Going crazy waiting for sbf lambs

[Hufflesheep]

February/March. I like lambing early because it gives the lambs plenty of time to get strong before having to fight with internal parasites in the summer.

My last ewe is due next week. I wasn’t going to breed her at all (not due to any health issues), but when I found her at the gate literally begging to visit the ram, I relented and let her in.

I’m now living in KY (as of December 2019) and I can’t say that I have missed the New England winter. I’ve got green grass already.

That's a good point!
😩 it's that time of year im so over winter! Enjoy the bluegrass state!

 

[Hufflesheep]

February/March. I like lambing early because it gives the lambs plenty of time to get strong before having to fight with internal parasites in the summer.

My last ewe is due next week. I wasn’t going to breed her at all (not due to any health issues), but when I found her at the gate literally begging to visit the ram, I relented and let her in.

I’m now living in KY (as of December 2019) and I can’t say that I have missed the New England winter. I’ve got green grass already.

Could you go see my new post titled "help! Ewe is driving me crazy!" Im really at a loss

 

[Ridgetop]

Shearing this thing of year/prior to lambing is actually fairly common practice. Even in New England.

The idea being that if the ewe is chilly, she’s more likely to lamb somewhere warmer rather than plopping out her lambs in a mud puddle in the paddock (seen it happen).

The other thing is, lambs are really hard on wool. The stress of lambing causes a break (weak spot) in the fleece that can be detrimental to wool quality and value. And then there’s the lambs that climb all over their mother’s which further ruins the fleece.

Thanks for posting this. I knew the idea about shearing to make the ewe seek shelter in the cold. I don't do fiber so didn't know about ruined fleeces, although one of my Dorper lambs' favorite standing places is on her mother's back. In southern California I can shear anytime without a problem and I used to shear once before breeding and again before lambing. With short wool breeds sometimes though I would just crutch them. Dorpers don't have belly wool and have a fairly clean udder and vulva area so not shearing at all any more.

When did you move to Kentucky? Whereabouts?

 

[purplequeenvt]

Thanks for posting this. I knew the idea about shearing to make the ewe seek shelter in the cold. I don't do fiber so didn't know about ruined fleeces, although one of my Dorper lambs' favorite standing places is on her mother's back. In southern California I can shear anytime without a problem and I used to shear once before breeding and again before lambing. With short wool breeds sometimes though I would just crutch them. Dorpers don't have belly wool and have a fairly clean udder and vulva area so not shearing at all any more.

When did you move to Kentucky? Whereabouts?

I'm near Fort Knox/Elizabethtown. Moved down right before Christmas.