You've carefully planned the breeding/s and invested considerable time and resources into improving your genetics, production and performance.   You are to be HIGHLY commended!  Now is a GREAT time to complement all of your time, hardwork and investment with GREAT whole herb products to help support them so that their bodies have easily accessible nutrition available so that they can try to do the best that they possibly can for birthing preparation, birthing and support.  Here are my favorite products for that, having spent nearly 50 years breeding animals of many different kinds.  All products have been lovingly and thoughtfully developed from lifelong livestock, pet and poultry experience combined with a Master's Degree in Herbalism ( The same education is known as a "Medical Herbalist" in Europe, Austrailia, S. Africa, etc ) and extremely high quality products.

I am limited by the F*D*A* by what I can say about herbs and we are never able to claim that herbs treat, prevent, cure or to diagnose any disease and make no claims for that.  One can read reviews if they would like additional information.  This is what I DO and you can too if you like.

Please combine with correct feed, clean water, proper shelter and gentle daily exercise such as walking from one end of the field to the other once a day.  A 1 or 2 acre field is usually sufficient for distance.  Poor management reduces the ability of herbs being able to support your creature. 

PreBirth™   I like to use this product the last two weeks of pregnancy (as ascertained by their due date).  It traditionally provides nutrients that the body may use to prepare itself for for birthing.  Allowing the body to try to be more efficient and possibly allowing the body a more likely chance of have the baby/ies ready for a correct presentation.     Not needed on or after birthing day.   Any unused portion can be sealed up,  added to a freezer bag and placed in the freezer to keep indefinitely.    So can any of our other herb mixes.  https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p453/Herb_Mix_PreBirth_Late_Pregnancy_Support_8_oz.html

Ewe-Ter-N™  is a product I start giving on the day of the birth or the day it looks like they are going to birth.   I start in the morning and give every six hours.  I also give at birthing if it's been over an hour since they last had it.  I can give it in the middle of birthing if they are having multiples or a difficult birth.  I also can give it afterwards if the afterbirth is taking longer then 20 minutes to dispel.   For retained afterbirths consult my livestock book, also on my website.  https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p433/Herb_Mix_Ewe-ter-N%E2%84%A2__birth_support_8_oz.html

MilkMaid™  Sends some love to those milk producing glands so important to getting a good genetic start on your young ones.  Hard birth,  not seeming to produce what they should be, a bigger litter then normal? This product may help them tremendously and also contains herbs traditionally used to help bodies increase the fat content of the milk-  so necessary  for growing brains and organs!  I once used this on a doe (goat) that had aborted one month prior to bring her into milk to keep her on the milkstring.
https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p885/Herb_Mix_MilkMaid_%28tm%29_Lactation_Support_8_oz.html

MMune™  Did you know that approximately two weeks before birthing to about two weeks after birthing (yes a whole month!) your dam's immune system takes a big dump allowing invaders an easier time of gaining a foothold in your furry friend?  I love this product for support during that time, as well as at the 2 month mark for stock when many of them are switching from their dam's antibodies to their own immune systems.  I also liked it for animals traveling, moving or being exhibited.   It's like a hug for the immune system :)   https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p874/Herb_Mix_MMune_%28tm%29_Immune_System_Support__8_oz.html

GISoother™   And this product is like a hug for their tummy and gi tract.   I like it when the body needs to support loose bowels,  has malabsorption issues sometimes caused by scar tissue in the intestinal tract, for tummy pain and things like that.  It allows the body to nurture your creature towards wellness.  I like it for daily use with kids, lambs or anything living in a barn or small paddock where things build up.   I also really really love this to start baby poultry on!  Just mix it with damp feed.  It helps their little bodies want to LIVE!  VIVA!    https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p811/GI_Soother%E2%84%A2_Digestive_System_Support_16_oz.html

Take me to the barn with you!  The Accessible Pet, Equine and Livestock Herbal has an entire chapter of birthing animals.  It also has a chapter on raising young stock and another on working with milking stock/lactations.   Larger print to make reading it while in the barn easier.  https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p1000/The_Accessbile_Pet%2C_Equine_and_Livestock_Herbal%2C_over_500_pages%21.html

And one last thing...  But clearly not last as it is our MOST POPULAR PRODUCT!
DWA™  Is what I use for creatures (all) that are exposed to things that may come to life in their intestinal tract or other areas of the body like bloodstream, liver, lungs, etc.  Remember that immune system dump?  That is also a time when these types of things like to take advantage of your fur friend.  And of course is wonderful for your feathered friends too.    There are plenty of reviews to read on this one if one wants to.    https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p818/DWA_%28tm%29__-_16_oz__supports_body_in_foreign_matter_removal%2C_Flea%2C_Tick%2C_Mosquito_Season_Support.html

Wishing you all the most amazing young stock crop ever and the ability to reach their genetic potential!   Blessings,  Katherine 
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*Is your dam milking less than you expected for her genetics or previous records?    Did she have a rough birthing start?   Did she come to you with a heavy parasite load or not with the care you would want every animal to have had?   Hope is on the way!

The consideration to pay attention to is parasite issues.   An animal feeding parasites and being damaged by them simply can not milk their genetic potential to give their babies a shot at getting a great start on reaching their genetic potential.   Parasites that hang out in the blood stream and other locations put a serious drain on your dam, reducing her ability to produce milk and often having a negative ability on milk quality and taste. 

Being sure their intestines (large and small) can absorb nutrition to the best of their ability is also important.  Parasites that lurk directly in the GI Tract (ones known to hemorrhage intestinal tissue and cause bloody diarrhea) as well as conditions that caused intestinal scar tissue in animals that had rough beginnings or times in their lives benefit from supporting these organs so that they are able to fully utilize the nutrition they ingest.

Also consider the dip in immunity a few weeks before through a few weeks after parturition.  This is about a one month time period for small livestock, a bit less for pets, and about 6 - 8 weeks for large stock.   This also makes them more susceptible to parasites as well as other conditions.  We love using MMune™ for this support. 

Access to fresh clean (and not chilling ice cold!) water is extremely important for milk production since milk is approximately 90 - 95% water.  Also be sure there are no electrical currents coming from power cords/lines/ fencing under wet ground or bedding or in proximity to the water tank that prevents your animals from consuming the water they would like to have.   

Very nutritious mineral dense foods such as alfalfa and kelp as well as access to seasalt are important to the diet of all animals:  poultry, livestock and pets for optimum production.    We also love using the very popular BetterDaze ™ for supporting all creatures great and small.

Being sure that there are not any other underlying wellness issues or subclinical infections from birthing is another consideration for milk production. For traditional wellness support I use HerBiotic ™ in our herds.

Having addressed all of those items-and knowing that your animal is other healthy brings us to using the product we abosolutely love for lactation support: MilkMaid™ to give those hardworking lactating dams what their body needs so that it can produce their best quantity AND best quality of milk possible for that superior next generation that you bred for. https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p885/Herb_Mix_MilkMaid_%28tm%29__8_oz.html

Other products at www.firmeadowllc.com to consider under products & herb mixes are:

DWA™ https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p818/DWA_%28tm%29__-_16_oz__supports_body_in_foreign_matter_removal.html
GISoother™ https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p811/GI_Soother%E2%84%A2_Digestive_System_Support_16_oz.html
MMune™ https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p874/Herb_Mix_MMune_%28tm%29__immune_system_support__8_oz.html
Better Daze™  https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p418/Herb_Mix_BetterDaze%E2%84%A2__8_oz.html
HerBiotic ™ https://www.firmeadowllc.com/store/p812/Herb_Mix_HerBiotic%E2%84%A2_Wellness_Support_4_oz.html

Wishing you blessings multiplied, happy milkers and happy babies to you and your farm!

*The Food and Drug Administration has not approved any of these statements and they are not intended to cure, prevent, treat or diagnose any disease.