# To Breed or Not to Breed



## she-earl (Jun 18, 2012)

I have a three-year-old ewe that had twins last March and triplets the end of February this year.  I was thinking about not breeding her this fall because she raised so many lambs in the last year.  However, someone told me that if I don't breed her this year she probably will never get bred again.  Does anyone have any experience with skipping a season and then breed the next year?  Is it a problem?  She is a crossbred ewe that I really suspect has some polypay or finn in her.


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## SheepGirl (Jun 18, 2012)

My ewe was held over for a ewe lamb breeding (along with all the other ewe lambs retained that year) because we had no rams not related to her, so she was a bred as a yearling and produced a single, the next year she produced twins, the year after that she produced twins, we didn't breed for 2011 lambs, and this year she had quads. Skipping a year is not bad, but I heard once a ewe skips two years she'll become sterile. I don't know how true that is.

I don't see an issue with breeding her this year...as long as she's in good condition and she's a good mother, she can handle raising lambs, be it a single, or another set of twins or triplets.


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## kfacres (Jun 18, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> but I heard once a ewe skips two years she'll become sterile. I don't know how true that is.
> 
> *That's bogus-- the reason most don't rebreed back is b/c of the fat layer they deposit on the inside*
> 
> ...


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## she-earl (Jun 18, 2012)

I was concerned about her a few days after the triplets were born this February.  She seemed "droopy" and spent a lot of time just laying down.  I put her and the lambs back in the jug for seven to ten days and feed her alfalfa hay plus sheep feed.  That seemed to be the thing she needed because she did much better.  I think she was just tired trying to be a good mother.  She is looking nice now and has put flesh back on.  The lambs are just about as big as she is.  Is the general breeding window for sheep from around August through late fall?  I could hold off putting her with our herdsman's ram until later to put her lambing out a little farther but not totally skip this year if that would be better.


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## SheepGirl (Jun 18, 2012)

I would keep her on the same breeding schedule as the rest of the other ewes. I know breeding her after twins and triplets may seem like a lot, but as kfacres said, they are livestock...they are bred to be prolific and reproduce. I see no reason why she should be bred later than the other sheep.

It's also a waste to keep her barren for a year--it's an unproductive mouth to feed. In our case, our sheep are on pasture year-round so that was free. My neighbor also gets hay free from the guy that rents out the quonset hut on my neighbor's property for farm equip storage. (Though the sheep were only given hay when there was snow on the ground.) The only expense was minerals. So not purposely breeding them for 2010, 2011, and 2012 lambs wasn't a major expense. However, some ewes were bred in 2010 due to a castration error on a ram lamb and in 2012 my ram went under the fence/gate and bred my ewe. So in 2010 the sale of the lambs was 'bonus' income and for 2012, I was going to sell these two ewe lambs (maybe eat one) but I want to expand my ewe flock so I'm probably just going to retain them for breeding, especially since they're from a set of quads.

Most wool sheep start coming into heat in September/October. They cycle until December-March or later, depending on when they started cycling, where they're located (are they near the equator or are they up north from it), and breed (some breeds are noted for having longer breeding seasons, whereas other breeds have shorter breeding seasons).


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## she-earl (Jun 18, 2012)

We are located in Lanc. Cty. PA.  At this point I have her twin ewe from last March and her two ewe lambs from this year.  I would put them all in with the ram at the same time.  I haven't fully decided if I will keep all four or sell one or two of them.  If anyone is interested, make an offer.


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## BrownSheep (Jun 18, 2012)

I had a ewe that lamb three times in two years. A single , a single, and triplets. The only time I would hold off rebreeding is if the ewe loses so much condition there is no way she could safely carry a lamb. If you're really concerned just give her some grain the month leading up to breeding.


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## Cornish Heritage (Jun 20, 2012)

> Sheep are livestock- livestock can be pets- but they are geared to be livestock-- not yard ornaments.


Absolutely right!



> the reason most don't rebreed back is b/c of the fat layer they deposit on the inside


This is true for alot of livestock - that is why it is so important to keep your breed stock in good shape!

Liz


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