Don , as we "speak" I have returned from the barn. Rams were turned out months ago, as is.case with most families, holiday plans become more convoluted with children being married. Adding that my son is divorced and remarried , and shared custody makes holidays I'm my kids /gkids mode interesting. That meant "our "/ Christmas was celebrated last night 80 miles from my lambing barn.
This year, The hair ewes were exposed for approximately 10 days before my bf ewes. And have a 3 day overlap. Since the Romonov influence in my hair ewes and based on past lambing event,they have about 4 day shorter gest than my bf ewes. So in theory, should be done lambing what bred in that exposure ,just as BF start.
Anyway, the hair ewes are housed in my climate controlled barn. The heat is not turned on, but even at - 2 the other night, water did not freeze .
I had 3 options . Stay home and miss Christmas with my kids/ gkids. Nope.
Drive home at midnight last night. Nope
Have my chore boy check sheep in our absence. I would rather not have people that do not lamb ewes check them
So yesterday, had 2 sets of twins around 7.30. I. A barn that was about 40. Ewes are locked in at night.have run of lots during the day,feed and water outside..
I moved those familes to mixing pen after lambs had nursed mom. I went toock ewes in barn about 11 am so we could head to Sioux Falls. Of course 1 was in labor. I worked her into a 5 x 5 pen, in my mixing pen, fgggvocked other into drop pen. By this time, ewe had dropped one lamb. I went to check my other pen and feed rams. I can back and number one was nursing,number 2 fell out on his head. I watched this lamb get to his feet and nurse in less than 2 minutes.
Are they tough,yes. I have seen that with my own eyes. I did a belly bump,decicded ewe was done, offered her a drink,she drank a gallon or so. We left for Sioux fall. We got up this morning, and ate breakfast, ect. We got home at 12 noon. .2 more had lambed this morning.
Would I have done this with BF wether dams? Likley not.
I have always advocated for climate controlled barns. I have not used any heat this year. The ewes locked in generate good amount of heat,if barn is some what size right.
I will move the wether dams to the barn next week, again, likely not need heat,but I have it if I need it.
But having lambed these gals In 20 below and seeing how fast they get up,made it esy for me to "trust" my ewes to do thier job.Rigid. culling in those ewes has made them what they are.
That being said, the wether dams will be handled the same , as these ewes. Gruop dropped, sent to mixing pens with lambs,after nursing. Jugging only ewes if a problem, or confidence. I do have season hockey tickets. I will jug that ewe that has multiples just before I leave. ANY female ANY age that has a single and needs me to intervene in any aspect of her rasing a lamb, will be culled.
Last year the hair ewes were lambed March to avoid the bitter cold. It still managed to be well below 0 for part of March.
So this year, for numerous reasons, they were exposed for late Dec and early Jan lambing. The ones that do not lamb in this time, will lam. In early March with another gruop.
All ewes that lamb this year, will be in climate controlled barn. But in a low labor set up.gruop housed, no jugs,rigid culling.
From an animal welfare point, I have decided it's unethical to lamb in below freezing environment.
I can use that in my direct marketing farm to market claim.
As I age, I find it harder and harder for people to justify why they lamb,in winter ,without a climate controlled facility. I could and the sheep I have ,have proven they can do it.
But should I do it?
For me ,that is any easy answer.
Dextrose injections,heat lamps, and all of the other Band-Aids, are a poor substitute for heat.
All of that effort and resources ,could be better spent managing sheep. And it is much more pleasant to work in a barn ,that is 35 to 45. Than one that is 10.
The root cause of most of the problems, are hypothermia. If that lamb "never" gets chilled, you Never have to waste resources dealing with it.
That is how I look at it, and why I would look at Why My ewe had either big or small lambs. Normal lambs, in a climate controlled environment, will never have any issues. And it's a pleasure to raise sheep like that. Rigid culling of ewes will also help. If this ewe had a big ,stupid lamb last year, she would be culled.
So I enjoyed a.holiday with my family, and my ewes were working for me, do the job they are supposed to do. I provided them with a very good working environment. As should every shepherd. I have worked for some really bad employers over my lifetime.
I don't want to be that employer for me ewes.
That's my veiw, from the top of the snowbank.😀
