Baymule’s 2025 Lambing

[farmerjan]

Don"t forget @Ridgetop ... you are going to be dealing with very different weather in TX. The year round breeding you had success with in CA is very likely NOT going to follow the same pattern in TX.

 

[Ridgetop]

Absolutely not going to be the same. For one thing I plan to try breeding for fall, winter, and early summer lambs only. I plan to avoid breeding for spring lambs due to parasites and Coccy. Rotational grazing leaving minimum 4" grass on the grazed pastures and moving them through faster will help with parasites. Having DH cut the high old growth after we move them onto the new pasture will help regrowth. I still need to do soil tests.

DS1 told me that currently Yantis is having hot weather with the nights dropping to 75 degrees so I told DS1 to IMMEDIATELY put the new ram in with the ewes. The article Baymule posted said that lower temps at night will contribute to a better rate of breeding.

 

[Baymule]

I sorted out heavy bred ewes and put them in front field. That moved them away from Sentry, the baby thief. I took Rocky’s girls except for Beauty and Pinto and put them in middle field. Their due dates are far enough out that they will be safe with Sentry. Looks like Rocky will have a lonely winter, watching Little Ringo and Cooper having all the fun.

I turned Little Ringo out in the front field with his two ewes, the heavy bred ewes and the 7 ewes I want him to breed.

So, fall lambs? Winter lambs? Spring lambs?
All of the above. Stupid sheep.

 

[Baymule]

Rocky bred Pinto 9-15, it’s 9-18-24 and she went home with Chase today. I guess Beauty is stuck with Rocky, to keep him company.

 

[Baymule]

Update today, 9-23-24 on page one. I had to move BTX1901 to Rocky’s pen. They were interested in each other and Little Ringo was only interested in Dessa. Both ewes are now bred. Funny how these girls show their preference.

 

[Baymule]

This morning BTX 1901 was done with Rocky and wanted to go back to “her” flock. She looked forlorn and sad. So I got a little feed, called her to me, opened the front yard gate and out she came. A short walk down the driveway to the gate to the front field, open and through the gate, poured a little feed for her and she’s back with her friends.

She is ignoring Little Ringo and he’s ignoring her.

Rocky is pacing his pen, showing off his manly attributes just in case anyone else is interested.

I feel like I’m watching a sheep soap opera.

 

[Mini Horses]

It is, actually.

 

[Baymule]

Rocky postured all afternoon. To add insult to injury, Little Ringo and several ewes grazed right up to Rocky’s pen. Rocky started licking and rumbling at one of the ewes. Little Ringo quickly got between the ewe and the fence, he and Rocky rumbled at each other and Little Ringo pushed the ewe away. They did that 2 more times. I was cooling off on the porch, pretty amazed the 2 rams didn’t tear the fence up, fighting each other. Instead it looked like boys on a playground calling each other names.

 

[Baymule]

Rip was bred 7-14-24. Due 12-6-24.
So naturally she was at the pen fence on
11-14-24, throwing herself at Rocky and Little Ringo. Back in heat, flirting with the boys. I separated her from the other ewes and put her in a pen next to the rams. I opened a small gate for one of them to go through. Didn’t care which one, just one of the boneheads please go take care of business. Nope. They just wanted to bash each other’s brains out fighting over her. Dummies. FINALLY Little Ringo saw opportunity and ran through. I slammed gate in Rocky’s face. Too bad dummy.

Rip is now bred again. Little Ringo is back with Rocky, probably gloating over how he was the smart one.

 

[Baymule]

Granny is so big! If she doesn’t have lambs soon, she is going to explode!