[Jacob-list] sibling memory and recognition of each other,

[Cathy Robinson]

I agree with Mary Ellen that this is evident to varying degrees within
the same flock, mostly dependent, I believe, on the mother. We have a
couple of ewes here that form VERY strong bonds with their children and
those family groups always re-unite even after an extended separation.
Their own family group grows with the addition of new offspring each
year.

One particular ewe was separated from her daughter at breeding time last
year when the ewe lamb went into the non-breeding group.  When groups
were re-shuffled and re-grouped some 8+ months later here and they were
again in the same group, they quickly found one another and were
basically inseparable.

They have recently been separated again...daughter is in the breeding
group this year and mom is not, so will be interesting to watch it
happen again, as I am sure it will.

Cathy
Perfect Spot Farm



Mary Hansson wrote:

> The Twigg group has been an interesting work in progress the past few
> months.  On this particular topic, I have been most interested to see
> the families and how they did NOT re-unite between the sheep I got in
> early May and the rest of the flock brought home at the end of
> August.  None of those sheep re-grouped with the original sheep.  They
> all act like they know one another, but the family ties and bonds
> within the flock were not re-built.  If you think about it, often when
> using breeding groups with multiple rams and split up family groups
> within a flock, the family groups do not re-unite after breeding
> season.  New friendships have formed and those seem to last to the
> next breeding season most often.  There are exceptions of course to
> these patterns.Mary Ellen Hansson, ISeeSpots Farm
> Jacob Sheep:  Those horny, fuzzy critters
> Shop:  Knitting, crochet, spinning supplies
> www.iseespots.com (336) 854-6209
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