Ringo’s Lambs! Baymule’s 5th Lambing

Baymule

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Yesterday I was pulling hay off the round bale for Ringo, Scottie and Ewenique. Scottie was standing right next to me and Ringo bred her! He showed NO aggression at all! He even wanted his head scratches. Amazing. He bred her once more that we saw, no telling how many times the lovey-dovey couple.....ahem......:love
 

Mike CHS

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Ringo has been handled so much from the time he was born that humans have no affect on him other than to give him attention. When we first thought about getting him I spent a lot of time looking into how the Virginia Tech program worked. The ram lambs that survived that program were in the top 5% of those tested that year. They either thrived in that program or died but they were well treated and used to being handled. He just seems to get easier as he gets older. :)
 

Baymule

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Ringo has been handled so much from the time he was born that humans have no affect on him other than to give him attention. When we first thought about getting him I spent a lot of time looking into how the Virginia Tech program worked. The ram lambs that survived that program were in the top 5% of those tested that year. They either thrived in that program or died but they were well treated and used to being handled. He just seems to get easier as he gets older. :)
Can you expound on their techniques and programs, please?
 

Baymule

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Lucy’s lambs are up and we’ll this morning. The spotty one is a ewe, the white one, a ram lamb. Another ewe keeper for the flock.

62BB4E3A-565D-4F87-8CB3-E2CED6F0D3D2.jpeg
 

Mike CHS

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Virginia Tech has an amazing number of sheep that they breed and test in various programs. They are kept in what would be considered limited confinement conditions from the time they were born until they go to sale. If you look at Ringo's papers, the original owner is the university as he was born and selected from one of their contract farms. They make sure they ingest every parasite in various amounts and as long as they tolerate the parasite load, they get no meds. They do constant testing and monitoring of the ram lambs to make sure they stay healthy considering what is going on in their systems. If they start to go downhill, they are pulled and treated and nurtured back to good condition and then sold. I never did find out how long this goes on but when they reach the end of the program, they are monitored to ensure they are back in condition and then offered at their annual sale.
 
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