31/08/2026
The Ruminant Recovery Position. The latest to help a struggling newborn lamb or calf.
🐑🐄 THE RUMINANT RECOVERY POSITION — Time to change our old habits?
If you've been around lambing or calving for a while, you've probably seen it — or done it yourself.
A lamb swung around by its back legs.
A newborn calf hung over a gate after a difficult birth.
The idea was that we were helping drain fluid from the lungs and clear the airway.
But… the advice has changed.
That fluid you see coming out when a newborn is hung or swung is now thought to be more likely coming from the stomach rather than the lungs.
And swinging or hanging a newborn can actually increase the risk of stomach contents being inhaled into the lungs.
So what's the better option?
👉 Get the newborn onto its chest.
Sit the lamb or calf upright on its sternum, with all four legs pointing forwards.
This position allows the chest to expand properly and gives the newborn the best chance of breathing effectively.
You can also gently stimulate the calf or lamb by tickling inside the nostril with a piece of clean grass 🌱 to encourage it to take a breath.
And of course, make sure the airway is clear and get veterinary help if the newborn isn't breathing normally or isn't responding to stimulation.
So, if you've spent years swinging lambs or hanging calves over the gate…
Don't feel bad — we're always learning more.
Farming is full of things we've done because that's how Dad did it, and Dad did it because that's how Grandad did it! 😂
Sometimes the best thing we can do for our stock is be prepared to change the way we've always done things when better evidence comes along.
🐑 Chest down. Legs forward. Let them breathe.
On Farm. On Call. On Your Side!
