Couple more sheep-management questions

[patandchickens]

This "two sheep for milk" thing is sort of snowballing out of control but, oh well

To review: I have recently gotten two 3.5-month-old dairy-type ewe-lambs. Because it is not clear to me that I will be able to get anyone around here to rent me a ram this fall, I have also arranged to buy a Shetland ram (*thought* it was going to be a ram-lamb, but see below) and 2 yr old shetland ewe. The idea was that I was going to pick these up in June/July, after weaning.

However, because the Shetland ewe just had a singleton ram-lamb this past week, which the seller has no interest in keeping, he has suggested I pick up the ewe, her newborn ram-lamb at no extra charge, and a yearling ram (perhaps I misunderstood before and he always *meant* a yearling ram, I dunno) NOW, which is to say May 1, when I will be in his area anyhow.

One complication is that I will be out of town the last full week of May, and can't easily change it.

Three questions:

1) the ram-lamb will be ~6 wks old at that point. You think I can safely leave my (very competent) horse-sitter in charge, and not have problems, at this age?

2) I would like to milk the Shetland ewe somewhat if possible - seller says she is producing *plenty* - either a tiny bit in addition to what the lamb is taking, or starting at 4-6 wks separate the lamb at night and milk her in the morning and let the lamb have her all day. But, there is the "going out of town for almost a week when he is 6 wks old" complication. What would you do?

3) I had figured that i was getting a ram *lamb*, for future breeding, so had figured I would not need to separate him from the girls at all this year. But, I do not want the dairy ewe-lambs bred til Nov-Dec, so presumably WILL have to separate a YEARLING ram starting in, I dunno, July or August? Would it be worth wethering the "free" ram-lamb, who would otherwise probably be lamb-chops, as a companion for the actual breeding ram? Or what?

I am sorry to keep bothering y'all but just when I think I have plans figured out, something changes and I have to re-figure

The two dairy ewe-lambs are doing fine, btw, and the vet will check and vacc them on Tuesday when he's out for my horses.

Thanks for all help,

Pat, whose husband is unhappy (but philosophical and unsurprised) at the possibility that the two-sheep-turned-into-four-sheep might become *five* sheep...

 

[aggieterpkatie]

LOL @ your hubby comment. My hubby finally learned to just kinda relax and go with the flow.

Here's my opinion. I think you should say "thanks, but no thanks" to the yearling ram. You're getting a ewe with a ram lamb, so use that ram lamb as your breeder. At this age, the yearling isn't going to be the best meat, so I'd save your money and just get the mom/son pair. I definitely would not take the chance of even putting the yearling in with your ewe lambs. At all. They're already 3 months old and sometimes they can start cycling earlier than expected. It's not worth an "oops" pregnancy with those little ewes.

I wouldn't worry about breeding the son to the mom, you can always process the lambs. It's not uncommon for people to breed back one time like that. I just wouldn't breed those offspring back to either parent. By Nov/Dec he'll definitely be old enough to breed.

As far as your pet sitter, I'm sure it'll be no problem. Dam raised lambs/kids/whatever are hardly any trouble at all!

As far as milking....good luck! I think shetlands tend to be somewhat flighty and I'm not sure how a mature ewe would handle it. I'm sure if you worked with her she'd eventually settle down. Maybe. You can try penning the lamb seperately at night then milk her in the mornings, and let them be together all day.

Does that help any?

 

[patandchickens]

Oh good, *another* option to consider

If I were to do that, then what do I do *next* year to keep the then-yearling ram company while he is separated from the dairy ewes (I still won't want them bred til Oct-Nov)... could I just separate him off with his mum, and he breeds her "whenever" and then I just hope there aren't problems with her lambing midwinter? (I do have a barn to use if necessary).

I was thinking that it might be an advantage to get this free ram-lamb to convert to a companion wether. But, if I would really ahve to separate a yearling ram from the ewe-lambs right from the start, then that would not work this year b/c the wethered lamb would still be so young (unless I could put the ram and the ewe-with-lamb together? essentially have a shetland paddock and a dairy-ewe-lamb paddock, til November or so?)

Aaaargh, I hate having to make decisions based on not actually knowing the first thing about the critters,

Pat

(e.t.a - as far as milking, I know that miss_thenorth on this forum is successfully milking a couple of wild-and-woolly auction barn Romanovs, after a brief period of Sheep Rodeo, so I think I have a "reasonable" shot at getting it to work in some way shape or form, we'll see )

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Oh good, *another* option to consider

If I were to do that, then what do I do *next* year to keep the then-yearling ram company while he is separated from the dairy ewes (I still won't want them bred til Oct-Nov)... could I just separate him off with his mum, and he breeds her "whenever" and then I just hope there aren't problems with her lambing midwinter? (I do have a barn to use if necessary).

I was thinking that it might be an advantage to get this free ram-lamb to convert to a companion wether. But, if I would really ahve to separate a yearling ram from the ewe-lambs right from the start, then that would not work this year b/c the wethered lamb would still be so young (unless I could put the ram and the ewe-with-lamb together? essentially have a shetland paddock and a dairy-ewe-lamb paddock, til November or so?)

Aaaargh, I hate having to make decisions based on not actually knowing the first thing about the critters,

Pat

(e.t.a - as far as milking, I know that miss_thenorth on this forum is successfully milking a couple of wild-and-woolly auction barn Romanovs, after a brief period of Sheep Rodeo, so I think I have a "reasonable" shot at getting it to work in some way shape or form, we'll see )

Can you look around and find a wether lamb now? You should be able to find one fairly cheap. Then you can keep the wether lamb with the dairy ewe lambs until you wean the ram lamb, then you cna put the two of them together.

 

[freemotion]

As for milking the ewe, here's an idea. Use the first three weeks of May to get her used to the idea and train her, but don't really do much milking at all and don't separate the lamb. You can take some milk since she has only one to feed, but you don't want to increase demand yet and then suddenly leave her for a week.

When you get back from your trip, start penning the lamb at night and milk her in the morning, or pen him all afternoon and milk her in the evening.

 

[patandchickens]

Well, I've narrowed it down to two options and then just thrown up my hands and emailed the shetland breeder and said I'd go with whichever HE thinks is the best plan I mean, somebody has to make the final decision here and he knows sheep in general, and these individual sheep in particular, infinitely better than I do.

I'll let y'all know what happens, but it seems like either way it will result in me picking "something" up on May 1

Free, what you describe is *just* what I was thinking, I am glad to hear it recommended by someone with some actual milk-animal experience, that is presumably what I will do. Er, assuming I can get her wrassled onto a milking stand or whatever

Pat

 

[freemotion]

Bring the lamb with you and her favorite food, and be patient! You train horses, you know what to do...

 

[BrittMarie]

I am new to sheep and this forum, and I can totally relate to your situation! I just wanted a couple sheep for milk to make cheese.....HA HA HA. When I bought my first pregnant older (5 years)dairy sheep this year, the seller "threw in" a free pregnant non-dairy ewe. Now I know that there is no such thing as a FREE animal. I have 6 sheep now with the lambs, and 2 cups of milk from 4 attempts at milking ; ). The worst part is that this is TRULY a backyard herd. I have no pasture, only a pen. My neighbor's are close and get to hear lots of BAAA BAAA at feeding time. Have your ewes been milked before?

 

[patandchickens]

I just wanted a couple sheep for milk to make cheese.....HA HA HA.

Hi, welcome to the forum! LOL and sooooo happy to hear I'm not the only one to have done this

Have your ewes been milked before?

The two dairybred things are just lambs yet, so obviously that'd be a 'no' -- but next weekend I am picking up three shetlands, one of whom is a 2 yr old ewe with wethered lamb, and I will try milking HER and see what happens. Being a shetland she has of course never been milked so there may be a certain rodeo aspect to it, but, we'll see how it goes

Congrats on your sheep, and I'm sure that milking will become more successful for you as time goes by. You have to let me know how your cheese comes out, once you have enough to make some!

Pat

 

[eweinHiscare]

I too am planning on milking my sheep, so I hope you will post how it goes and any tricks you learn about how to immobilize the ewe for the job.
I'm thinking some kind of snug sidewall elevated platform where she can't move too much ?

With hay in front of her and her lamb within sight, maybe she will cooperate ?

How long might it take to get her used to such a situation ?

I think people milk sheep from behind...but why ? Their teats are in about the same place as a goats.

Christine