[Jacob-list] weaning

[Paintedrockfarm at aol.com]

Hi Bill,
 
Congrats on a successful lambing season!
 
We normally wean our Jacobs at around 3 months of age, keeping siblings  
together for about a month.  At 4 months, we separate boys from girls and  put the 
boys in a pen together.  Because we keep a number of rams, we often  divide 
this pen up between our adult groups.  As for the ewe lambs,  normally we put 
them back in with the adult ewes. 
I'd rather see my ewes dry up completely then have a ewe lamb on them until  
late summer.  This isn't always the case, especially in a late birth at  
season's end -- it does help when the lambs are ewes here! :) 
 
Our experience has shown that the lambs enjoy each others company,  
especially siblings being able to stay together when mom is "away".  It  seems to us 
that it is less stressful on the lambs, although probably a bit more  stress on 
the ewe not having any lambs tag along.  
 
About 2 weeks before weaning, we began to decrease any grain (or fresh  
pasture access) to all adult ewes.  At the same time, we increase lamb food  
sources, including alfalfa hay & pellets, grain access and their own  "personal" 
entrance to a grassy area that mom's cannot get into -- believe me,  this can 
prove difficult at times with the more determined ewes!   We offer dry hay to the 
moms, increasing this food source while  decreasing the grain and grass 
access as I mentioned earlier.  Then, we do  a final "cold turkey", mom moving 
extravaganza that really sets the farm  into baa's!
 
We move the ewes to a field on the other side of our property (over  a hill) 
from where the lambs are -- double checking ALL fence for  security.  We have 
found most of the time,  out-of-sight-out-of-mind does help a great deal so we 
pen the lambs in the  barn for a few days too.  It helps to have a radio 
handy in the  barn!  We turn it up some to keep the lambs from being able to hear  
their mom's.  We also utilize our small group of "retirees" in for  baby 
sitting duty, which does help the babies adjust.  One ewe in  particular is GREAT 
for baby sitting and she loves the pampered life style of  barn life.  We 
offer her a bit of extra feed at this point for her  "services".  She doesn't seem 
to mind it really until a lamb tries to  nurse off her -- at least she is 
gently when she nudges them away!
 
Again, congrats on a successful lambing season and best of luck on the  
weaning process!
 
Cheryl
Mike  & Cheryl Terrano
_Painted  Rock Farm_ (http://members.aol.com/paintedrockfarm) 
Route 4 Box 726
Buckhannon, WV  26201-9205
(304) 457-6620 
_paintedrockfarm at aol.com_ (http://paintedrockfarm@aol.com/) 
Breeders of Registered Jacob Sheep & French Angora  Rabbits
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