[Jacob-list] big/small lambs?

[paintedrockfarm at aol.com]

HI Linda,

Our lambs tend to remain on the large side right from birth but seem to be smaller as yearlings than others I've compared too....hmmmm

Our flock matriarch, Barking Rock Brie, routinley popped 10 lb twins with ease for many years - last 2 times we bred her at 10 & 11 yrs., she singled each time with?12 lb. lambs.? Most of our lambs average 7-8 lbs. even for twins, triplets generally 6-7 lbs. each.? Single births hover around the 9 lb. mark most years.

Exceptions, yes....Sweetgrass Tegwen always has tiny babies! 4-5 lbs. tops, all ewe lambs thus far too.? Birch, Layleigh's dam, singled for us one year and delivered a 13 lb. lamb with very little trouble.? She is a bigger Culloden (Fieldwood) ewe and a good thing or she might not have had him.? 

One?of our triplet mom's, Brighton Pansy, averages close to 7-8 lbs. even with triplets -- WOW!

B-T-W we normally feed hay only until after lambing so not sure why the big babies.? We grain our l acting ewes and/or any ewe who seems to not have wintered well for the last 2 weeks of gestation.? Those we grain and those we don't still have 7-8 lb. lambs, mostly twins.? We found more triplet births in years we did a flushing program and more singles in damp summer/fall.? just some observances over the years.

It has been like that since our first lambing year and we weigh each lamb at birth, then 2 days (tagging & docking) where we see most have already gained at least a pound, sometimes more. Weighing again at a week or two, then 30 days and monthly as best we can.

Certainly seems interesting!

Cheryl in WV


-----Original Message-----
From: Linda <patchworkfibers at alltel.net>
To: Jacob-list <Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Sent: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 6:36 pm
Subject: [Jacob-list] big/small lambs?



What's the biggest and smallest lambs (at birth) you've ever had? I admit that I don't usually weigh lambs anymore unless they are really big or really small. As long as they are healthy and vigorous, I'm happy. 

My smallest lamb was barely 3 lbs and born last year. He's not a huge yearling now, but doesn't look out of place with the other yearling rams. ?My biggest lamb was 11 lbs. He was a difficult birth for his dam (who was somewhat overweight). ?Most of my lambs are 5 to 6 lbs.

?

Linda
?

www.patchworkfibers.com

Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn



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