Most ewes deliver their lambs without assistance; however, there are instances when producers must be prepared to assist with difficult deliveries. Difficult births can be caused by 1) abnormal presentation of the lamb(s); 2) an unusually large lamb; 3) a fat ewe; 4) a small pelvic area; and 5) disease.
The normal delivery position for a lamb is the head and two front feet being delivered first. If lambs cannot be delivered after a reasonable amount of time and effort, competent assistance should be sought. A caesarean section is sometimes necessary to deliver lambs that cannot be delivered normally.