First orphan.

[warrior queen]

So far, all the ewes have managed to keep their babies alive and safe. But this morning we found the first abandoned lamb.
Last year, we had 19 in the creche.

This one didn't even get cleaned up by the ewe....
Now it's a matter of trying to keep this little guy alive over the next 48 hours with 2 hourly feeds of colostrum.

 

[Bert Notorius]

You're going to breast feed it?

 

[warrior queen]

You're going to breast feed it?

Hahahaha........... ha.
The formulated colostrum is not as good as the real thing - last year we lost over 50% of the orphans.

 

[Bert Notorius]

Sheep are pretty dumb...it's not surprising.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Can an orphaned lamb bond with/nurse from some other ewe? Or is it all up to you now? Ewe or you?

 

[osprey44]

too young to eat I presume...

 

[warrior queen]

Sheep are pretty dumb...it's not surprising.

Actually, sheep are surprisingly intelligent.
There's an anecdotal story about a flock of sheep in West Oz that have figured out how to cross the gate grid (bars with gaps across the road to stop them passing).
They bite mouthfulls of grass and lay it down on the grid until it's deep enough to stop their legs going thro, and then they simply walk over to the next paddock.

 

[KingOrfeo]

too young to eat I presume...

Nah. Just too young to fuck.

 

[KingOrfeo]

Is raising sheep like raising cattle, where it's a practical necessity to geld or kill most of the males?

 

[girlsmiley]

Actually, sheep are surprisingly intelligent.
There's an anecdotal story about a flock of sheep in West Oz that have figured out how to cross the gate grid (bars with gaps across the road to stop them passing).
They bite mouthfulls of grass and lay it down on the grid until it's deep enough to stop their legs going thro, and then they simply walk over to the next paddock.

LOL! Sneaky.

Colostrum isn't cheap either. Have you spoken to a vet about your lambs?

 

[KingOrfeo]

Actually, sheep are surprisingly intelligent.

And sometimes surprisingly dangerous!

 

[warrior queen]

Can an orphaned lamb bond with/nurse from some other ewe? Or is it all up to you now? Ewe or you?

If you're fast enough, and by fast I mean right there at the birth, you can sometimes put an orphan onto another ewe that has also just given birth.
Works about 10% of the time.

 

[warrior queen]

Is raising sheep like raising cattle, where it's a practical necessity to geld or kill most of the males?

All males are gelded, then raised for sale.

 

[warrior queen]

LOL! Sneaky.

Colostrum isn't cheap either. Have you spoken to a vet about your lambs?

I'm paying $20 for 50g of colostrum. Enough for 3 days.
Why would I need to speak to a vet? I've been doing this for a while now. There's not that much to it really.

 

[warrior queen]

Second dose of colostrum in and held.
Good stuff

 

[Bert Notorius]

In a spelling bee I'll take a pig over a sheep any day.

 

[KingOrfeo]

All males are gelded, then raised for sale.

All? Then, how do you breed them?

 

[warrior queen]

In a spelling bee I'll take a pig over a sheep any day.

See now - I fucking HATE pigs.
Stinky bloody things.
I refuse to have them anywhere near me unless they're dead and dressed.

 

[warrior queen]

All? Then, how do you breed them?

2 stud rams, rotated each season.

 

[Bert Notorius]

See now - I fucking HATE pigs.
Stinky bloody things.
I refuse to have them anywhere near me unless they're dead and dressed.

I grew up with them. I saw a 600 lb. sow jump a 4' barb wire fence. They are definitely not sheeplike.

 

[KingOrfeo]

2 stud rams, rotated each season.

If I were a Hindu or Buddhist I'd be making a special reincarnation-prayer right now . . .

 

[warrior queen]

If I were a Hindu or Buddhist I'd be making a special reincarnation-prayer right now . . .

Stud rams aren't cheap. But these 2 have awesome genes.... we're getting about 50% twins, and about 15% triplets this season!

 

[sweepthefloor]

I am confused. Why do the males get castrated? Why only 2 studs? I don't get it.

 

[warrior queen]

I am confused. Why do the males get castrated? Why only 2 studs? I don't get it.

It's not a big mob... about 150 ewes. 2 stud rams are more than capable of covering them.
You don't want a herd of boys. They are the money makers (at slaughter).
And about half the females will go to slaughter too. Just keep enough to replace older ewes and keep the numbers stable.

 

[RoryN]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-twfp0k42chs/Txr2W3OOJDI/AAAAAAAAByU/f_Pz5UltggY/s1600/vlcsnap-2012-01-19-21h05m08s82.png

"Was that a goat?"