# Udders



## WolfeMomma (Aug 14, 2019)

Here I am asking about udders again Someone please tell me what I am doing wrong. My yearling ewes udders are slowly getting larger. First it was just one with an uneven udder, one side was large, the other wasn't. We discovered milk in there, figured it was the ewe lamb that was trying to nurse on her. The size and unevenness( is that a word) hasn't changed. Now my other yearling ewe is getting an udder, though thankfully it is even but larger. They are not pregnant, the ram only just went out with them this week. I am wondering if they are just fat... I have had some people suggest cutting off all grain/supplements. Will that make them dry up?


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## secuono (Aug 14, 2019)

There is a pee test for sheep, but idk if it's too late now to use it. Vet should be able to pull blood and test.
Is there any possibility that they were previously bred?

No grains, no high protein hay/pasture will help dry them up, yes.


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## WolfeMomma (Aug 14, 2019)

secuono said:


> There is a pee test for sheep, but idk if it's too late now to use it. Vet should be able to pull blood and test.
> Is there any possibility that they were previously bred?
> 
> No grains, no high protein hay/pasture will help dry them up, yes.


I have to have the vet out in 2 weeks anyways for health certs, so maybe I will ask if she can do a blood test, so we can know for sure.
I doubt they would have had a chance to be. He would have had to got them through steel cattle panel and electric wire with a 2 foot space between each of those fences. He broke out of the electric netting where he was grazing once, though I don't believe he bred them regardless they were given 2 doses of estrumate incase( that happened almost two months ago, lesson learned won't let him do that again lol)
I have taken them off the grain, they only get what's in the pasture or their hay.
They don't look pregnant that's for sure other then the bigger then usual udder lol and by bigger I mean they are the size of a  golfball/tennis ball size.


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 14, 2019)

Is it causing any issues? Why do you want them completely dry? 

As I mentioned in your other post, this is pretty normal in goats anyway. The majority of my dry yearlings have udders. Our 7 year old Lamancha starts filling anytime she gets grain or alfalfa. She hasn’t kidded in years. 
Heck, my goat with three useable legs also has a precocious udder. A buck we are leasing is starting to fill his udder. 

If it’s not causing an issue why worry about it?


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## WolfeMomma (Aug 15, 2019)

Goat Whisperer said:


> Is it causing any issues? Why do you want them completely dry?
> 
> As I mentioned in your other post, this is pretty normal in goats anyway. The majority of my dry yearlings have udders. Our 7 year old Lamancha starts filling anytime she gets grain or alfalfa. She hasn’t kidded in years.
> Heck, my goat with three useable legs also has a precocious udder. A buck we are leasing is starting to fill his udder.
> ...


I worry because they shouldnt have been bred. I hadnt planned on fall lambs ( if thats the case) I was planning on january lambs for shows next summer. I worry because we are new to sheep and I want to make sure I am feeding them correctly, none of the other yearling ewes I have seen at the shows of their breed look like this. So I found it a bit concerning


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2019)

I have a ewe, Miranda, whose udder makes goaties swoon with envy. Her daughters, even maiden ewes, carry a small udder as they heat cycle. Take a deep breath, it will be ok. You are a good Sheep Mommy.


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## WolfeMomma (Aug 19, 2019)

Baymule said:


> I have a ewe, Miranda, whose udder makes goaties swoon with envy. Her daughters, even maiden ewes, carry a small udder as they heat cycle. Take a deep breath, it will be ok. You are a good Sheep Mommy.


i feel like we definitely over fed her lol I call her boss hoss she is like a cow stuck in a sheep body lol  She even has some fat rolls under her neck/jaw area  
Yeah , its my first year with show ewes....so i get nervous when i see no other ewes there with an udder and then here comes my cow...cough i mean sheep with an udder


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## Sheepshape (Aug 19, 2019)

If the ewes are very fat then they may have some udder development and certain foods do it as well. Can you post a pic of the udder now? 
I have some very fat sheep.....they have what I call a 'bum roll' which is a thick ridge of fat which forms a tyre shape over the top of the tail  too many treats, I fear. They also wobble a bit when they walk. All of them have residual udders, but all have had lambs, so not easy to tell what contribution their morbid obesity has added to the situation.

From what you say they shouldn't be pregnant. However rams are very 'driven' with ewes in heat. This year I had two unexpected pregnancies to ewes who had never apparently been any closer than 2 large fields away from any rams. It really doesn't sound that way with yours.

Will having an udder affect their 'showability'? (or is its the class that they are to be shown in?


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## WolfeMomma (Aug 19, 2019)

Sheepshape said:


> If the ewes are very fat then they may have some udder development and certain foods do it as well. Can you post a pic of the udder now?
> I have some very fat sheep.....they have what I call a 'bum roll' which is a thick ridge of fat which forms a tyre shape over the top of the tail  too many treats, I fear. They also wobble a bit when they walk. All of them have residual udders, but all have had lambs, so not easy to tell what contribution their morbid obesity has added to the situation.
> 
> From what you say they shouldn't be pregnant. However rams are very 'driven' with ewes in heat. This year I had two unexpected pregnancies to ewes who had never apparently been any closer than 2 large fields away from any rams. It really doesn't sound that way with yours.
> ...


I don't think it will effect their show ability, at least the breed standard doesn't mention it. I might get placed lower, but i think it depends on the judge. 
they are on a high protein lamb show and grow grain. and high-octane champion drive and high octane power fuel top dresses. The other yearling ewe and the ewe lamb were skinny and we 
had to get weight on them and this feed and top dress worked well. sadly this ewe benefitted way more from it then the other two did lol they look just right, this one is "plus sized" lol
If Im wrong and she is pregnant ( which i highly doubt but hey who knows) then I guess i will have fall lambs to show next year lol wasn't planning on that lol


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## WolfeMomma (Aug 19, 2019)

Sheepshape said:


> If the ewes are very fat then they may have some udder development and certain foods do it as well. Can you post a pic of the udder now?


they are at a show currently , and im at home doing chores and taking care of the other farm animals. When i get back to the show I will take a picture


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