[Jacob-list] Breeding elderly ewes

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

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>At what age do you feel a ewe is too old to breed? Do you just look at the

individual ewe and their over all?condition? 

>Thank you, 

>Cheryl 

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With us it depends on the health of the ewe.  One ewe was too old at age 7.
She was having some minor health problems and the next year most of her
front teeth were loose.  I stopped having her bred.  I still have her
because she was one of my first ewes and now I am too attached to the four
old gals to get rid of them.  I have another old ewe that gave birth last
year to twins when she was 12 years old.  I didn't want to have her bred
but she accidently got pregnant when she jumped into the ram/wethers
paddock area.  She was originally in the pasture and saw me putting out
feed in the ewe area.  She knew that the shortest distance to the food is a
straight line, so she tried to cut through the boy's area.  I tried to get
her out fast, but I wasn't fast enough, 5 months later she had twins.  She
probably is healthy enough to continue breeding, but there is no need and
the risks are greater; so she is retired (unless she jumps in the ram's pen
again).. 

Cathy
Moscow, Idaho