Biosecurity Testing

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Sheep can be affected by infectious diseases that affect the productivity of your flock. Some diseases can only be transmitted by close contact between sheep, as the organisms responsible only survive in the environment for a short time. Other diseases can be spread via people, vehicles, birds, insects and wildlife, as the organisms responsible can survive in the environment for extended periods of time. It is easier to keep diseases that are spread…

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Three Common Genetic Defects to Look for when Buying or Selling Sheep

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As the 4th Annual EAPK sale approaches, we’re expecting some very high quality Katahdins available for purchase in our unique sale format.  This hybrid sale gives eligible consignors the option to either physically bring their animals to the EAPK Symposium & Sale or consign them to the online sale only.  Buyers attending the EAPK Symposium will have an advantage in that they will have the opportunity to talk to the breeder and inspect…

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The “Ram”bunctious Ram: A Discussion on Ram Behaviors

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As sheep producers, we all need two important things to get lambs on the ground: ewes and at least one ram, depending on the size of the ewe flock. The purchase of a quality ram can be quite an investment. Understanding proper management and handling of your ram is vital to keeping the producer and everyone on the farm safe, while ensuring the health and longevity of the ram. Here are some points…

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NSIP Data Entry – Dead At Birth (DAB)

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Not all lambs make it all the way from conception to birth. On occasion we see a litter where some are full term healthy lambs, but there is also a mummy or a partially formed lamb. Deciding how to enter data in these cases can be confusing. But here are some guidelines to help you decide how to enter these lambs.  Keep in mind that the birth type of a lamb is used…

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Prepubic Tendon Rupture

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Pregnant ewes experience a tremendous strain on their abdominal muscles and tendons as their lambs grow, especially during the last few weeks of pregnancy. The abdominal muscles and tendons are attached to the ribcage, vertebrae and pelvis (grey lines in picture) with the muscles and tendons forming a hammock (pink) that supports the abdominal organs. As the lambs grow, this hammock stretches and gets thinner and is under more pressure. The prepubic tendon…

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Orphan Lamb Considerations

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Sooner or later, nearly every shepherd has a lamb that needs to be supplemented. Whether it's a rejected lamb, one whose dam has died, or simply a lamb whose dam has insufficient milk, identifying these lambs early and getting them off to a good start is essential. Other lambs at special risk include twins out of yearling dams, triplets or quads, and lambs whose dams have or have had mastitis. Start by ensuring…

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Producer Profiles: Lambing Flow in Different Operations

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As producers we organize our barns for lambing according to what works best in our own situation. Here, three producers, from Iowa, Kentucky and Maine, share how they manage their sheep during lambing, with a focus on barn lambing. Producers were asked to describe how their lambing barn is organized and how they manage the flow of ewes and lambs. They also describe the barn's physical structure, lambing and mixing areas, jugs, feeding,…

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Ruminations on Lambing Season

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Lambing season encompasses the last few weeks of gestation through lambing and early lactation. There are a lot of preventable problems that can arise during this season and derail the health and productivity of your ewes and lamb crop. Below is a compilation of management tips to help keep your pregnant ewes healthy, get your lambs off to a good start and decrease the stress and workload for tired shepherds. These tips are…

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Colostrum

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The best diet that you can offer your lambs is good quality colostrum, followed by milk that they consume straight from their healthy, well-fed dam. Unfortunately, things do not always go as planned and all shepherds should be ready to, at least temporarily, supplement or replace a lamb's colostrum needs in case their dam is unable to do so. What is colostrum? The "milk" that ewes produce in the days leading up to…

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Lambing Interventions

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We all love finding new lambs all dried off and nursing, but sometimes ewes need a little help to get there. In general, less intervention is better and if ewes are not having trouble, they will do better lambing and bonding with their lambs if you do not disturb them while in labor. Know what to look for as signs of distress and be sure to intervene sooner rather than later if it…

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