[Jacob-list] 3 to go

[Mary E Hansson]

Hi all,

I am getting close to the end of lambing.  I started with 23 ewes, 19 of
whom were bred (2 planned to be NOT bred, and hoped about half the flock
would not catch this year so pulled ram early :o)).  Consequently, I
have lots of babies running around.  I got my first picture of lambs
flying through the air this year with the digital camera.

I used a yearling 4 horned ram and have 3 ram lambs and 2 ewe lambs out
of him.  I had 3 singles (rams) and 1 set of twins (girls); 1 lamb with
hoof and eye deformities and another lamb with that horrendous black
blaze (remember THAT picture ??).  That was quite the treat meeting his
little face sticking out of mommy!

I also used a 2 year old ram.  I have 7 ram lambs and 10 ewe lambs to
date from him.  I have 2 cases of SUED and 1 of deformed hooves; 1
bottle baby, and 1 case of hard bag (ewe finally raised both of her
babies on single side of her udder and comes from flocks testing for and
clear of OPP).

I wound up with lots of blue eyes:  both crystal deep blue as well as
pale "Carolina Blue" ones this year for the first time from both rams.
I seem to have a mottley crew in these babies---fleeces of all types as
well as number of horns.  It will give me something to pick from on the
"keeper" end of my flock.

There was need for one assisted delivery---that lamb born breech and
required "swinging" to revive her.  A few hours later, the mother
decided she was in need of execution, so that lamb is my bottle baby.
That is probably the cutest lamb, 4 horned, great fleeced ewe with lots
of leg markings---everything this particular ewe has a reputation for
throwing...  Makes me wonder if it wouldn't have been better if I hadn't
been there...then I wouldn't have picked up on some of the other issues
so quickly....Ignorance is truly bliss!  :o)

I also had a ewe lamb born yesterday that will bear watching...She has a
dished forehead, which makes me think she is probably going to be a
4-horned girl that should be culled.  Her parents are both 2 horned
animals, but her mother is a 2-horned ewe from 2 4-horned parents.  I am
VERY curious about her development.

I have not been able yet to trace the hoof deformity issues to a common
denomenator animal yet, but I have also been quite busy and haven't dug
maybe as deeply as it will be possible to dig.  Any common animal will
be quite a ways back, which is particularly useless for ever thinking
about getting that defect out of the gene pool.  I am hopeful that the
affected lambs will be able to walk around long enough to get them to
the minimal 2 month age that the Bosnians require to slaughter.  Right
now at around a month, they are much less active and trip around
lightly.  I  don't know of too many lambs born with hoof problems that
have made it to that magic age before needing to be humanely put to
sleep.  I can't stand looking at an animal in pain, so will watch these
guys closely.

All this said, sounds like I have one terrible flock.  I don't, but the
flock will be doing some changing most certainly.  This is all part of
the "fun" if you will of raising this breed.

I need to ship off my sping shearing for micron testing again.  That
will give me 3 years of fleece samples on a few of the girls and a
couple of years on a number of others----always fascinating.

Mary Ellen Hansson
ISeeSpots Farm
Jacob Sheep:  Those horny, fuzzy critters
Shop:  Knitting, crochet, spinning supplies
www.iseespots.com


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