bait, and at least two calls to the Stubenthals, Vicki & Ralph decided to mount a late-night rescue mission. They arrived armed with a "nippled" beer bottle full of "colostrum" which they explained was an absolute necessity if the lambs were unable to nurse within 24 hours. I felt a little less incompetent when Ralph was also unable to get udder no. 2 to produce. We are going to keep a close eye on them for the next 24 hours and, if necessary, will turn to bottle feeding. Oh, and I experienced another "life's first" when I had to gather up both placentas for disposal. Zach was impressed that I picked them up with my bare hands. "Reminds me of the sweetbreads I cooked on the BBQ the other day" I remarked. "What do you think sweetbreads are?" said Mr. Stubenthal. He had me there for a minute.