Rosa had a set of triplets this morning. Fortunately, she had them mid-morning, when FB was around to help because she definitely needed help. The first baby was backwards and trying to come out tail first. FB got that sorted out and that baby was soon followed by a second.
Less than an hour old....
Rosa wasn't quite done though and baby number three was also backwards, stuck and needing help to arrive in the world.
Mom was pretty tired after the delivery and needed some help getting up, but was soon back on her feet and doing well. The ewes always get a bucket of warm water with molasses in it after giving birth. The sugar and electrolytes in the molasses gives them a bit of a boost and the warm water helps relax and soothe all their shifted innards. Rosa is a good mom and much enamored of her babies. Two girls and a boy, the brown one is the boy. Takes a bit after Ramsey:)
The quads are all doing well and are learning about the joys of the great outdoors.
There are three boys and one girl in this colorful group. The mom here is Flora, who is a Tunis/Blue-faced Leicester/Border Cheviot cross (I think). If I haven't gotten this completely muddled, the father is also a Border Cheviot. It is interesting how all those scrambled genetics show up differently in each of these quadruplets.
This is the little ewe lamb, and she left today to be raised as a bottle baby, which will ensure that she gets enough milk and take some of the pressure off of Flora.
There was already a lot of squabbling over the milk bar. Hopefully, this will allow the ewe lamb to grow up to be part of another flock and Flora will be able to manage with three babies instead of four.
Still 3 or 4 ewes to go before lambing is done for the year.
Why so much cross breeding? Rather than purebreds. Are The healthier? What do you do about the lamb's tails?
ReplyDeleteI embrace diversity!! Really, I like different colors in my sheep, cattle, pigs, and chickens.
DeleteMost of these lambs will be raised for meat, and therefore I do not do anything about their tails, as there is no need to subject them to that stress. I actually do nothing to any of them; no shots, no tags, no tail docking. If I decide to keep one or two for breeding ewes, I will dock the tail with a castration rubber band, and they then receive an injection for tetanus protection.
WOW.....beautiful lambs and in such excellent condition. My mother gave mares a warm molassses mash after they foaled. The little ewe has an amazing fleece!
ReplyDeleteI used to raise goats and loved to breed my full sized goats to a pygmy. I cross bred and used my goats as grazers, milkers, meat, and pets. I loved them! You have a lovely set of lambs FB!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lamb compliments! I must also mention that if any lambs need to be vaccinated, Ms. Dancing Donkey is the one to do it, as I would not dream if administering that shot to a little lamb!! Kris is very, very good at it, and I am good at the oh-so-difficult job of holding the lambs!!
ReplyDeleteNice, nice lambs and such good mommas!
ReplyDeleteI love little lambs and how they are so full of life sometimes they can barely stay on the ground. It's a wonderful time of year. :) Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThey are so very adorable.
ReplyDeleteSuch cuteness! :)
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