Lamb Musings

My 2013 lamb season came and went without much ado.  Just like I dreamed it.....sort of.  Last September, I gave CIDRs another try.....following the instructions, that had been modified from my last CIDR attempts, so I was hoping for a better outcome.  I put in/pulled five CIDRs followed with a half dose of PG-600 (only because I did not order enough!) every three days until I had the girls I wanted bred in with the ram. Then I left town and went to the finals.

The good news is....I lambed my CIDR ewes out out in just over a week.  The bad news is.....more than what I wanted did not take and I did pull the ram out before they went through another cycle...I wanted to be done more than I wanted every ewe to lamb.

So why did ewes not take: 1) I used less than the recommended dose of  PG-600.  2) Five ewes might have been too much for the almost 9 year old ram to cover every three days  3) The PG-600 was 6 days old when I dose out the last of the shots; might need fresher hormones. 4) I do not know what the weather was like while I was gone, might have been affecting my ram 5) messing with Mother Nature can...mess with Mother Nature.

I have two more ewes to lamb out...I did not use CIDRs on them.  They lambed last year and were in with the ram the whole time I was breeding. They did not take their first heat cycle, nor their second but are due any day.  I know this because I did indeed remove the ram and know the day I hauled his ornery butt out!

Next time I lamb, I will live where my ewes live.  That said, I would most certainly use CIDRs again.  I'll be more diligent with the program....but since I will live where I can be at peace during lambing, I will just as certainly leave the ewes in for a second cycle.

My Shepherd friend also gave me a really cool tip of an idea for ear tags.  I've always done right for rams...I remember it more by left for ewes because I wear my wedding ring on my left hand and I'm a girl. But that obviously won't work for every sheep person...so right for rams it is. I use those small bend over snap ear tags because for all the years I've tried all the different tags Premier sells, these seem to stay IN the ears!  So my Shepherd friend told me he puts these tags in the back of the ear for singles and in the front of the ear for multips.  He can look at a sheep from his flock and tell you exactly what is up.  Right back would be single ram lamb...where left front is a ewe lamb with siblings.  Makes it easier in the years ahead to see what is what without having to pull records.  Great tip and I used it this year.....so far I love this method's ease!

For now, I think I will just take a few moments and watch the lamb races.  I'll worry about the next lambing season later.  These critters grow up so fast...I don't want to miss a single silly antic or any wild and crazy frolic....

If you need me, I'll be at the ranch....getting nothing much done but doing all that is most important in life.......

Oh and if you are betting on the lamb races.....#314......tag on the back of his right ear........he is a sure bet!

Seize the Day!