[Jacob-list] (no subject)

[WenlochFrm at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/14/00 11:54:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
stonecroft235 at juno.com writes:

> 
>  Gordon Johnston wrote:
>  "I lambed 5 jacob ewes this year and had 3 sets of triplets and two pairs
>  of
>  twins. Don't think I fed them too much in the autumn. Any ideas?"
>  Do alot of you have triplets in Jacobs?  I'm assuming twin births are the
>  most common, but are triplets not unsual or are they rare here in the
>  states?  Are triplet births more common in British & Scottish Jacobs?  If
>  so, why?  Would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this.
>  Sue Martin
>  Stonecroft

Nutrition plays a big part in multiple births per studies done by the U.S. 
Experimental Station in the state of Utah. I have had two sets of triplets, 
one last year and one this year, and both sets were from my primitive Jacobs. 
I grain my sheep year round, not that I'm claiming this as the sole reason 
for the triplets. There was something different in the lambs born here this 
year, though. For economic reasons, I had decided to try feeding corn this 
past winter instead of the usual sweet feed mix. Nearly all of the lambs were 
born chubby and robust looking at birth like you would expect a week old lamb 
to look after they have filled out. Those lambs that weren't, were from the 
first-time mothers who are the ones most likely to get shoved aside at 
feeding time. Has anyone else experienced this when feeding corn?

Joan Franklin