Friday, January 1, 2016

2016 Day One - Lamb Forecast for Spring





New Year's day is now my traditional set day for moving the ewes out of the ram's paddocks. So far this morning it was 85% successful. I still have three ewes in Frazier's pen that refuse to come out. I try and do it a few ewes at a time to keep the rams from freaking out about it so I imagine before the day is over I will get the three stragglers out.

Unfortunately we are down two breeding ewes going into 2016 than we were going into 2015.  We lost two prime breeders to the Barber Pole Worm issue and retired one ewe due to mastitis that has rendered her unable to nurse.

These losses are going to hurt this Spring to say the least especially in the Mastitis case because that ewe, Lilly, was a triple lamb dropping, breeding machine. We only added one new ewe to the breeding group this year number 61 who appears to be a good ewe but I never expect much their first year and we once again attempted to breed Sandwich who has failed to breed the last two years.

My guess is we will be lucky to get 22 lambs out of this breeding and lambing season. Just too many new factors like a first year replacement ram and the new ewe and I can't count on Sandwich although she did seem rather enamored with the new ram.

Boris our pet whether immediately tried to make friends with his old buddy number 61. They are the only two remaining members of 2014's lambs and spent a lot of time together. He immediately started head butting her playfully but she has outgrown such games now. Poor Boris appeared to be heartbroken about the whole thing.

We are now basically down to one full group of yearlings, the remaining slaughter lambs that will be going in a month or so and the bred ewes. They will stay together now until shearing day when I will be splitting them up once again and start getting ready for lambing season.

Later today I must move the feeding troughs around and start splitting some firewood as the racks are pretty depleted.

So the catch up from this storm and flooding now begins in earnest. I hope to be totally caught up by Sunday now and then start working on my end of year/new year projects and predictions post. Sorry it's going to be a bit late this year.

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!!


8 comments:

  1. Happy New Year Preppy! Hope you have another year of even more success on your plan!

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  2. A new projects post sounds interesting. Sorry your ewe cannot breed anymore.

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  3. Just done a summary of new plans for 2016, Lambs feature on it as well, dipping our toe in the water, Wishing you a wonderful 2016.

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  4. Happy New Year PP. When I was watching the new Star Wars, I was chuckling that it had the multi-cult propaganda, and I imagined you rolling your eyes.

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  5. Lets hope you won't have to deal with those barber pole devils again.

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  6. Happy New Year! Hope this one is successful and full of good things!

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  7. It's interesting to read about your sheep and compare the breeding/lambing times with my friend in MN. Hers are due to start lambing Jan 3. Hope you have a great year in '16.

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  8. Happy New Year, PP. May your sheep have a better lamb crop than predicted.

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