Ram with ewes 24/7

[SheepGirl]

There is still a chance those lambs could be bred if she's leaving them with the ram until 9 mos!

Agreed!

 

[77Herford]

Yes, agreed. Southdowns do look sweet.

 

[secuono]

Yea, I'm guessing so. I'm getting all adults, so I will have time to make the ram enclosure before I really need it.

 

[bonbean01]

Ditto on the danger of keeping a ram with newborn lambs...our ram did butt our very first day old lamb very hard, but luckily he was okay...but it did teach us to have him separate from newborns!!! We never dreamed he would do that...and we learn as we go, and forums like this are so very helpful!!! Wish we'd known about it right from the start!

 

[secuono]

Well, they are here for those of you that haven't heard!
Ram is very shy of me and runs from me if I step to him. He never makes any kind of aggressive or odd move towards me. He kind of hides behind the two ewes. They on the other hand are more willing to come over and see what I'm doing.

 

[Mike]

I don't understand what you mean by "breeding times." Ewes come into heat, on average, about every 17 days. Usually rams are in with the ewes for two heat cycles (about 34 days/1 month), though some breeders leave them in for three to four cycles (51-68 days). I know my Babydoll cross ewes come into heat starting in early/mid October and last until about January if they weren't bred.

The place you have described (20'x300') is just over 1/8 of an acre. There is no doubt more than enough room (sheep really only need 30-50 sq ft of space per head in an open lot), but if you were thinking of pasturing them, you will likely run out of grass and you will have to feed hay.

How unusual is it for a Southdown sheep to be born in late August (like the one born in Central Park Zoo)?

Has that ever happened before?

 

[SheepGirl]

I don't understand what you mean by "breeding times." Ewes come into heat, on average, about every 17 days. Usually rams are in with the ewes for two heat cycles (about 34 days/1 month), though some breeders leave them in for three to four cycles (51-68 days). I know my Babydoll cross ewes come into heat starting in early/mid October and last until about January if they weren't bred.

The place you have described (20'x300') is just over 1/8 of an acre. There is no doubt more than enough room (sheep really only need 30-50 sq ft of space per head in an open lot), but if you were thinking of pasturing them, you will likely run out of grass and you will have to feed hay.

How unusual is it for a Southdown sheep to be born in late August (like the one born in Central Park Zoo)?

Has that ever happened before?

It can be done, but that would mean the ewe would have to be bred in March. Normally more traditional, wool-type ewes (such as Southdowns) don't cycle that late naturally. In order to be bred that late in the season, the ewe probably had a CIDR used on her to get her to come into heat. A CIDR is an instrument you insert into the ewe's vulva and it releases (I believe) progesterone. After a couple of days, it is removed, and the ewes come into heat within a week.

 

[Mike]

I don't understand what you mean by "breeding times." Ewes come into heat, on average, about every 17 days. Usually rams are in with the ewes for two heat cycles (about 34 days/1 month), though some breeders leave them in for three to four cycles (51-68 days). I know my Babydoll cross ewes come into heat starting in early/mid October and last until about January if they weren't bred.

The place you have described (20'x300') is just over 1/8 of an acre. There is no doubt more than enough room (sheep really only need 30-50 sq ft of space per head in an open lot), but if you were thinking of pasturing them, you will likely run out of grass and you will have to feed hay.

How unusual is it for a Southdown sheep to be born in late August (like the one born in Central Park Zoo)?

Has that ever happened before?

It can be done, but that would mean the ewe would have to be bred in March. Normally more traditional, wool-type ewes (such as Southdowns) don't cycle that late naturally. In order to be bred that late in the season, the ewe probably had a CIDR used on her to get her to come into heat. A CIDR is an instrument you insert into the ewe's vulva and it releases (I believe) progesterone. After a couple of days, it is removed, and the ewes come into heat within a week.

So what do you make of this?

While you were busy lazily taping your windows up and knocking people down for that final can of Bushs Baked Beans, a miracle was happening. A sheep named Truffles gave birth to a black baby lamb at the Central Park Zoo moments before the storm was set to hit. Zookeepers were shocked to see this little bleating 8 lb. animal baby, as sheep usually give birth in the spring. (Looks like Truffles had a very busy April and by busy we mean sexual.) The keepers of the zoo scrambled to build Truffles and her newborn a makeshift shelter before Irene made landfall, and went ahead and named this lamb Irene Hope.

http://www.bestweekever.tv/2011-09-01/meet-irene-hope-a-hurricane-baby-lamb-miracle/

The article says the zoo keepers were surprised, but if Truffles was given a CIDR it would have to have been planed.

Could this have happened naturally?

 

[SheepGirl]

How unusual is it for a Southdown sheep to be born in late August (like the one born in Central Park Zoo)?

Has that ever happened before?

It can be done, but that would mean the ewe would have to be bred in March. Normally more traditional, wool-type ewes (such as Southdowns) don't cycle that late naturally. In order to be bred that late in the season, the ewe probably had a CIDR used on her to get her to come into heat. A CIDR is an instrument you insert into the ewe's vulva and it releases (I believe) progesterone. After a couple of days, it is removed, and the ewes come into heat within a week.

So what do you make of this?

While you were busy lazily taping your windows up and knocking people down for that final can of Bushs Baked Beans, a miracle was happening. A sheep named Truffles gave birth to a black baby lamb at the Central Park Zoo moments before the storm was set to hit. Zookeepers were shocked to see this little bleating 8 lb. animal baby, as sheep usually give birth in the spring. (Looks like Truffles had a very busy April and by busy we mean sexual.) The keepers of the zoo scrambled to build Truffles and her newborn a makeshift shelter before Irene made landfall, and went ahead and named this lamb Irene Hope.

http://www.bestweekever.tv/2011-09-01/meet-irene-hope-a-hurricane-baby-lamb-miracle/

The article says the zoo keepers were surprised, but if Truffles was given a CIDR it would have to have been planed.

Could this have happened naturally?

I highly doubt it was natural. The latest we've ever had lambs born from a Babydoll (which is what Truffles is) was June. I think it was very irresponsible--and impossible--for the zoo keepers to not know their ewe was pregnant. Even when Babydolls have singles, they look like they are pregnant with twins.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

It could have been natural, but I agree it was highly irresponsible for zookeepers to not realize putting a ram and ewe together could result in lambs being born.