# Finally, long awaited Mouflon Baby!



## boothcreek (May 23, 2012)

My Mouflon Ewe finally gave birth to a beautiful purebred Mouflon Lamb!! She got into heat so late(usually they birth between march and end of april) I was worried she didn't take or something. She never looked preggers and being the wild thing she is handling is pretty much out.

So i was tickled to see her in pre labour behaviour 2 days ago and then yesterday afternoon she retreated to their night paddock without the herd(which is weird, she cant stand being away from everyone). 9 pm I locked the whole herd up and seen she had started labour. Me standing at the other end of the pen watching didnt sit well with her and she willed her labour to stop...... :/ stood there half an hour and her just staring and not moving a muscle.
So I literally sat like on hot coals watching TV wanting to go out and check(didnt tho otherwise the little bugger will never get born). Broke down before going to bed at midnight and checked and yay she had a bouncing lil healthy lamb!

So this am I went out and took pics when I let them out to graze. Momma went to eat and left the lil one in the paddock to sleep(that worked for all of 1 minute) so I got a chance at a few close up pics without mom and then with mom when she noticed I was skulking around the paddock fence to get some good photos.
Also observations concluded that its a ewe lamb which is doubly awesome !!!


----------



## PotterWatch (May 23, 2012)

They are beautiful!  I know nothing about the breed though, do they have a purpose such as fiber?


----------



## boothcreek (May 23, 2012)

European mouflon is one of the 2 original species from which all domestic sheep originate from. They are mainly ornamental, the rams with their very colourful winter coats and big horns are often used for trophy hunting.  Their meat is very good too when not in the Rut(so dont butcher a ram between october - january they smell rather strong), but they are one of the smallest wild sheep in the world(ewes around 75 lbs and rams around 125-150 lbs). 

Being a non-domestic breed they are rather flighty at times tho.

They are not as common in captivity as I would like to see(well in canada anyways, the southern US states they are rather common on hunting ranches), I find them to be a great breed to have even with their more nervous nature. Very hardy and self reliant.

In any case this is my first lamb bred and born here so I am just thrilled right now!!!!!


----------



## SheepGirl (May 23, 2012)

That baby girl has such big eyes! Lol, maybe she'll grow into them.


----------



## Peeka52 (May 25, 2012)

She is gorgeous! Congratulations on a safe birth


----------



## Godsgrl (May 25, 2012)

Thank you for sharing such an unusual breed with us. The baby is gorgeous, and you take beautiful pictures. I must say though, the ewe looks like she means evil to you for daring to stand anywhere near her baby. Thank you again for sharing, and so happy you had a successful birth and a ewe lamb at that!


----------



## Roll farms (May 25, 2012)

Gorgeous!


----------



## Cornish Heritage (May 26, 2012)

Oh what a beauty  She is absolutely adorable. Congratulations!

Liz


----------



## secuono (May 26, 2012)

Such a beautiful face on the mom.


----------



## manybirds (May 26, 2012)

boothcreek said:
			
		

> My Mouflon Ewe finally gave birth to a beautiful purebred Mouflon Lamb!! She got into heat so late(usually they birth between march and end of april) I was worried she didn't take or something. She never looked preggers and being the wild thing she is handling is pretty much out.
> 
> So i was tickled to see her in pre labour behaviour 2 days ago and then yesterday afternoon she retreated to their night paddock without the herd(which is weird, she cant stand being away from everyone). 9 pm I locked the whole herd up and seen she had started labour. Me standing at the other end of the pen watching didnt sit well with her and she willed her labour to stop...... :/ stood there half an hour and her just staring and not moving a muscle.
> So I literally sat like on hot coals watching TV wanting to go out and check(didnt tho otherwise the little bugger will never get born). Broke down before going to bed at midnight and checked and yay she had a bouncing lil healthy lamb!
> ...


 funny i was just looking at buying some mauflon's!


----------



## bonbean01 (May 26, 2012)

Congratulations!!!!!  So beautiful...Mom and baby!!!  Not familiar with the breed...very regal looking


----------



## Southdown (May 27, 2012)

This is neat to see rare breeds.  They are neat looking aren't they.  They kind of look graceful or something.  Yes, good photographer.


----------



## boothcreek (May 31, 2012)

Thanks everyone.

They are still doing good, momma has gotten more skiddish now since she has her lil one, but baby doesn't seem to care that mom thinks everything is horrible now. She plowed into my legs yesterday playing like a mad thing, running up and down out driveway in flying leaps up to 4 ft in the air. So funny to watch.
I came around the corner and she slid to a stop at my feet to then run away bucking and kicking, then looked at me like " what? your not chasing me? Cool!" and came running right back bucking and running circles between me and the rest of the herd.

They are cool sheep thats for sure.

Next year I will have a 1/4 california bighorn sheep 3/4 mouflon lamb. Getting a X ram in a few months, just to see what that cross looks like. I know the 1/2 cal BHS 1/2 Euro Mouf ewe at the breeders is almost undistinguishable from the pure moufs.  

I would love to one day bring up an Armenian Mouflon Ram from the US, their horns curl differently then the European and they are redder in colour. 
So many plans, so little time(or money......the Armenians cost an arm and a leg when from good pure stock).


----------



## wolf (Mar 14, 2018)

Sure wish the photobucket pics were unlocked so I could see!


----------

