April 8, 2022
This has been a lambing season like none we’ve ever had before. We’ve had more pregnancies, more twins, disproportionately more males than females and they are all arriving earlier and en masse.
Clearly our ram takes some credit (!) - but I don’t think his prowess is the only explanation. Last summer’s weather created a healthier pasture, and the addition of a selenium mineral mix that the ewes have access to year-round, have helped with the overall health of the flock, and that in nature often translates into increased fertility.
Most of the moms are doing great – we’ve had only two that completely rejected their lambs. One orphaned lamb we are bottle feeding at home but the other one we were able to “graft” onto a different ewe as she was going into labor at the exact moment the one was rejected. We placed the rejected newborn in front of the laboring ewe, and she quickly accepted it as her own. The timing was extraordinarily perfect, a half hour difference for either birth would have made the graft impossible. She is now happily raising her lamb and “Vagabond” as her own.
Our other orphaned lamb was not as lucky and is stuck with us as surrogate moms. We do our best, but I know he would be better off with a real (sheep) mom. “Vuber’s” commitment to life has been tepid at best, but every day he seems a little bit healthier, a little more sure of himself and little happier to be alive. We will give him all he needs to thrive; the rest is up to him.