Sheep

#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 7
Total Lambs Born: 80
Drysdale lambs (live total): 38
English Leicester lambs (live total): 27
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 10
Total Sets of Twins born: 25
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 42
Total ram lambs: 38
Ewes lambed /76: 53  (69.7 %)
Lamb % : 141 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 8
Losses: 5 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

Cold, drizzly, occasional sunshine and lots of lambs. That’s today in a nutshell. LOL

Seven lambs born today but with the weather and this and that I forgot (!) to take photos.

Two sets of twins today sired by the silver English Leicester boy. Each was 1 black and 1 white lamb. The black ones are all boys. Waaaahhhhh   LOL   I wanted a black ram for years and now I am getting them in spades but no ewes.  Haha. One coloured EL ewe left so all going well she will have 2 girls or a boy/girl combo (she has scanned with twins).

The “gardening crew” was allowed back into the garden for a few hours today. They were very impressed. They’ve made an impact on the garden beds too…. hahaha

A couple of pics from the last few days….

#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 4
Total Lambs Born: 69
Drysdale lambs (live total): 33
English Leicester lambs (live total): 23
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 8
Total Sets of Twins born: 22
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 37
Total ram lambs: 32
Ewes lambed /76: 45  (59.2 %)
Lamb % : 142 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 7
Losses: 5 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

Choices. Every day is full of them. Sometimes we make the right ones and sometimes we don’t. The aim is to try and make more of the former….!

This morning it was Pebbles’ turn to go broody. She’s the daughter of a silver English Leicester ewe and her twin is silver also. Pebbles, however, is only heterozygote for the black genes (ie. she carries the gene but only has the one so doesn’t express the colour). This year she was mated to the silver ram so…. fingers crossed…. 50/50 chance!

So, she made her “nest” area and I was keeping an eye on her for when she’d pop out some nice black ELs for me. 😀 Did the chores and …. still no lambs. Then comes the pondering. I wonder how long she’s been “on the go”? Should I intervene? Should I just leave her? Do I just want to intervene to get it all over and done with. Maybe she isn’t ready. Maybe the lambs aren’t presented right.

I weigh things up and decide to investigate. She’s a very quiet ewe but she wasn’t overly impressed with being tipped on her side so I could glove up and do an examination! With glove on I quickly ascertain that there is a head in basically the right position but… legs…?!?! Black nose…. But I am at the wrong angle for manipulation and extraction and I’m using my left hand to keep the ewe prone so it’s time to Call the (Assistant) Midwife.

Turns out that the first lamb had the head in the right place, one front leg neatly folded and the other front leg right back. Silly boy! Thankfully, Pebbles is pretty “roomy” so I can coax the shoulders out and get that lad out before he is too distressed.

She scanned as carrying twins so no mucking about – often the one stuck behind gets stressed when there is a traffic jam. In goes the gloved hand again and finds feet, no head, pull and…. this one is fully breech (back feet first). Good thing it didn’t get stuck around the ribs and then she has twins in front of her to distract her from the indignity of being assisted.

Both lambs doing well. In the shed and Pebbles is smirking at me for missing the 5-second perfect photo opportunity she offered me. Oh well, will just have to make do!!

#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 3
Total Lambs Born: 60
Drysdale lambs (live total): 31
English Leicester lambs (live total): 20
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 5
Total Sets of Twins born: 19
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 31
Total ram lambs: 29
Ewes lambed /76: 39  (51.3 %)
Lamb % : 143 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 6
Losses: 4 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

Just the three lambs born today.

A set of twins out of a young Drysdale ewe (sired by Gilbert). Very quiet ewe for first time around – except with the dogs! She was going to try and pound the dogs into pulp. LOL But she was willing to follow us and the lambs up to the shed. 🙂 Lambs were a ram and a ewe.

And then there was a nice ewe lamb sired by the new English Leicester stud ram.

Finally over 50% of ewes lambed now! Quite a few very large ladies so hopefully they will get it over and done with quickly!

#LAMBMETRICS for the day

Drysdale & English Leicester Flocks

Born today: 3
Total Lambs Born: 57
Drysdale lambs (live total): 29
English Leicester lambs (live total): 19
English Leicester X lambs (live total): 5
Total Sets of Twins born: 18
Total Sets of Triplets born: 1
Total ewe lambs: 29
Total ram lambs: 28
Ewes lambed /76: 37  (48.6 %)
Lamb % : 143 % [live]
Assisted/Dystocias: 6
Losses: 4 [lamb]; 0 [ewe]

Notable Midwifery tales:

Beautiful day today, and thankfully a couple of the ewes took advantage – instead of waiting for the rain tomorrow. Haha.

The day started with a set of little Drysdale twins. They seemed perhaps a little bit early so they ended up in the shed to make sure they mothered up properly.

Mid-morning brought on some groaning and histrionics that could only be attributed to an English Leicester.

The exchange* went something like this:

“GROOOAAAAAANNNNNNN”  paw at ground vigorously

“Hi, are you after some help today?”

“Oh, no thanks. All good.”

“Okaaaayyyyy.” 

“GROOOAAAAANNNNNN  BLEEEEUURRRGGGHHHH”

“I’m sure you can do it. You’re doing great. I can see the nose when you do that.”

“GROOOOAAAAANNNNNNN  AARRRGGGGGHHHH“

“Are you sure you don’t want a hand? I can help get that lamby out in a jiffy”  *takes one step*

“NOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“Okay.” eyebrow lift

“AAARRGRGGHHHHHH  GROOOOOAAAAANNNNNN BLLEEERURUUUUGGGGH”

“Um, you’re doing really well but the lamby looks like it may have been waiting to leave for a bit long. Could be stressed. Why don’t I help you?”

“NOOOOOO!   ARRRGGGGHHH”

*shepherds crook employed*

“NOOOOOOO. URRRRRRGGGHHHHH. GO. AWAY. “

“I think you’d better lie down for this one.”

“LET ME UPPPPPP! AAAARRGGGHHHH”

“Oof. This one’s a biggie.”

“OOOWWWWWW. GROOOOAAAAANNNN”

“Head’s out. Now let’s get the rest.”

slop

“There we go. What a big chunk. Good girl. Time for some kisses!”

Ewe jumps up and walks off

“Oi! Bubby is here!”

“BAAAAABBBBYYY!   WHERE IS MY BAAAAAABY????”

“Why don’t we put him on this nice bit of grass instead of in the dirt.”

“I CAN’T SEE MY BAAAAAABY!!!!”

facepalm

follow the ewe doing a circuit of the paddock corner

“Look here he is – learning how to breathe.”

“MY BABY!”

“Well done.”

* some “artistic license” here…!