[Jacob-list] Night Lights for Sheep

[Jacobflock at aol.com]

Fred Horak here in the dark.  The night light thing has some interesting 
facets:

1) Night lights may be a deterent to predators.  Lights augmented by a 
radio...talk radio?...parking the truck in a different place ...may give the 
coyotes pause.

2) Night lights, depending on there brighness, may effect estrus.  Ewes are 
photosensitive breeders; (Hum "there is a season, turn, turn,...) Melatonin 
runs something like ten times higher as the day's light shortens or if kept 
in the dark than the light.  As daylight shortens, ewes begin cycling.  Some 
breeders recommend running the ram with his ewes only at night and turning 
off the light!

3) Night lights and lambing in the daylight or at night is new.  However, the 
usual "book" advise at lambing runs something like "check when you get up, 
mid morning, mid afternoon, and at bedtime.  If one checks in the middle of 
the night, the ewe may be disturbed by the light and interuption of normal 
activities and, if its time, lamb two to four hours later." 

We don't use a night light except ner lambing. Joan is a night checker.  She 
leaves a 75watt flood light on in the back of the barn which lights an area 
about 50ftx50ft where the ewes gather...when the lights on.  They lamb day 
and night.  

Fred Horak