My book suggests shearing or just crotching 3-4 weeks prior to lambing. Have you done that or just let them be? My problem is that my girls are so very skittish they may hurt themselves in the struggle (or the unborn lambs). Any thoughts?

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Answers

Alison,

I don't have near the experience that Sheepish does but I would certainly not sheer just before lambing, we did it once and she delivered early and lost the lambs. It was completely our fault as we were shearig novices and not at all good at it. I would crotch only if her bottom was really dirty and I was worried about introducing bacteria when the birth happened.

When we lived in Wisconsin folks sheared real early (Feb) and lambed right after that. I was never convinced that was the way to do it. Since moving to the Ozarks, we always lamb and then sheer, seems to work just fine!

Kim

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

Yeah, what Kim said. We don't do it. After the lambs are born, though, I might pull/cut some of the wool out of the way for the little ones so they can get the teats easier (and more cleanly!!) You don't want them sucking on manure tags!

What I really believe in doing regarding lambing, though, is making sure that the newborns get on the teats asap (for colostrum). Usually that means rolling the ewe onto her side, stripping the teats, and sticking the lamb's mouth right onto her. That's after wiping them off with towels, etc., and leaving the towels in the jug with the ewe (smells okay to her).

We have also found that a film cannister (35 mm, etc) works well for iodine. Dipping the remnant of the umbilicus into it is easy, with less use of iodine, etc.

Good luck! Ah, little lamb....who made thee?

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002

"Wiping them off with towels" would refer to the lambs, not the teats. Sorry, I got distracted with Mr. S. walking in and telling me information about his school tuition.

-- Anonymous, February 25, 2002