[Jacob-list] wethering lambs

[Heather Hettick]

Mary,

Are those people still looking for bottle lambs?  I have a set of triplets
where the mother rejected the two boys.  They are about a week old and doing
okay with a little supplementation, but I leave them with the flock to steal
milk and learn to be sheep but they won't be able to be breeders so I either
need a pet home for them or they go for meat.  They are both pretty with
dark grey-blue eyes and lots of nice black markings and nice looking wool so
far.  One looks two horned and the other looks 4 horned.  They definitely
are behind their sister is size and seem a little colder than the other
lambs, but I really don't have the time to feed them 100% on milk replacer.

I would love not to have to bottle feed these guys even though they are cute
and friendly and are down to two feedings a day.  I'd prefer to find them
homes as I've got my own baby to take care of.  Alexander McManus Hettick
was born 12/4/01 and I just started back to work today.

Heather Hettick
Moonstruck Jacob Sheep
home:  hettick1 at yahoo.com
work:  hettick.1 at osu.edu





  -----Original Message-----
  From: jacob-list-admin at jacobsheep.com
[mailto:jacob-list-admin at jacobsheep.com]On Behalf Of Mary Spahr
  Sent: Monday, February 25, 2002 11:21 AM
  To: Jacob List Members
  Subject: [Jacob-list] wethering lambs


  At what ages do other breeders wether their lambs, if at all?
  We have never wethered ours, so have no experiences with it.  I have a
lady who was wanting small, wethered lambs to put on a bottle.  We have
never pulled healthy baby lambs from their mothers to sell as pets on a
bottle.  I assume that at 3 or 4 months of age, it is way too late to wether
lambs.
  At what ages do others wean their lambs?  We always leave the lambs with
their mothers and turn them all out to pasture together.  I guess we have
never catered to the "pet market."  I have heard of Jacob bottle lambs being
sold for $100 ea.!  We have been fortunate this year to have only one bottle
lamb so far.  I would imagine that taking healthy lambs from their mothers
would discourage her maternal instincts and maybe even cause mastitis.  I
have never seen a bottled Jacob lamb that gets as big as others that stayed
with the ewe.
  I know a pygmy goat breeder who sells kids at 6 or 7 wks. of age.  Am I
being overly concerned and protective of our lambs?

  Mary Spahr
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