[Jacob-list] Help on New Lambs

[Purrfleece Farms]

In past years, I was teaching during lambing time and was called on to help
with tagging, tail reduction, and neutralizing rams by holding the lambs
while Susan did the actual activity.  With her death last Spring after lamb
time, I am now looking at 5 lambs as of Sunday afternoon.  The oldest two
are 2 weeks old today and another is a week old.

I have the equipment to handle the elastic bands for tails but there has
been some controversy on this.  Last year's lambs didn't get their tails
done and frankly they are clean and is they came off, I would hope that
Daniel Boone hats come back in.

Of the first three, two are rams.  I lost one of the first one (from a set
of twins).  I haven't sexed the latest two because they were just getting
settled down yestyerday and this morning.  I understand that the rams become
less aggressive if I band their testicles.  True?  If so, when-now or wait.
We used ear tags and we didn't tag last year's lambs (my wife was getting
progressively weaker at the time).

We have Jacobs and Shetland sheep and the some are crosses between a Jacob
ewe and at least one from Joseph, our very gentle Shetland ram.

Thanks.

Richard

Purrfleece Farms
Mt Vernon AR

pfarms at alltel.net