Baymule’s 2025 Lambing

[Baymule]

This is an interesting read. It just explained why we can try for early spring breeding and we don’t get fall lambs.

https://publications.ca.uky.edu/sites/publications.ca.uky.edu/files/ASC237.pdf

Found a good article about how much to feed sheep and goats. Thought I’d park the link here so I can find it again. LOL

GenGuideFeed | mdsmallruminant

www.sheepandgoat.com

 

[Baymule]

Ewenique has kicked off 2025 lambing. She will be 11 years old in October. I was considering her retirement, but this morning she was yelling at me, standing at the gate in the front field. Right next to the pens of 2 young hunks, Rocky and Little Ringo, she clearly wanted to go to the middle field for a rendezvous with Cooper. I opened the gate to the pen next to Cooper’s pen, then opened the front field gate. Ewenique RAN across the driveway, through that pen and to the gate that opens to the middle field.

Ewenique is not retiring. Ewenique is bred.

 

[Mini Horses]

Mother nature wins for a reason.

Humans try to change things. It's like chickens, light & eggs.

 

[Baymule]

I have 3 breeding pens set up since April. Are they bred? Are they not? Durned if I know.

Jamaica Sheep. Ja-make-uh-me-crazy.

 

[Baymule]

Breeding line up. The first group of ewes listed I have not put with rams yet.

The second group are sill with rams and I’ve finally seen breeding. So are ANY of these bred? AARRGGHH!!

To be born in September-October, ewes go in with rams in April. Aaannddd, it looks like nothing is happening.

COOPER

Put in on 8-5-24
Jet
Nora bred 8-5-24 DUE 12-28-24
Nova -bred 8-24-24 DUE 1-16-25
Tiny-romancing 8-19-24 DUE 1-11-25
Fancy
Ewenique-bred 8-4-24. DUE 12-27-24

April 8, 2024 I put with Cooper
Based on the above article, are they bred?

Rip P16-bred 7-14 DUE 12-6-24
Cleopatra P18
Granny P15
Sugar G 40
Aerial
Frimplepants


ROCKY

Pinto bred 9-15-24 Pinto will be going home with Chase, my neighbor. Pinto went home with Chase on 9-17.

April 24, 2024 I put with Rocky —and he’s just now getting down to business?

Easter-bred 8-3-24 DUE 12-26-24
Ginger- bred 8-4-24 DUE 12-27-24
Beauty—bred 9-10-24 DUE 2-1-25
Pancake romancing 8-10-24 DUE 1-2-25
Bon Bon-bred 8-27-24 DUE 1-19-25

BTX 1901 —bred 9-23-24 DUE 2-15-25

LiITTLE RINGO put with ewes on 9-13-24

Big Girl
Dessa — bred 9-23-24 DUE 2-15-25
BTX— moved to Rocky, bred 9-23-24
Cinnamon— bred 9-18-24 DUE 2-10-25
B40
Daisy
Specks—romancing 9-18-24 did not see breeding

April 24, 2024 I put with Little Ringo On 9-13-24 I put Little Ringo and his 2 HSC ewes in the field with the over girls.

HSC
HSC

It is September 23, 2024. BTX 1901, in the front field with Little Rings was standing at the fence mooney eyed at Rocky. Rocky was desperately trying to win her affections. Where was Little Ringo???? Out in the field with the flock.
I shouted, HEY! You got a hot one here! Come get her you dummy!
No response.
Clearly #1 had chosen her Baby Daddy! The two estranged lovers were so close yet so far apart!

And just WHY wasn’t Little Ringo interested??? Do I have a Dud Stud?

I opened the gate slightly, encouraged #1 to follow and out the gate we went. I got feed and she followed me into the front yard. I poured a little out. I opened the gate to Rocky’s pen and the lovers were quickly united. And I mean REALLY united.

Meanwhile out in the field, Little Ringo was lavishing his attention on Dessa. Those two consummated their love. I guess he can only avow his love one at a time. Tomorrow on to the next conquest!

 

[Mini Horses]

I've seen a lot of breeding past week. Those early Jan kids will be coming. Hope there's no snow or bad cold.

 

[farmerjan]

Sad to tell you, but more than likely the ones put in early are not bred.... or not many. Even with the Katahdins being a longer season breeder, they are still sheep and still have hormones working with the polyestrous seasonal breeding. Sheep are what we always called "photo estrous"... they do NOT breed with the long days coming up from after 1st day of spring when days/nights are equal length, up to and after the summer solstice of the longest day of the year June 20th or so... and will not breed until the "darker hours" are longer than the "lighter hours".... so starting to breed in August ... maybe late July, is about right and normal.
You also will not get the fertility.... neither number of sperm or quality .... in the heat. Damaged sperm from the extreme heat in the testes, will not swim and penetrate an egg .... and then there is spontaneous abortion from the temp of the womb in the ewe being too hot...
Facts of life.
We are concerned for the cattle this year because it was so hot in June when the bulls went in.... Usually it is in the 60's-80's and alot of breeding happens at night... we were in the 90's in June... so might have some problems. We will be pulling bulls by Sept 1 if not before... so calves are born by June 1st... HOPING the heat did not affect the bulls... even though they passed their breeding soundness exams... doesn't mean the heat didn't affect both their fertility AND their desire to breed.... as well as affecting the cows coming into heat.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep, weather has been difficult for EVERYTHING this yr.

 

[Baymule]

I’m going to visit a friend in San Antonio, go to a Journey concert, August 16 Friday, come back home on Sunday. I’m leaving groups like they are for now, until I get back, to make it easier for Chase to feed for me. Then when I get back, I’ll put ewes in with Rocky and Little Ringo, overlap with ewes already in the pens with them, by a couple of weeks. Just when I think I’m so smart and know so much, they show me I don’t know a darn thing.

 

[Ridgetop]

Check the birth dates on the ewes. If they are fall born ewes they should have been receptive to the ram. I went to check but my paper work is in Texas! LOL I did find a note that GR40 is a November born ewe so should settle in the summer. The Ps are all spring lambs but mothers and grandmothers were fall lambs.

Are you sure BL40 is the correct number for the 5th ewe? I show BL37 as being born in 2024 and I tag in numerical order. However, my Moyboy sired lambs that would fit her birthdate were all born the end of August. I think she might be BL31 or BL32 in which case her mother 8219 is a November born ewe. A lot will depend on the ram coming fertile in the heat.

All but two of my ewes will breed in the spring for fall lambs. I have 1 ewe from Lewis that only breeds for spring lambs. I am giving her one more chance and then she goes on the sale list. Really a shame because she is a beautiful Grade 5 ewe. She didn't settle this year. I have 2 daughters out of her, but I want to keep the year round breeding genetics going. Her daughter produced a November lamb and also was the mother of the triplets that I lost in TX. I treated her for mastitis so will breed her again and if necessary pull the lambs if she freshens with mastitis again. I have another grade 5 ewe that only freshens in spring and lately has given me singles. She holds condition too well. I have 2 or 3 daughters out of her. She may go on the sale list.