[Jacob-list] Re: assisted lambing, an opinion

[MarmontJacobs at aol.com]

>most breeders sponge their ewes, lamb indoors and assist whenever necessary, 
in a sheep which, whatever breeders here claim, has lost much of its easy 
lambing characteristics

Hi Juliet,
             With respect, the show breeders and those aiming for early 
finished lambs may sponge, and lamb indoors to avoid losses to foxes and 
severe weather, but many ewes (past the shearling year) in the south lamb 
naturally from mid-January onwards, so I would like to see how you derived 
"most". A quick flip through the registrations reveals nothing like those 
figures, and of course many flocks don't register every year/ever....and I 
would argue that most if not all of those don't sponge either. 

Many simply would rather not overwinter meat lambs or fatten them on 
expensive grain etc. Having seen a well-known Yorkshire breeder selling store 
lambs for a mere £10, economics must play a part! Here, Spring lambs are 
making a very respectable sum right now (no, they aren't Jacobs, but they 
aren't big lambs either...).

With regard to lambing "problems" - it depends on your criteria. I have read 
several accounts of primitive ewes messing about for a day or so and 
producing dead lambs on at least three newsgroups in the last few weeks. I 
would much rather pull a large and always vigorous single or large twins with 
their horn buds grating on the ewe's pelvis. This reduces the chances of 
prolapse and results in great lambs - yes I could leave the ewe and yes some 
will manage alone, but everyone is happier with action A IMHO. Their size is 
due to feed input (AKA greed-at-the-trough) rather than a problem due to 
their non-primitive status.

In the last six years we have had one breech lamb (second of twins), and one 
triplet the smallest of three with it's head pushed round and not presenting 
perfectly. Lambing problems? Not a bit of it.

Trisha M-S, Marmont Jacobs,Wales

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