A biological trick for fostering lambs and kids

Convincing a reluctant new mother to accept an orphaned or rejected lamb or kid can be tricky. Many
strategies for fostering or grafting are frustrating and too often unsuccessful. I'd like to introduce a
technique that some of you may have heard of before, but which I feel should be more widely known.
In the literature, it's called vagino-cervical stimulation, or VCS but it can also be referred to as birth
canal stimulation. The basic idea behind VCS is that you are convincing the ewe or doe's body and
brain that she is giving birth to another infant. When done correctly, she will bond as strongly and
quickly to the new lamb or kid as she would to an infant just born to her.
For this technique to work, you need a ewe or doe that has given birth within the last 24-26 hours or
sooner. The more recently she has given birth, the easier this task will be for all involved. You'll also
obviously need a lamb or kid, the younger the better. It is best if the lamb or kid is covered in amniotic
(birth) fluid. This doesn't have to be its own amniotic fluid - you can borrow from other wet infants if
the orphan is older. If you're fostering an older infant, hobbling it may help the mother not to be
intimidated by its activity level unless this causes the infant to flail around, potentially spooking the
mother. This is especially true for first-time mothers. For small ruminants, being scared and feeling
maternal are two very separate reactions. VCS renews maternal drive and restarts the bonding process.
To perform VCS, grab your long obstetric gloves and J-lube or whatever lubricant you use when
assisting a birth. Have an assistant hold the mother, or secure her in a stanchion or with a halter. Put any
newborns of her own behind or next to her rather in her frontal view. Insert your gloved and lubed hand
into the birth canal and gently feel for the ring-shaped tightness of the cervix. You'll probably be around
wrist-deep in the birth canal when you find this, the entrance to the uterus. Depending on how long it's
been since the ewe or doe gave birth, you'll be able to fit from one to several fingers into the cervix.
Gently move your fingers apart to stretch this ring of tissue. How stretchy the ring feels will also vary
depending on how long it has been since she gave birth. You'll notice the ewe or doe pushing like she's
in labor, and she will probably roll back her upper lip, arch her back and lick the air. Those are all signs
that good things are happening hormonally, and that you are stretching the birth canal correctly. If you
are not getting much response you can also lift your knuckles and gently push them back and forth
along the top of her cervix. Continue to keep your hand in the stretching position for 3 to 8 minutes.
During the last few minutes have your assistant introduce the foster or rejected infant for the mother to
clean off. If working alone you may need to introduce the infant yourself as you finish VCS. If all goes
well the mother should happily lick and accept her new offspring.
This method is also very reliable at reintroducing a kid or lamb back to its dam when the initial, natural
bonding has failed because the newborn 1) was stolen temporarily by a dam in labor, 2) wandered off
and got lost at birth while the mother was busy with littermates, or 3) was severely chilled at birth and
had to be rushed to the house and revived. A pictorial presentation of the method is below.

How to foster a lamb or kid using VCS (vaginocervical stimulation)

1. Ewe with 2 dead lambs and 1 live lamb

lambing at the same time as ewe with live
triplets.

2. Check deep for additional lambs or kids.

Then retract gloved hand slightly and start VCS
to simulate birthing and stretch the neck of
the cervix, thus causing the release of the
bonding hormones.

3. Meanwhile another person takes the

4. Successful VCS graft. Same procedures will
hopeful graftee and places fetal fluids from the work on goats.
foster dam onto the graftee. After a
contraction, the graftee is put in front of foster
dam and VCS continued.