This week we got our ewes ready for breeding! One of the biggest things to do is to make sure that the ewes have nice, healthy feet. Besides for their own comfort, the addition of ram mounting them adds another (I'd say) 30 lbs on their back. Though it's only for a short time, it can be painful if they do not have good feet - the increase stress of pain and trying to avoid the ram can cause them not to come into heat. No heat means no ovulation of eggs, which means no conception, which means no cute little lambs in April.
It was a fun afternoon with the crew, doing something very different than the norm. I showed everyone how to take down a sheep (and with our ewes being fat and weighing 250lbs it was NOT easy), what to look for on their feet, and how to trim their hooves. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the experience.
This guy below is Earl - he's a wether (castrated male sheep). We keep him around for wool. He's also really nice and will follow you around the field when you go out there.
The next day we put the ram out with the ewes. He was so small last winter that he only bred two ewes of similar size. But he has put on some weight this summer, and even as started acting like a ram and head butting! To me that's a good sign, though not so much fun when you are out in the field with him. I did see him do the deed with one ewe, so here are fingers and toes being crossed for at least 9 lambs next spring.
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