[Jacob-list] breeding, cycling, seperation, etc.........

[Mary Hansson]

Chris,
 
Some ewes are pretty forward in their interests (like some humans).  Grahame Ruddock and I watched one ewe at my place for an hour one morning laughing our heads off.  She was after that poor boy to the point he didn't quite know what he was supposed to do.  She definitely gave new meaning to "foreplay"!
 
Ewes cycle at my place from August/September through into January if they aren't in with a ram.  Most of the activity is over by December, even with girls that have not been with the boys.  If you put Rambo Ram in with Sally Ewe 3 days after Sally Ewe cycled, he will catch her on the next go-round somewhere around 12-14 days later.  If for some reason he is worn out from having covered over 50 other ewes the night before Sally Ewe cycles, then he will just catch up with her in another 14-16 days from then.  Does this make sense?
 
In short, don't put rams in until the time period you would want lambs about 5 months later, and take them out when you think you will be sick and tired of more lambs.  It is the extremely rare ewe that has delivered June-late December in the Jacob world.  There are usually extenuating circumstances in each case (or lack of availability of Rambo Ram August-Dec).
 
Hope all is well over in the mountains.  Piedmont NC is looking fine and we are getting cooler again.  All 3 ram groups are intact, and only one pipsqueak ram that has caused problems on both sides of his fence with both other adult rams.  And don't EVEN ask why the girls were hanging around STUDLY PIPSQUEAK!  He isn't (studly) better than their own boyfriends, and size does seem of interest to these sheep in years past.  GO FIGURE.  The girls just cannot ever be satisfied.
 
Mary Ellen




Mary Ellen Hansson, MEd, RD, LDN
ISeeSpots Farm
Jacob Sheep:  Lambs, adults, wool
www.iseespots.com
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