[Jacob-list] big/small lambs?

[Melanie Boxall]

Good point. Other than that the important thing for me is that they don't need any assistance. In ten years we've never had to step in and do anything during a delivery and that suits me just fine. 

Melanie
In medio stat virtus

http://ministats.free.fr/world_redirection.php?ville=obsville




  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Linda 
  To: Melanie Boxall ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:11 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] big/small lambs?


  I don't think you can consider a lamb premature going only by the birth weight.  You got to factor in vigor and development.  A fully formed 4 lb lamb that is up and nursing in 15 minutes is not premature. 

  Linda
   
  www.patchworkfibers.com
  Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn


  > We do weigh, simply because all our less than perfect lambs get
  > sold to a Greek restauranteur and we need a guide to how big
  > they'll be for the Greek Orthodox Easter (24th April this year),
  > and I've never had a single below 6lbs or a twin below 4lbs. I
  > would tentatively suggest that anything smaller is premature?
  > Biggest was 11lbs, a single ram, and he went in OUR freezer for bad
  > markings. Plug ugly. Massive head.
  >
  > Melanie
  > In medio stat virtus
  >
  > http://ministats.free.fr/world_redirection.php?ville=obsville
  >
  >
  >> ----- Original Message -----
  >> From: paintedrockfarm at aol.com
  >> To: patchworkfibers at alltel.net ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com Sent:
  >> Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:51 PM Subject: Re: [Jacob-list]
  >> big/small lambs?
  >>
  >>
  >> HI Linda,
  >>
  >> Our lambs tend to remain on the large side right from birth but
  >> seem to be smaller as yearlings than others I've compared
  >> too....hmmmm
  >>
  >> Our flock matriarch, Barking Rock Brie, routinley popped 10 lb
  >> twins with ease for many years - last 2 times we bred her at 10 &
  >> 11 yrs., she singled each time with 12 lb. lambs.  Most of our
  >> lambs average 7-8 lbs. even for twins, triplets generally 6-7
  >> lbs. each.  Single births hover around the 9 lb. mark most years.
  >>
  >> Exceptions, yes....Sweetgrass Tegwen always has tiny babies! 4-5
  >> lbs. tops, all ewe lambs thus far too.  Birch, Layleigh's dam,
  >> singled for us one year and delivered a 13 lb. lamb with very
  >> little trouble.  She is a bigger Culloden (Fieldwood) ewe and a
  >> good thing or she might not have had him. 
  >>
  >> One of our triplet mom's, Brighton Pansy, averages close to 7-8
  >> lbs. even with triplets -- WOW!
  >>
  >> B-T-W we normally feed hay only until after lambing so not sure
  >> why the big babies.  We grain our l acting ewes and/or any ewe
  >> who seems to not have wintered well for the last 2 weeks of
  >> gestation.  Those we grain and those we don't still have 7-8 lb.
  >> lambs, mostly twins.  We found more triplet births in years we
  >> did a flushing program and more singles in damp summer/fall. 
  >> just some observances over the years.
  >>
  >> It has been like that since our first lambing year and we weigh
  >> each lamb at birth, then 2 days (tagging & docking) where we see
  >> most have already gained at least a pound, sometimes more.
  >> Weighing again at a week or two, then 30 days and monthly as best
  >> we can.
  >>
  >> Certainly seems interesting!
  >>
  >> Cheryl in WV
  >>
  >>
  >> -----Original Message-----
  >> From: Linda
  >> To: Jacob-list
  >> Sent: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 6:36 pm
  >> Subject: [Jacob-list] big/small lambs?
  >>
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  >> What's the biggest and smallest lambs (at birth) you've ever had?
  >> I admit that I don't usually weigh lambs anymore unless they are
  >> really big or really small. As long as they are healthy and
  >> vigorous, I'm happy.
  >> My smallest lamb was barely 3 lbs and born last year. He's not a
  >> huge yearling now, but doesn't look out of place with the other
  >> yearling rams.  My biggest lamb was 11 lbs. He was a difficult
  >> birth for his dam (who was somewhat overweight).  Most of my
  >> lambs are 5 to 6 lbs.
  >>
  >> Linda
  >>
  >> www.patchworkfibers.com
  >> Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn
  >>
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