[Jacob-list] big/small lambs?

[Linda]

Definitely not PR Kayleigh! She's my biggest yearling - bigger than some of my adults.  I don't really think of 5 lb lambs as tiny. But, would sure love to hear from others as to what is a small lamb. One of the old time breeders (from the '70's) told me once that his ewe lambs got bred as lambs weighing about 50 lbs, gestated and delivered healthy lambs and still gained weight during the process. 

I agree - it's more important that lambs are gaining weight than their birth weights. 

Linda
 
www.patchworkfibers.com
Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn


> 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

> To: Jacob-list

> Sent: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 6:36 pm

> Subject: [Jacob-list] big/small lambs?

>

> #AOLMsgPart_3_680af2ba-2015-462e-a307-7bedb2ad9edb body{font-

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> a307-7bedb2ad9edb body{} 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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