#LAMBMETRICS for the day
Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks
Born today: 2
Total Lambs Born: 4
Drysdale lambs (live total): 2
English Leicester lambs (live total): 2
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 0
Total Sets of Twins born: 2
Total Sets of Triplets born: 0
Total ewe lambs: 3
Total ram lambs: 1
Ewes lambed /76: 1 (2.6 %)
Lamb % : 200 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 0
Losses: 0
Notable Midwifery tales:
The English Leicesters decided they didn’t want to be left off the scoreboard so there was a set of twins born today. Hehehe Just how we like it too – they didn’t need any help. Both are a good size and seem very sturdy.
They did remind me that I really shouldn’t rely on “other people’s figures” and I should have worked out the due dates as I usually do…. which means they’re due tomorrow. LOL
It’s easier to monitor these ewes in regard to their milk supply because they are very quiet and we often pen them up for the first night, just to make sure we haven’t missed anything. The English Leicesters and Drysdales tend to be very strong mothers who aren’t easily dissuaded from their job and will follow us when we carry their lamb/s into the shed.
The Merino and Castledale ewes on the other hand are not quite as quiet so they can be trickier to watch. Interfering with them can be fraught because if you go and try save one situation you can inadvertently stir them up and cause more problems. As a result, we can only intervene in certain circumstances and “as Nature intended” tends to be the default.
Research has shown that once a ewe is around 5m away from her lamb she often “doesn’t see it” or recognise it. New mothers – especially Merino ewes – are notoriously bad and flighty. If they get a fright they run and forget they have a lamb. And they don’t come back to it. 🙁 Super frustrating – and one reason why intervention is only ever done with great caution!
Hopefully, the Merino and Castledale ewes will start lambing in the next few days too. Probably won’t have the close-up photos though! (Except maybe the ex-pet sheep. As long as they don’t take after their mothers!)