# Lamb born under trying conditions



## Bridgemoof (Jul 5, 2012)

Wow. We had a bad storm here in Virginia last Friday night that knocked our power out all over the region, and 5 days for us. The temps have been close to 100 degrees every day and we've had no water either because we are on a well pump! We have over 100 animals and let me tell you how trying it was. Luckily, we have a pond, so we could drive the truck down to it and fill a big water trough, drive it back up and fill buckets for all the critters. 

So, my Tunis ewe is really pregnant and really miserable during all of this. I was supplying her with bottled water and there was nothing else I could do to keep her cool. So Tuesday night, evening 5 of our power outage, she decides she is going to give birth. Temps were in the high 90s.  I was out in the barnyard watching her, I knew she was close.  She hadn't eaten her food, she was restless and pawing the ground a bit.  So I see her mucous plug come out, and I know it's time. I called my DH up to the barn. So things progress along with her breaking her water and contractions and I finally see what I thought was a nose. After closer inspection, we realized it was foot. No head, just a foot. She is really straining and straining and it is just not coming out like it should. So we went in to check out the situation. One of its hooves was jammed up behind its head, so we had to rearrange it and help her get it out. In the meantime, a major thunderstorm is coming up and I am trying to get the rest of the animals up into the barn. It was crazy, and it started lightning and thundering and pouring like crazy while we were trying to help this ewe. We were holding flashlights so we could see what was going on.

It was about the hairiest situation I had ever been in. ...no power, no water, thunderstorms, troubled labor, ugh. It was awful.

But the good news is Mac was born and he was okay! Today we weighed him and he is 14 pounds. And he was named after my Mac laptop that I left laying on the back porch before the storm...almost a casualty of the situation. But today seems to be working okay!

Mac is a Cormis... Tunis x Cormo! He's a cutie pie.


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## Baymule (Jul 5, 2012)

What a beautiful lamb! You know the best part about the "good old days?" It's that the "good old days" are gone, and we really appreciate it all the more when our electricity goes off. You did a marvelous job under trying conditions. Take your bows! And hug that pretty lamb!


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## Bridgemoof (Jul 6, 2012)

Yes Baymule! We got our power back on July 4th and I said "Happy Independence form Pioneer Farming"!!!!!!!!

I don't know how they did it in the good old days but I think they probably lost a lot more animals than we do now!


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 6, 2012)

Congrats on a big, healthy lamb! I'm sure the ewe feels so much better not being pregnant anymore!


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## boykin2010 (Jul 6, 2012)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> Congrats on a big, healthy lamb! I'm sure the ewe feels so much better not being pregnant anymore!


I agree! 14 pounds is a pretty big lamb. He is a good looking lamb.       I've never heard of the breed Cormo. Could you post a picture of the lambs father?


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## Bridgemoof (Jul 6, 2012)

Here is info from the American Cormo Society. It was a mixed breed to produce very fine fleece. My Cormo's have a great temperament, seem to be very hardy and I haven't had any health issues with them. My ram, Dipsy, is a lover not a fighter. He's very sweet and loves up all my ewes. Now he's a proven ram! Yay!
_
"Cormo is the result- 1/4 Lincoln, 1/4 Australian Merino, and 1/2 superfine Saxon Merino is fast becoming one of the best wool producing breeds in the sheep industry today.

Cormo selling points do not end with their wool quality.  Cormo are considered easy keepers; they are somewhat smaller than many breeds and therefore require 40% less feed then larger breeds.  They are also rugged animals, able to thrive in the harsh climate of eastern Montana, the humidity of the East Coast and the wetness of the Northwest.  Lambing is easy and multiple births are not uncommon.   In an assisted lambing situation lambing crops can be as high as 150-180%.  Mothering insticts, lack of wool blindness, and a high muscle to bone ratio is also notable in the breed."_

Here are my "teletubbies" when I first got them: Dipsy (left), LaLa and Po.





Here is LaLa with her baby Patches. LaLa was bred before we got her to the Cormo breeder's "espresso" ram.


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## sdsmowen (Jul 17, 2012)

Wow! what a crazy time glad to hear everyone came out ok Your lamb is adorable!


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## Southdown (Jul 17, 2012)

That situation sounds very stressful.  Thankfully everyone made it through alive.  I can't imagine not having water to give to the animals.


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## kfacres (Jul 17, 2012)

14 really isn't that big of a birth weight.. it's less than average what we experience around here... anything less than 8, is a knock off not going to survive.


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