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Monica's twin Minnie delivered twins on Saturday, her first lambing as well, at her new farm.
One lamb was more vigorous, which is not unusual, and the smaller was soon recovered by bottlefeeding in the shepherdess' care as Minnie seemed overwhelmed by motherhood, and more so the task of raising twins. By evening, the first was found dead, so the second was returned to the lambless mother, and it too suffered an apparent trampling, like the first. Why?
I question what I might have done differently as the parent farm. The shepherdess did all that I would have done, and having grown up on farms, and experienced birth and bonding in whelping litters of puppies, is as experienced and capable as they come. Why was Minnie unsuccessful? The shepherdess started her flock with two bred yearling ewes. It seemed like a good start, and many choose to begin flocks this way. But now I question, even though "everybody is doing it," is it the wisest start? As a parent farm, judging from this tragic outcome, and heartbreak as an introduction to sheep, what can I do to ensure future success of our daughter flocks? What can I learn from this?
Yes, Soay sheep are wild sheep, and prized for their ease of lambing, and lack of assistance required from a shepherd...they are natural mothers, and bummer lambs are few. I do not want to detract from this quality, but can I manage them differently to ensure this success?
To begin, as my ewe lambs are growing, I think it might be helpful if I handle their udders, so the sensation of nursing doesn't come as such a shock...
In placing bred ewes perhaps a yearling would be more successful if she were with an older ewe who has lambed, to learn from observation. Monica had this advantage. She watched her mother lamb, and her aunt, and was able to see her aunt care for twins through the jug rails. She saw them nursing, and heard the "mama speak" that Stellar used to call, calm and admonish the lambs while waiting for her own to be delivered. To ease the shock of motherhood, she had the reassurance of the experienced mothers, and is growing comfortable in her role, as did the yearlings that lambed here last year...Minnie didn't have this. Is this the critical difference?
One lamb was more vigorous, which is not unusual, and the smaller was soon recovered by bottlefeeding in the shepherdess' care as Minnie seemed overwhelmed by motherhood, and more so the task of raising twins. By evening, the first was found dead, so the second was returned to the lambless mother, and it too suffered an apparent trampling, like the first. Why?
I question what I might have done differently as the parent farm. The shepherdess did all that I would have done, and having grown up on farms, and experienced birth and bonding in whelping litters of puppies, is as experienced and capable as they come. Why was Minnie unsuccessful? The shepherdess started her flock with two bred yearling ewes. It seemed like a good start, and many choose to begin flocks this way. But now I question, even though "everybody is doing it," is it the wisest start? As a parent farm, judging from this tragic outcome, and heartbreak as an introduction to sheep, what can I do to ensure future success of our daughter flocks? What can I learn from this?
Yes, Soay sheep are wild sheep, and prized for their ease of lambing, and lack of assistance required from a shepherd...they are natural mothers, and bummer lambs are few. I do not want to detract from this quality, but can I manage them differently to ensure this success?
To begin, as my ewe lambs are growing, I think it might be helpful if I handle their udders, so the sensation of nursing doesn't come as such a shock...
In placing bred ewes perhaps a yearling would be more successful if she were with an older ewe who has lambed, to learn from observation. Monica had this advantage. She watched her mother lamb, and her aunt, and was able to see her aunt care for twins through the jug rails. She saw them nursing, and heard the "mama speak" that Stellar used to call, calm and admonish the lambs while waiting for her own to be delivered. To ease the shock of motherhood, she had the reassurance of the experienced mothers, and is growing comfortable in her role, as did the yearlings that lambed here last year...Minnie didn't have this. Is this the critical difference?
Perhaps I will also delay the breeding of the young ewes a month, so that the older ewes lamb first, and the first-time mothers-to-be have a good chance to observe and grow accustomed to all that motherhood entails...
Will the other yearling succeed after having witnessed the demise of the other's lambs? Will her instinct carry her and her lamb, or is modelling from other members of a flock critical? In my opinion, from this point, it is preferred...
Will the other yearling succeed after having witnessed the demise of the other's lambs? Will her instinct carry her and her lamb, or is modelling from other members of a flock critical? In my opinion, from this point, it is preferred...
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