Lambing

[Bret4207]

It seems when I was separating the rams from the flock last spring I missed one. (Yes, I did have to threaten Carpet man with a double ought load of rock salt, but he left quietly) Hence, the miracle of birth has made it's appearance here on my farm. Unfortunately, it's here 2 months and 40 degree's colder than I'd hoped for. So far I'm down 3 outta 8. Not good. Saved 2 (I hope) tonight using the "soak em in hot water, put em on the hot air vent and get some colostrum in their belly" method. Jeeze I hate rassling a ewe to the ground and milking her. Carpetman calls that "The Thrill Of The Chase", the old prevert, but it's plain hard work. Messy too with the afterbirth swinging around here and yon.

So between that, cutting wood and nursing the kid back to health I'm a busy guy. Anyone want to whine with me?

[carpetman]

Those lambs of Tpr Brett from missing the ram--well they have a funny birthmark. It looks just like the New York State Police badge and even has #821 on it.

[sundog]

Ray, you been wearing Bret's uniform again?

[MT Gianni]

It's the wethers that get you. Are you sure there wasn't one that got a testical missed at castrating time. Better you than me is all I can say. I hope that the daughter is doing well, and you know that you love it. Plenty of stories to tell around the stove it's just no fun when your doing it. Gianni.

[Scrounger]

Do those new lambs say "Rrrraayyyy" instead of "Baaa"?

[Bret4207]

I've just been contacted by the law firm of Doowee, Cheatum and Howe. Apparently they are initiating a law suit against Uncle Ray for child support, loss of companionship and emotional distress on behalf of Sugar Pie, Maggie, Nora and Earl. Who Earl is I haven't figured out, but it sounds weird to me.

Film at eleven!

Loving it? Oh yaeh. Nothing quite like finding 6" of afterbirth on your hat at 4:30AM. Thelambs and the kid are doing ok as of that time this morning.

[JeffinNZ]

This is what you want to keep the wee fellas warm.

www.woolover.co.nz

Client of mine who got into these after our "Big Snow" of '92.

[versifier]

A lot of farms used to breed early around here and those that did usually moved the in-lamb ewes into shelter before lambing. The wind is what kills. The cold temps aren't such a big deal to them if they're well sheltered. The biggest problem I had with really cold temps was all the extra water I had to haul for the ewes when it kept freezing. Those coats are a great idea, if you can get them on as soon as the ewe has finished licking the lamb.

To milk a ewe, a halter helps a lot. Then you push the ewe against the side of the pen, plant your leg in front of hers so she doesn't kick the container into which you are milking. I liked to use old glass quart milk bottles - easy to clean and sterilize, and easy to hold onto with one hand while you milk with the other. Colostrum from dairy cattle, while not the best, will do if you're in a pinch. Most that survive the first 24hrs will make it.

If you have to bring them around with the hot water in the sink method, be aware that they may imprint on you. This can be a problem when they get a little older and try to find your udder. A half-grown lamb unexpected slamming its head into your crotch instinctively trying to stimulate milk flow will drop you. You really don't need to find that out the hard way, although I know it is very amusing to witnesses.

To avoid that kind of problem in the future, leave the tails on the wethers and only dock the ewe lambs. That way, you can easily tell which is which at a distance, and they're easier to grab come fall at separating time. I had the best luck separating all the lambs at the end of August and putting them in a different pasture until ram time. Then, the girls were put back in with the rest of the flock, and the wethers were left on special pasture and grain rations until the butcher was ready for them.

[Bret4207]

I like those covers, I hear pampers work about the same way.

We don't dock. No reason why, just haven't done it. Maybe I should start. Shearing is the biggest pain for me. This year I'm hiring it done.

Hard to type with a 4 year old on your lap, so I'm done for now.

[mainiac]

Lambing brings back fand memories for me...had a flock of romneys for 3-4 years, weeded out the bad mothers and in the end,had very easy spring lambing. I used to hate the shearing as well, my flock was to sell the wool to the local hand-spinners, they would not tolerate any second cuts,very fussy! Soon i figgered out that i could hire a pro to come do it,and everybody was happy! I had a lot of fun with my flock, going to get back into them sometime, only thing i dont miss is the ram from sep to november. Thats the time of the year that they really are asking for a lead pill!!!!! very dangerous when there full of love and feeling macho!!!! P.S. I still have my sheep boots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had to put that in there before somebody else did,HA!

[Shepherd2]

One year I was a bit late taking the ram lambs out. I took them out at about 4 months of age. Turns out one of ram lambs had obviously matured very early and had bred about 20 ewes. Took me a while to figure out why some of those ewes were getting udders so early.

A couple years ago I got tired of paying shearers to clip wool that I was going to dump. It was great wool but not worth the gas to take it to the wool barn. So I sold the flock and replaced them with Katahdins which are hair sheep. They grow a tight wool coat for the winter and then shed it in the Spring leaving the hair coat. Another plus is that you don't dock their tails.

Our other sheep we have sheared twice a year and market the wool over the internet. We usually have most or all of it sold before the shearers get here.

I hate shearing too. I guess I'm fortunate that I have a ruptured disc in my back that prevents me from shearing. I can shear but then I can't straighten up. I can do just about anything but shear (which I don't want to do anyway).

Speaking of lamb coats, a friend of my wife's sent her a picture of 3 lambs born last week in this cold snap. She cut the sleeves off little sweaters and put them on the lambs. Seems she left a ram in by mistake too.

[Bret4207]

Chuck- I saw the Kathadin beed in "sheep!" magazine. I was assume they're a meat breed. Do you cross them out or is your flock purebred? I don't sell the wool I get, it's a money loser, but the lambs sell well. I'm interested in anything that'll make my life a little easier, so if I can find a good meat breed that I don't have to shear it sounds good.

[Slowpoke]

The wife's flock is Dorper X Kathadin, no shearing, heavy market lambs quick, they get fat on dirt. twinners are common, her flock is colorful, basically they take care of themselves, most years she runs a ram with the ewes year round, she puts a crayon on the ram, so no surprises. I made her a couple chutes with a sort gate so when she need's to worm or vaccinate, her and the dog can go for it without bothering me.

She has 30 really big ewes that should start dropping lambs around the second week in March, this is her 15th year of lambing time and she still gets all excited like a kid waiting for Christmas. Cracks me up.

good luck

[Shepherd2]

Bret - The Katahdin is definitely a meat breed. I don't know what the wool would be good for other than mulch or scouring pads. The ewes that I bought were purebred and the first two years I used a purebred ram on them. This year I used a ram that is 3/4 Katahdin & 1/4 Dorper.

I've been keeping the best of the ewe lambs to increase my flock. Last year I took all the ram lambs and a couple not so nice ewe lambs to the sale barn. I was very happy with the price I got. Near the top price. I'd be told by some that I'd get docked heavily because they were hair sheep.

Hair sheep are very popular around Ohio. I decided to raise a little money by selling 10 of the ewe lambs I'd kept back. We picked them out , which was hard to do, and put an ad in the ag paper. The first phone call bought them. I wish I'd had a lot more to sell.

Like Slowpoke says, they get fat on dirt. I'm really like the breed and wish I'd made the switch years earlier when I first got interested in Katahdins. During all this bad weather they've been out living off the land. I did take they out some hay 2 nights last week when they were having trouble digging thru the ice covered snow. Other than that the only member of the flock that gets fed is their guard dog.

[Bret4207]

An update for the other sheperds here- Located a flock of Katahdins less than 10 miles from here! Now to cut a deal....

[carpetman]

Tpr Brett--You located a flock of Kathadins less than 10 miles away. Get ol Waksupi up there and if there are other flocks within 200 miles,he'll have them all smelled out for you--might find a better deal.