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Wendy Beer

LambMetrics – 8th September 2020

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#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 0
Total Lambs Born: 115
Drysdale lambs (live total): 52
English Leicester lambs (live total): 40
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 14
Total Sets of Twins born: 37
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 59
Total ram lambs: 56
Ewes lambed /77: 77  (100 %)
Lamb % : 137 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 11
Losses: 9 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Extra Stats!

A few extra stats below – includes a bit of a tidy up and re-jig so some may not exactly line up with the above ones.

 

English Leicester – stud

English Leicester – coloured flock

Drysdale

Ewe lambs

19

9

25

Ram lambs

7

16

27

Sets of Twins

9

10

16

Ewes lambed

15

17

37

Ewes empty

1

4

2

Total Lambing (born live) %

162%

119%

133%

Assisted/Dystocia

3

5

3

Losses (Stillborn/Predation/Illness)

2

1

5

Lambs needing bottle feeding

1

0

0

Lambs requiring treatment for infection

0

1

4

Notable Midwifery tales:

That’s basically it with the LambMetrics for 2020! Thank you for coming along for the ride. 🙂

I will be trying to maintain some sort of blog (maybe once a week?) from now on.

Here are a couple of pics that cannot possibly convey the absolute Cuteness of Flopsy’s little ram lamb. He’s so Stinking Cute. I will attempt to get some video … (he was playing with a white EL lamb today and it was hysterical with this bouncy, small bundle of fluff next to a leggy white one… LOL)

LambMetrics – 7th September 2020

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#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 2
Total Lambs Born: 115
Drysdale lambs (live total): 52
English Leicester lambs (live total): 40
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 14
Total Sets of Twins born: 37
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 59
Total ram lambs: 56
Ewes lambed /77: 77  (100 %)
Lamb % : 137 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 11
Losses: 9 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

TA DA!

Sheep – deflated

How many times have I been warning this ewe that if she held on to them for too long she’d end up needing help?! Humph. They never listen! 😛

She decided she was going to lamb under the Favourite Tree (aka “The Tree That Wendy Hates”) because it’s lovely and DRY. It’s also got sticks and limbs down and Wendy has to crawl in on hands and knees to get under there. Ugh.

Just one problem – it’s oops if they need help under there. *facepalm*

I stared at this ewe and thought, she’s in labour, she may be okay but I’m not sure and I have to go out for several hours*. Hmmmm

Tiny whimper bleat.

Righto. Gloves on!

First lamb seemed a bit of a chunk but wasn’t convinced she wasn’t just being a little bit “posh to push”. Hmmm But when I saw the little (black) foot I also saw meconium stain and ding ding it’s stressed so heave that lump out for her.

I’d better fish around for #2 while I’m here….. 2 toes… good… head? Nope. Hmmm. Maybe it’s back legs? Hmm nope, that’s an elbow not a hock.

Meanwhile, the ewe won’t stand still for me now. Time to Call a(n Assistant) Midwife!

With the wonderful calming skills of the Assistant Midwife it is then possible for the Midwife to make full use of the whole arm obstetric gloves. Uh huh.

Thankfully the ewe is quite “roomy in there” so that’s easier on the hands and I’m able to find the neck of the lamb and maneuver the head/neck into the correct position. Then it’s a simple task. Another black ram lamb.

So that’s it! Cassie should lamb early-mid October but the main lot are all DONE.

Tomorrow I’ll try have some more fun stats to mull over. But now I have to go feed lambs.

 

 * this included having to take Floss to the vet again. Poor darling. Very sad puppy. Blood work showing a raging infection of something so more antibiotics and hopefully that will make an impact overnight.

 

LambMetrics – 6th September 2020

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#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 0
Total Lambs Born: 113
Drysdale lambs (live total): 52
English Leicester lambs (live total): 38
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 14
Total Sets of Twins born: 36
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 59
Total ram lambs: 54
Ewes lambed /77: 76  (98.7 %)
Lamb % : 137 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 10
Losses: 9 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

Still nothing.

Waaaaiitttting

With “no action at the station” there were a few more lambs tagged and tailed this morning.

Sun was shining.

Oh well, there’s always tomorrow.

PS. Thanks for the kind enquiries about Floss. Still having some issues with a high temperature but working on that. Off to the vet again in the morning.

LambMetrics – 5th September 2020

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#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 0
Total Lambs Born: 113
Drysdale lambs (live total): 52
English Leicester lambs (live total): 38
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 14
Total Sets of Twins born: 36
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 59
Total ram lambs: 54
Ewes lambed /77: 76  (98.7 %)
Lamb % : 137 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 10
Losses: 9 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

*insert holding pattern here*

Still waiting. *facepalm*  One ewe left and she looks the side of a house but she’s just chewing her cud (and smirking).

Tagged and tailed some lambs today and then took a few hours off.  Hopefully no-one will tell the boss I took 2hrs off this month. It’s only been 6 weeks since the last time. 😛

As a result – forgot to take photos so here’s a selection of lambing highlights plus a pic of a harnessed sheep. Yeah, another with a partial prolapse but this one was pretty chill about the whole deal. And had twins. The neighbours have had dreadful trouble this year with prolapse, they said. I’m going to re-analyze my mineral supplement schedule to try and avoid such things again. That said – this was the best autumn/winter for grass growth in at least 40 years for us. Different seasons present different metabolic issues. LOL  Nature…!

LambMetrics – 4th September 2020

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#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 0
Total Lambs Born: 113
Drysdale lambs (live total): 52
English Leicester lambs (live total): 38
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 14
Total Sets of Twins born: 36
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 59
Total ram lambs: 54
Ewes lambed /77: 76  (98.7 %)
Lamb % : 137 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 10
Losses: 9 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

Sometimes waiting the last lamb/s to be born seems to take forever.

No lambs today….. The remaining ewe has been given a(nother) pep talk about “not cooking them for too long”. She chewed her cud and walked off so I would suspect that’s similar to “the finger”. Humph.

That means …. more random lambspam photos for tonight because the only other item of excitement for the day was taking Floss to the vet this afternoon. (She’s running a temperature).

  • Drysdale twins
  • Drysdale ewe and lamb
  • Minty’s ram lamb
  • Minty’s ram lamb having morning tea
  • Panda and her twins
  • Flopsy’s little lad

LambMetrics – 3rd September 2020

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#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 2
Total Lambs Born: 113
Drysdale lambs (live total): 52
English Leicester lambs (live total): 38
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 14
Total Sets of Twins born: 36
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 59
Total ram lambs: 54
Ewes lambed /77: 76  (98.7 %)
Lamb % : 137 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 10
Losses: 9 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

There hasn’t been much action for a few days so it was about time the English Leicesters shook things up a little!

It was a very quiet start to the day with nothing appearing to be happening so I decided to take poor, time-neglected Floss for a good, long walk in the paddock where the yearlings, wethers and “empties” are. It’s been a little while since I’ve had time to do so. They’ve been living the life of Riley with plenty to eat and no humans interfering! It was good to catch up – and nose-bump – with Mr Squishy, NotSquishy and Hippo. 🙂 (Pet lambs from 2016)

I’d been a little hopeful that young Cassie was indeed pregnant (just not due until mid-October, due to THIS rendezvous) so I wanted to check on her as well as a general welfare check on the random sheepy assortment in that paddock.

Good news! I’m pretty sure she’s pregnant….. 😉

So, Cassie needed to come up to the Maternity paddock where I can keep an eye on the minx.

Cassie’s mum (Flopsy) and aunt (Mopsy) had scanned empty back in June which was pretty sad since they are silver English Leicesters and I finally HAVE a ram that would guarantee they have silver lambs.

However.

Do you see what I see??

Uh huh.

Yep.

Turns out Flopsy had one tucked away that the scanner missed….

This little guy is very, very cute.

Now Cassie has a little brother and they arrived up at the sheds and took over immediately. LOL

Mopsy led the troops into the shed and demanded food! The last time she lambed it was a very tough experience with pregnancy toxemia – that was when I delivered Mona and her sister. Mopsy was in the shed for weeks. She figures she owns it. Haha

I left them to all get reacquainted.

Late this afternoon I went back over to get some water pipes re-jigged and discovered that Mona did indeed want her mum – and had just delivered her bub!

Of course, Granny Mopsy came to inspect and photobomb. LOL

A lovely little boy!

And now there is only one left to lamb (not including late-to-the-party Cassie).

Hoping to get back in the workshop in the next few days to crank up the dye pots and sort out more wool ready for a store update and for the Fibre Advent Calendars! Plus, a new processing run of our Duchess wool/silk blend!