Archive for February, 2009

No shearer and lambs due??

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

With longer wool breeds (like churros) ‘crupping’ your ewes is one solution. Take a scissors and [with someone strong holding the ewe tightly] carefully cut the dangle-y long wool near the udder. What you want to achieve is to give the newborn lamb(s) an unobstructed path to the udder. When they’re first born and staggering under instinct-only, you want zero obstructions for them. They need to suck on a teat-filled-with-milk and not suck on wool thinking they’re in the right place
clear?

Spring shots?

Friday, February 6th, 2009

My philosophy is not to bother the sheep more then needed.  Thus I vaccinate everyone each Spring with CD-T when the shearer is here (note: I shear 2-3 weeks before the lambs are due).  This provides some protection to the lambs through the placenta/milk.

I vaccinate the lambs roughly at 5 weeks and 7 weeks of age and then they are good for a year, needing only rabies later on.

Normally, I worm the ewes the day they lamb— when I do ear-tags and tail dockings (day #1 of the lambs’ life).  Then I leave them alone for a day or two, just hay and clean water.  Everyone gets acquainted then out they go into the big [bad] world.