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

[Linda Bjarkman]

What is "sponge?"

Linda

On Mon, 14 Apr 2003 17:40:04 EDT, MarmontJacobs at aol.com wrote:
>>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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