[Jacob-list] 2 questions

[Tom and Judy Riddolls]

so i have got past lambing ok, i only have 3 lambs but the ewes are healthy 
and my vet says to hold on to the ones that aborted until next near at 
least.

ok questions:

Bloat: a week before lambing i put my ewes into a new pasture that has not 
had animal on it for decades, as there usual pasture was getting pretty sad 
with 10 animals on it.  i noticed tonight that Sharon is all ballooned up, 
her gut is not hard or even firm just fluffy.  I can't tell if she is simply 
stuffing herself with grass or if she has bloat.  she is not showing signs 
of discomfort or difficulty breathing or anything.  the pasture is wild 
grasses with some wild raspberries and apple trees, she only seems to touch 
the grass; the grass went to seed in the last few days.

handling ewes lambs: we plan to keep one or two of our lambs for the flock, 
last year we were going to put a ewe lamb in the freever but then her mother 
died and we kept the lamb out of memory of the mother, but we never touched 
the lambs so as not to get all teary eyed when taking them to the butcher.  
SO, how much handling is enough to produce a tame ewe? I grab the lambs and 
scratch their heands and rub their backs and try to make them at ease twice 
a day when i grain the mothers, should i do more, or less?

thanks
tom

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