Lamb Grafting Tips

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Grafting is a practice that may take a little extra effort on the front end, but can help to avoid problems in the long run. The grafting methods and tips below work best for us in our management system and may work for you. Reasons and Methods of Grafting Lambs There are several reasons to graft lambs. Ewes may have too many lambs, or there may be one lamb who is much smaller than its siblings to compete well. Mismothering events may create situations where lambs need to be grafted to their natural mother or to a foster ewe. Unfortunately,…

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Udder Health in Ewes: Mastitis, Udder Scores and Management

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Ewes only have two teats and hopefully raise at least twin lambs, so maintaining healthy udders and culling ewes with udder problems is important to minimize lamb losses and bottle lambs while ensuring optimal growth of lambs on your farm. Mastitis leads to lower weaning weights in lambs of affected dams, takes time and money for treatment, as well as slowing down genetic progress due to forced culling of ewes. Rates of mastitis are variable across different farms. It is important to keep track of the percentage of ewes that get mastitis each year or are culled for lumpy udders…

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Producer Profile: Vince Pope, Double Ewe Farm

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As a dairy nutritionist by training, Vince Pope knows well the science of raising sheep. However, he feels there is a lot of art in raising sheep as well. This art is just as important as science in producing strong animals, yet often takes many years to master. That education happens on the fields and in the barns, as the rhythm of each year moves forward. Vince grew up on this land of Double Ewe Farm in the rolling hills of southern Wisconsin, which was bought by his great grandfather in 1912. Four generations in his family have farmed this…

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The Shepherd’s Toolbox: Supplies to have on-hand before you need them

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Fall and early Winter, when the seasonal workload lessens, is often a good time to focus on our sheep supply inventory. We usually think of this when getting ready for lambing, but as shepherds we should always be prepared throughout the year for emergencies, mishaps, and unforeseen circumstances. Having some key supplies on-hand can prevent undue delay in necessary treatment and management of your flock. Following is a list of important items shepherds should have on hand, including basic handling equipment. Support Network Veterinarian – Probably the most important "tool" is a good working relationship with a veterinarian. It's best…

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Data Collection for NSIP

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Data collection is the cornerstone of obtaining Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) through the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP). But the need for good records and accurate data is not limited to producers submitting data to NSIP. All flocks can benefit from good data collection since selection and culling decisions should be based on measured production criteria. Those considering joining NSIP at some point, will find collecting accurate data from the start will be helpful. There are many excellent resources (see Resources below) that describe the individual traits and/or give detailed instructions for entering the data into Pedigree Master. This document…

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