During the pregnancy of ewes, the period when the fertilized egg develops into a lamb in the body of the ewe is the pregnancy period. From the beginning of pregnancy to delivery, the physiological state and reproductive organs of the ewe undergo a series of changes. These changes can be used as the basis for the diagnosis of pregnancy. Of course, veterinary B-ultrasound examination will be more accurate. The length of the pregnancy period of ewes varies depending on the breed and individual. The gestation period of sheep is 146-157 days, with an average of 150 days; the gestation period of goats is slightly longer, 142-161 days, with an average of 152 days. Generally, veterinary B-ultrasound can be used to detect pregnancy or not around 30 days of pregnancy. Delivery, the physiological process of the ewe expelling the mature fetus and placenta from the uterus, is delivery. Veterinary B-ultrasound observation can be used to judge the situation before delivery. Signs of delivery When the ewe is about to give birth, the pelvic ligaments are loose, the abdomen sags, and the sides of the tail root sink. The breasts are swollen, the nipples are erect, and a small amount of sticky milk is produced when squeezed by hand. The labia are swollen and flushed, and mucus flows out. The ribs are sunken, and the sheep often lies in a corner of the pen or stands restlessly, making calls. The sheep often looks back at its abdomen, urinates more frequently, and has push-ups before delivery. Of course, the best way is to observe it through veterinary B-ultrasound.

The delivery process of ewes is mostly normal delivery, and the delivery time generally does not exceed 30-50 minutes. The delivery process is divided into three stages, namely the uterine opening stage, the fetal delivery stage, and the placenta expulsion stage. During delivery, from push-ups to lying down, from the formation of a white, translucent sac-like substance from the amniotic chorion to the protrusion of the vulva, to the complete delivery of the fetus, it takes 30-40 minutes (50 minutes for primiparous ewes), and the actual delivery time of the fetus is only 4-8 minutes. During this process, veterinary B-ultrasound can be used to check and know the situation. If it is overdue, it may be a non-normal delivery. When the fetus is delivered, the amniotic membrane ruptures by itself; if it does not rupture in time, artificial rupture of the membrane should be performed. The normal delivery position is to expose the two front hooves first, with the hooves facing downwards, and then expose the head and mouth sandwiched between the two limbs. After the head passes through the vulva, the whole body is delivered smoothly. Ewes with abnormal fetal positions found by animal B-ultrasound need artificial delivery.

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