Wolfemomma - Our Homestead Journey

[Baymule]

That's too durned cold!!

 

[B&B Happy goats]

I sure feel for you ! ....I put in my 38 years in New England cold, 29 years of heat now.....the heat wins ! Couldnt do the cold again.....stay warm

 

[Bruce]

Oh Lord its cold out this morning. Only 11 right now, with a high of 27.
Have to go out and clean the sheep stalls....im gonna freeze my butt off out there!
Winter didn't waste any time making its presence know .

Oh, you got the WARM weather!
6° at 7 AM, 12° now with a possible high of 18°

 

[WolfeMomma]

Alas, I think the season of breaking ice in buckets is upon us
I think we might need a new water heater for the big water trough, The buckets in one stall stay thawed and in the other...its a giant ice block. Its official Im trying for fall lambs next year. Im already over lambing in January and it hasn't even happened yet! Yup im a bitter betty lol

 

[Baymule]

I wouldn't want to lamb in weather like that either! Fall lambing? Other than them dropping out already frozen before they hit the ground in winter, what are the advantages to fall lambing versus spring lambing? And what month does spring even happen there?

 

[Mike CHS]

Our favorite time to lamb is October through December but we obviously didn't make it this year. The reason we fall/winter lamb is parasites. We usually get enough freezing weather in late October on that parasites aren't an issue. Our heaviest worm load is in the spring and it is usually non stop wet.

 

[WolfeMomma]

@Baymule Its mainly for showing. January lambs and early february lambs place better, they are bigger by the time the show comes around. The march's are just so tiny compared to all the other ones in their class. The falls place good as well. So thats what I will be doing next year.

 

[WolfeMomma]

I wouldn't want to lamb in weather like that either! Fall lambing? Other than them dropping out already frozen before they hit the ground in winter, what are the advantages to fall lambing versus spring lambing? And what month does spring even happen there?

Last year they didn't start grazing till mid may feels like i feed everyone hay forever!

 

[Baymule]

Our favorite time to lamb is October through December but we obviously didn't make it this year. The reason we fall/winter lamb is parasites. We usually get enough freezing weather in late October on that parasites aren't an issue. Our heaviest worm load is in the spring and it is usually non stop wet.

That makes sense to me. My lambing has usually happened in January and February, then the worm cycle is just waiting for the little lambs. I think I’m going to like lambing in October too! Since my winter/spring grass is so much better than my summer grass, it makes sense to finish the lambs on it.

There are 2 laggards in the bunch and the 2 Ringo has with him now. So, not 100% here!

 

[Bruce]

Another reason for January lambs in the meat world is some people want lamb for their Easter dinner. But way up in "it might go above freezing sometime in March" land, January doesn't seem like a good time unless one wants to heat a barn full of babies.