Thursday, May 01, 2008

Another BFL ewe lamb!

Rhyn had a beautiful natural colored BFL ewe lamb this afternoon. One leg was bent back, but not all the way back like Lanora's lamb's leg was. This time I didn't go in looking for it like I did with Lanora. But this time it would have been easier to fix and the birth might have been easier for Rhyn. Today's birth wasn't any where near as bad as poor Lanora endured when I kept looking for the other leg... and Rhyn's ewe lamb is vigorous and noisy.
Rhyn has been hungry and so is her lamb. I helped her locate the teat for her first drink and then watched her find it on her own later. Yes!

Check out Hattie's nice black ram lamb. I love this guy! What a chunk he is. Too bad he's got those nice big horns. I want to watch his fleece and see if he shows his modified genetics. So for now, I'll be retaining him and Hannah's lighter moorit ram lamb. They are both very square rams with modified genetics.

I've already found a new home for two of my 2008 Shetland ram lambs. I'm trading them for two 7/8 Ile de France rams - one is a yearling named Samson (above) and the other is a bottle lamb (below). I plan to use one of them as a terminal sire for my Shetland mules next fall. Not sure what I'll do with the other, but I couldn't resist the bottle baby. ;-) Their fleece is very soft, I think they will be great terminal sires for the Shetland Mules, especially if one wants to get some nice white tanned hides.

Now if only Jemma will get the hint and deliver her lamb(s) by Sunday! If she's carrying Harrison lambs she has to deliver before or close to this coming Sunday. If not she's carrying Mule lambs -- I'm pulling for her to lamb soon. But I'm concerned over her lsmall bag.

Below are photos of the two Harrison lambs we've had so far, Lucy's ewe lamb and Dot's white ram lamb sleeping with his head up in the air.
I banded Dot's ram lamb's tail myself when he was only about 32 hours old -- I usually ask my neighbor to do the dirty work-- It was amazing how quickly he recovered from the procedure and was out jumping around with the lamb races! Only about 10 minutes after I put on the band...yes, I docked a little closer than I'd like, but he doesn't have that much to keep covered. Next time I'll do better. From now on I'm going to get the docking done their on first or second night.

2 comments:

  1. Congrats on the natural colored BFL ewe lamb! Very cute! :) Not quite sure what an Ile de France sheep is, but they look like pretty sheepies. And who *Can* resist a bottle baby?! lol.

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  2. that gulmoget girl is SO gorgeous Becky! Congrats!!! Also...what are you planning on doing with the BFL ewe lambs? :)

    keep me posted
    Garrett

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Getting ready for Christmas Markets!

  I'll be doing two Christmas markets this year. The first one is at Sapsucker Farms in Brook Park, MN Nov. 18-19th. And the second one ...