Baymule’s Journal

Ridgetop

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Our main mentor has been our UT Extension Agent who did an internship at one of the huge New Zealand sheep stations. He said that the sheep folks down there went on holiday when lambing season started and that's kind of the attitude we have had with our sheep.
In Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa the belief is that if you help the ewe in labor, you will end up with future ewes that need help instead of being able to drop lambs easily. The breeds they have there are supposed to lamb easily, get their lambs up immediately to travel with the flock, and feed them to weaning without any help. Since those countries have huge flocks of sheep, the "if she dies, she dies" attitude makes sense. You can't be pulling lambs on a flock of 1000+ ewes lambing in the outback or bush. With the smaller flocks we have on BYH the loss of one animal or lamb can be heart wrenching, not to mention an expensive loss.

Dessa should cycle again by May. Flush Dessa to make sure she is in good condition to drop multiple eggs for May breeding. If your grass is lacking in Selenium, talk to the vet about Selenium shots for your ewes before breeding. A soil test at the County Agent will determine the Selenium in your soil.

BTW I forgot to tell you to try to milk out colostrum from her to put in freezer for emergencies. She should twin next time and hopefully with no problems. :fl It is always a crapshoot whether to go in or not. Sometimes I think I am too quick off the mark to try to pull lambs, then when I lose lambs, I am angry at myself for not going in sooner. The upside is that Dessa is ok. She can breed again and carry full term.

:hugs:hugs
 

Baymule

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Thanks y’all. It’s disappointing, but these things happen. I durn sure don’t like it, but I have to do for Dessa what i can and maybe next time will be better.

Eve is coming up next, then Lucy. The 3 ewes I just got papers for might be due in April, or May, or June…….
 

Baymule

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Walked 5.5 miles yesterday. Got some clips on, stopped, hot and tired. I had to take a document to tax preparer in Livingston that I had been waiting on, when I got back, there were heifers in the field on Bennet’s side. I guess they got some more posts clipped. I got a text asking in I had a sack of concrete. Nope, but I passed the turnoff to go home and went to Lowe’s in Lufkin and got one. Took it to them, came home, fed, watered and dragged in the house at 8:10 PM.
 

Baymule

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I had things to do this morning, found a guy broke down and asked if he needed help. His brother was coming, but was an hour out, he was late for court in Groveton and so I took him to Groveton. Court was over a family dispute, wrecked vehicle abandoned, repeated requests to come get it, and finally his Dad had it hauled off. He has a paint and body shop and said bring my truck and he’ll fix the fuel gauge for free. It broke and I’m so weirded out about running out that I fill up at 200 miles. It will go 350 to 400, but nope, I stop at 200.

Then went to sons house, he was there. Water was off, so he turned it back on. A minute later he was running back to water meter yelling, Got a leak! Upshop is the hot water line going to the washing machine is cracked. So he has to fix that.

I was looking for my tin snips, was not successful. Will have to buy another pair. Got home at noon, let ewes out, sorted out the 3 ewes that are with Cooper and put his flock in the yard. Horse is grazing the driveway. She looks pretty out there. Buford just saw her, ran to the fence barking and is now crouched down watching, lest she go after his sheep. Been a nothing accomplished kind of day.
 

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