Lambing

We are currently lambing crossbreds. It probably doesn’t mean much to you so let me explain. Crossbred lambs have a merino mother and a different breed for a father (hence the cross breed). They are normally bred for meat, as opposed to purebred merinos, which are bred for wool (we lamb purebreds in August).

We have been lambing for about 3 weeks now, and it’s been going OK. Generally it is best to leave the ewes to it – if you get too close they tend to run away, leaving their lambs behind. They then can’t find their lamb and so the lamb dies. On the other hand if you don’t go out and check them the ewes can get stuck on their side after they have given birth and the lambs can’t get any milk, so both mother and babies die.

If we can find the lambs before they die, we can bottle feed them in much the same way you feed a baby – including getting up in the night to feed them!

Here are last years poddy lambs – Susie, Caleb, and Lucy – named by Hannah and Meg

Country Boy goes out every day to check on the sheep, and try to help any sheep that needs it. Despite this we have still lost several ewes and lambs. Keep in mind that each animal that dies represents a loss in income as well.  It can be disheartening to see animals who haven’t made it. Not to mention unpleasant having to pick up dead lambs and sheep. Each time Country Boy finds a dead animal, he feels like he should have done more, though of course he can’t really.