Deb Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 Hi Sam, I'll trade you farms on the spot! There is no way to work sheep here - unless all can walk on stilts. The snow is neck-high on our flock and our "very" pregnant ewes have a near-impossible time moving through it. (We will lamb in mid-March.) The good news is the rain will take the height of the snow down. The bad news is we are in a flood plane and flood watches are posted. Has anyone worked sheep with dogs, handler, and sheep in water wings? Or, maybe I should get out those sea kayaks and teach Tal to paddle... Adrift and maybe soon to be afloat... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Nunan Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 What do you get when you mix 23 inches of snow, 30 sheep and new lambs coming each day, and 6 Black and White Sheepdogs staring at you wondering why your shepherd's whistle hasn't come off the hook in the kitchen for days and has a layer of dust on it? -- Bored-er Collies. I'm so sorry for this really bad joke, but cabin fever is hitting hard here in SE Pennsylvania! Not only the dogs but me too! Spring.....please hurry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted February 21, 2003 Report Share Posted February 21, 2003 If I have to listen to another Pennsylvania whine about how hard their winter has been ... grumble grumble I did see some mud today. It was from the sand that has been spread on the ice on the road leading up to my sheep. Jordi44 -- I absolutely agree that grain and other energy supplements like your blocks are a key tool in intensive lambing production. We did 3-in-2 lambing for a few years and we looking into moving to some modification of the Cornell STAR system. It was the price of grain that kept us from doing it, later compounded by lack of facilities. I did initially wonder about ketosis, but when she said the ewe wasn't bagged up yet and described the sudden increase in grain ration, I dismissed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyO Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 Inci, On this note of walking ewes. This is my first real year at lambing, 2 lambed earlier on pasture and were jugged after lambing, had something to do with the temperature being 2 degrees out! One was a first time ewe and the other had lambed before. Had planned on keeping them out on pasture until this heavy snow storm and the 2 heavily pregnant ewes that are due to lamb shortly are in a sheltered area about 60 feet by 20 feet with the 2 that had lambed earlier. I was cocnerned that the lack of exercise will cause problems with these 2 when they lamb. Prior to this they had been getting alot of exercise in the lower pasture and had been walking alot with the rest of the flock each day, no encouragement needed. Not that the rest are getting much exercise now, just a trail to the large bale and back. The other 10 aren't due to lamb until the end of March. The 2 that are due soon have lambed before. NAncy O Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordi44 Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 I wish someone would lamb. I only have 2 left and one has been bagged like a holstein for a couple of weeks. My mare is in similar condition. The last 2 or 3 days were beautiful - high 30's - almost like spring - now it's sloppy and snowing again, supposed to get nice and cold - I predict all 3 to go within a day or 2. Why can't they ever lamb when it's nice? That's why I like October lambing - weather is usually decent and fewer problems. Got spring fever here big time too. But take hope - the peacock was fanning his tail yesterday, the horse is shedding up a storm, and my house is covered, floor to ceiling, with splatters of muddy water from dog tails and paws. Must be spring. No time at all, we'll all be complaining about the mud and/or heat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PrairieFire Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 "I must be the only fool who forces the ewes into mandatory walks by dog on a daily bases during their late pregnacies to stress their system,those who begins to lag are the ones who are most suspected of upcoming troubles." I agree, Inci, MOVE the lazy things...! I let the quieter dogs work 'em, close up, right up to birthing, just no long outruns, necessarily...I think one has much less problems with fit ewes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dot me not Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 My last ewe still pregnant has an udder so big that when she squats to urinate she wets her udder! She's been this way for days now. I was talking to my vet this afternoon and she (jokingly) said that if I'd just toss that ewe on a trailer for a short ride she'd pop those babies out! It's a tempting thought... Lydia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailrider Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 Yesterday I was reading this all and thinking how lucky it is that my ewes seem to be gining me no trouble. Then today, an older ewe is down. She got up a few times, walked a few steps and back down. I`ve given her electrolytes, ketol, ketomalt and molasses - all by mouth. She looks to be due soon, but not right away. She`s worse this evening. I must confess that she is one of the gang that lambs every 8 or 9 months. She had twins mid June, and looks like there are twins again. Any suggestions would be appreciated!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookcove Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 I have an ancient ewe that has to have calcium a few days before lambing (she didn't this year for some reason, possibly the alfafa I've been giving?). I usually can give her CalMag orally and that will do the trick but last year I had to resort to sub-q CalDex. She has HUGE twins and it seemed to happen right when they "drop". Just another thought . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookcove Posted February 22, 2003 Report Share Posted February 22, 2003 I must be the only fool who forces the ewes into mandatory walks by dog on a daily bases during their late pregnacies to stress their system,those who begins to lag are the ones who are most suspected of upcoming troubles.You mean you're not supposed to? All my ewes are worked right up to lambing - the daily workout is called "laggers and baggers" here! My group is pretty tough - a few times I've put a supposedly open yearling in with the training group and had her lamb twins the next day. I have these Dorset/Borderleister/Blackface crosses that are wide in the beam, hard to tell if a yearling's preggo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest PrairieFire Posted February 23, 2003 Report Share Posted February 23, 2003 Trailrider - You could try hitting her with Vitamins - B for sure, C & E perhaps, sometimes I've used iron and it seemed to get a response...but unless you hear wheezing, or see nasal discharge, I don't have any other suggestions... Sometimes when I've had an older ewe "slow down" towards the end of lambing, I will seperate her, feed her seperately, and not make her compete with the younger brats - and I think that might have helped some of them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trailrider Posted February 23, 2003 Report Share Posted February 23, 2003 Thanks for the ideas. She is holding her head up and alert ears today, but will not stand for me. I`ve been giving her my calmag crushed in the electrolyte solution. (how much is good) Also gave her more ketomalt and molasses this morning. There is A, D and b12 in this stuff. Another first timer had big twins on her own - and I`m glad she`s not needing help too. Well, time will tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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