Pipedream Farm Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 When collecting colostrum to save for future use, how much can be milked out of a ewe on average without impairing its own lambs? Thanks, Renee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I generally don't like to take any from ewes with twins, and I'll take up to a pint off one side of a ewe with a single (but she'd have to be very milky), and strip a ewe clean on both sides if she's lost her lambs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted February 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Thanks Bill. Just trying to be prepared for a potential problem on the horizon. I have an older ewe that doesn't seem to be bagging up normally, but is definitely pregnant. I kept her last fall against my better judgement. She didn't seem to have any signs of mastitis(no swellling, lumps, etc.), but she never seemed to dry up completely last season after weaning. She typically lambs later in the cycle so I should have time to collect some --and with any luck won't need it this year after all. Thanks, Renee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I lost my colostrum producer last fall - early breeder, I could get anything I wanted from her and her lambs were still on the edge of overfed. She was a huge producer - could have easily been a dairy sheep - pure Dorset. I look for the ones with singles, otherwise. We had a ewe single this year who normally twins - that was a great chance to put some backup in the freezer. I went ahead and milked her periodically right through the colostrum cycle. Her lamb had no problem keeping up with the extra supply once I stopped - that's the only danger of really milking a ewe and then depending on the lamb to take up the slack If it's not a big strapping lamb he could get overfed and the ewe could get mastitis. I have not heard of that actually happening though and have certainly never seen it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Well Rebecca. If I had to pick a ewe to collect colostrum from, it would have been this problem ewe. She is a huge milk producer normally. She also stays milky for an unusually long amount of time compared to the others. She just doesn't seem like she's bagging up this year. I'm guessing she did have mastitis after all. I'm within driving distance of Sheepman's Supply if I don't get any collected before she lambs. Crossing my fingers I'm wrong and don't have bottle lambs on the way! Renee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Any tricks for actually getting the milk out of these ewes? I have a large syrince with the end cut out to "pull" the milk out like a hand pump- a llama breeder taught me that and it's acceptable, but surely there are easier ways. side note - yearling BFL ewe lost her newborn yesterday, and I put her head a stanchion and stuck a 4 day old lamb on her from a set of quadruplets I had. Never saw a graft work so fast. That little one had been the bottem of the totem pole on her mom - now she is queen bee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthfieldNick Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 The trick for getting milk out of ewes: Handmilk two dairy cows for 10 months! Milking sheep is nuthin' after that Sorry, I think my Cotswolds would milk themselves if I showed them a bucket. They milk like Jersey cows. On grafts: I had a ewe have one stillborn twin last year. I grabbed my orphan (who was mostly too stupid to follow his own mum) and shoved him in front of the other ewe. Worked like a charm! He had no trouble following her, and the ewe took right to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 These are hair sheep - St Croix and Dorpers. It would be easier to hand milk a housecat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted February 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2008 These are hair sheep - St Croix and Dorpers. It would be easier to hand milk a housecat. That's for sure! I just milked some colostrum from a ewe this morning. I felt like I was in a rodeo show. Renee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsp Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 I used to have mostly katahdins, now cheviots, crosses, and mules. To milk the ewe, either tie her up, and hold her against a wall, or just lean into her against a wall. If she's in a jug it's that much easier. not fun, but doable. Oh one more thing, don't even try to put your milk pail on the ground, guaranteed it's going to get tipped. If she has a small udder it's hardly worth doing. I try to pick somebody that either lost a lamb, or singled and has a good udder. I also keep an ice cube tray or two full for next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pipedream Farm Posted March 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 I used to have mostly katahdins, now cheviots, crosses, and mules. To milk the ewe, either tie her up, and hold her against a wall, or just lean into her against a wall. If she's in a jug it's that much easier. not fun, but doable. Oh one more thing, don't even try to put your milk pail on the ground, guaranteed it's going to get tipped. If she has a small udder it's hardly worth doing. I try to pick somebody that either lost a lamb, or singled and has a good udder. I also keep an ice cube tray or two full for next year. That's just what I did (pinned her to a wall). Still easier said than done. As it turns out, the ewe I was worried about ending up having milk after all. She just bagged up at the last minute which isn't what she normally does. That was quite a relief! Renee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 I do the pin against the wall and milk upside down thing. And pray the bucket doesn't get kicked (I do usually hobble or tie one foot to the wall to give me a fighting chance). Last year we didn't have access to an inside jug - we just had a corner of the field with a little roofing set up. That was loads of fun when I was trying to check bags, get piddly lambs on their mothers, etc. and I had a lot of first timers so that happened way more than I liked! New ram this year and I culled about two thirds my flock. No lambs needed care other than a pair that caught pneumonia while I was away at a clinic. I could seriously get used to this. To milk a small teated one - Cup your hand and thump the bag around the teat with your fingers a few times (the ewe will love this). But, if you survive that rodeo, her milk will let down so hard she will not care who's getting the milk out. At least at first. Then you do the rolling pressure from the bag to the middle of the teat (not the tip). You don't want to pinch the tip or you will hurt her and she'll stop letting down the milk. Milking a housecat, I like that. Trying to get first milking colostrum out of a first time hair sheep mother is totally my favorite lambing duty. Not. I'd rather pull mixed up lambs. Or move quadruplets in a sleetstorm. I'm glad it worked out, Renee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenajo Posted March 3, 2008 Report Share Posted March 3, 2008 I milk ewes on their butts in shearing position. Use a 30 cc or larger syringe, cut out the top (file the edges down if needed) so that it's a simple tube. Pull the plunger back enough for the teat to fit and place it fimly against the udder forming an airtight seal. Pull back on the plunger slowly. The teat will swell and extend, then milk will fill the tube - it's a mini automatic milker. When the syringe is full, make sure it is tilted so you don't pour out the milk, then break the seal with a gentle press against the udder above the syringe. Repeat as needed. If it doesn't work make sure the teat has been stripped enough to get the plug out, and that you have an airtight seal when you pull back. I would like an easier method than this, but I haven't found it. Apparently you guys don't have it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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