# Still no twins.....UPDATE #11 THE TWINS ARE HERE. THE TWINS ARE !!!!!



## kuntrygirl (Jan 7, 2011)

My Barbado sheep have never had twins.  Only single births.  I always get excited in hopes that they have twins but nothing.  
What could be the reason that they never have twins?  Anyone else have this problem?


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## ksalvagno (Jan 7, 2011)

Maybe the particular bloodline? I'm not sure otherwise.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 7, 2011)

It's helpful to know if the ewes having singles were singles themselves. Also, it helps if the ram is a multiple.  Also, what is your management before breeding season?  What do your ewes eating about a month before you put them in with the ram?

Flushing is a great way to increase the likelihood of multiples. Flushing means feeding a high nutrient feed to the ewes at least 2 weeks prior to breeding. This can be done with grain, or with high nutrient content hay, like alfalfa.  You want the ewes to get that nutrition and be in better shape to ovulate more than one egg.  You don't want your ewes to be too thin, and you don't want them to be too fat either.


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## kuntrygirl (Jan 7, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> It's helpful to know if the ewes having singles were singles themselves. Also, it helps if the ram is a multiple.  Also, what is your management before breeding season?  What do your ewes eating about a month before you put them in with the ram?
> 
> Flushing is a great way to increase the likelihood of multiples. Flushing means feeding a high nutrient feed to the ewes at least 2 weeks prior to breeding. This can be done with grain, or with high nutrient content hay, like alfalfa.  You want the ewes to get that nutrition and be in better shape to ovulate more than one egg.  You don't want your ewes to be too thin, and you don't want them to be too fat either.


Excellent information.  The ram was not a multiple.  Management before breeding season?  

The ewes are with the ram year round.  Should I separate them?  If I did that, my ram would literally break out of his pen.  He loves his girls and has separation/anxiety issues when he is not around them.

Sounds like I have my work cut out for me.


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## jhm47 (Jan 7, 2011)

When our children had sheep for a 4 - H project, we almost always got twins or triplets.   We separated the ram from the ewes, except for breeding season.  Prior to breeding, we fed the ewes about 1 - 1.5 lbs of corn for about 2 weeks to increase their energy intake.  We did not feed alfalfa prior to breeding, since some studies have indicated that alfalfa has some "pseudo" hormones that depress ovulation.   Seemed to work for us, but we had Columbia sheep, and twins are fairly common with them.


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## kuntrygirl (Jan 7, 2011)

jhm47 said:
			
		

> When our children had sheep for a 4 - H project, we almost always got twins or triplets.   We separated the ram from the ewes, except for breeding season.  Prior to breeding, we fed the ewes about 1 - 1.5 lbs of corn for about 2 weeks to increase their energy intake.  We did not feed alfalfa prior to breeding, since some studies have indicated that alfalfa has some "pseudo" hormones that depress ovulation.   Seemed to work for us, but we had Columbia sheep, and twins are fairly common with them.


Good information for me to know.  I appreciate you posting that.  I'm taking notes.


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## Royd Wood (Jan 7, 2011)

jhm47 said:
			
		

> We did not feed alfalfa prior to breeding, since some studies have indicated that alfalfa has some "pseudo" hormones that depress ovulation.   Seemed to work for us, but we had Columbia sheep, and twins are fairly common with them.


JHM - thanks for that and I will let all know on here how we get on with lamb count in the next month - 6 weeks as mine had a very rich alfalfa / clover meadow to mow

ps some are first timers so I expect a few singles with them


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## rockdoveranch (Jan 7, 2011)

We have had "Texas Barbado" since 2004 and rarely have had twins.

We drive by the pastures where we bought our original lambs all the time.  The gentleman has a very large herd.  We rarely see twins out there either.  

I have also heard that a ram that was a twin is more likely to produce twins, but do not know if that is true or not.  We have no idea if our original ram (my avatar) was a twin as the gentleman always has his rams with his ewes.


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## boothcreek (Jan 8, 2011)

I know American black bellied barbados(horned) are famous for multiple births, but I do not know about the regular Barbados(polled).


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 8, 2011)

jhm47 said:
			
		

> When our children had sheep for a 4 - H project, we almost always got twins or triplets.   We separated the ram from the ewes, except for breeding season.  Prior to breeding, we fed the ewes about 1 - 1.5 lbs of corn for about 2 weeks to increase their energy intake.  We did not feed alfalfa prior to breeding, since some studies have indicated that alfalfa has some "pseudo" hormones that depress ovulation.   Seemed to work for us, but we had Columbia sheep, and twins are fairly common with them.


I hadn't heard that about alfalfa.  I usually just feed grain, since I don't typically feed alfalfa at all until after lambing.


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## kuntrygirl (Jan 24, 2011)

I went out to check on my girl and she delivered 2 beautiful twins.  I am so excited!!!!!!!     I will take pics on tomorrow and post.  To say that they are twins, they look nothing alike.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jan 24, 2011)

Congrats!


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## AkTomboy (Jan 24, 2011)

awesome!


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## Shootingstars (Jan 24, 2011)

Yeah, twins!!! Looking forward to pics!


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## glenolam (Jan 25, 2011)




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## kuntrygirl (Jan 29, 2011)

Here are pics of the twins, that look NOTHING alike.


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## elevan (Jan 29, 2011)

Beautiful lambs!

edited cause I got goat kids on the brain...


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## boykin2010 (Jan 29, 2011)

BEAUTIFUL!!!   BOYS OR GIRLS???  Are you keeping them?


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## kuntrygirl (Jan 29, 2011)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> BEAUTIFUL!!!   BOYS OR GIRLS???  Are you keeping them?


The top pic is a boy ram.  The bottom pic is my baby girl.  

And yeeeeessssssss, I'm keeping both of them.


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## TigerLilly (Jan 30, 2011)

Those are so cute; love the color on both of them~


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## Hillsvale (Feb 14, 2011)

I want my lambs... and I have to wait until something around the end of April... at least I think I'm getting lambs.....

If not I'll take yours! ... beautiful babies.


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## cattlecait (Feb 14, 2011)

Awww cute little itty bitty sheep feet. Hooves. Sorry.

I think tiny hooves are adorable, am I nuts?

Congrats!


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