# question about a lamb



## emeraldmistfarm (Jun 10, 2012)

We have a orphan lamb that is currently being bottle fed. We plan to show her when she's ready. We're wondering should we breed her or not? We dont know if she would be a good mlother or not?


----------



## ksalvagno (Jun 10, 2012)

As long as you are breeding her at the appropriate time, it shouldn't be a problem. You will want to look into what age and/or weight she should be for breeding. Also, make sure she is healthy and up to date on shots.


----------



## SheepGirl (Jun 10, 2012)

Why was she orphaned?


----------



## emeraldmistfarm (Jun 11, 2012)

Her mother died after birth (aged 4) and her father is still around. I just say orphan cos they dont really know they're father.


----------



## SheepGirl (Jun 11, 2012)

She might be a fine mother, however, if the mother died after birth due to dystocia, that might be concerning--because she may be the same way.

Make sure she gets a sufficient amount of feed during gestation to make sure her lamb/s is/are growing properly. Don't overfeed her--you don't want her lambs too big. But don't underfeed her--you don't want her developing ketosis.


----------



## emeraldmistfarm (Jun 14, 2012)

Thanks sheep girl I think the mother just died from natural causes. I think it was a breech birth


----------



## SheepGirl (Jun 14, 2012)

Breech birth is dystocia (lambing difficulty) so that _may_ be inherited, ie she's more likely to have problems lambing.


----------



## feed grass (Jun 14, 2012)

breech birth is not correlated to genetics, and neither should it have killed a ewe-- unless it was truly a 'breech' (not just backwards as is called breech very commonly)-- and if it was truly breech-- meaning backwards and upside down and legs not coming... then the lamb would not be alive...

I'd say guess again on the cause of death of the dam.


----------



## BrownSheep (Jun 14, 2012)

All of our former bummers have lambed fine. As long as it wasn't a genetically linked death I'ld say your good to go.


----------

