NSIP Data Entry – Dead At Birth (DAB)

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:6 mins read
  • Loading

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…

Continue ReadingNSIP Data Entry – Dead At Birth (DAB)

Prepubic Tendon Rupture

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:7 mins read
  • Loading

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…

Continue ReadingPrepubic Tendon Rupture

Ruminations on Lambing Season

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:23 mins read
  • Loading

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…

Continue ReadingRuminations on Lambing Season

Colostrum

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:21 mins read
  • Loading

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…

Continue ReadingColostrum

Lambing Interventions

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:9 mins read
  • Loading

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…

Continue ReadingLambing Interventions

Late Gestation Management Considerations

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:9 mins read
  • Loading

Ewes are bred, the holidays are just around the corner, and for all of us with winter lambing flocks, lambing season is almost here. Over the last year, we have invested in high quality genetics to move our flocks forward and now it's important that we make sure our next generation of lambs gets off to the right start. This begins with good late gestation management. I have summarized nutritional requirements in Table…

Continue ReadingLate Gestation Management Considerations

Small Flock Lambing Facilities

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:4 mins read
  • Loading

The versatility of sheep offers a gateway into sustainable land management and food production, a low input meat source and an overall easy-care animal for a variety of individuals. As the number of small-flock EAPK members increases, the appeal for a befitting column has cropped up. Whether you are a new shepherd, small holder, homesteader, CSA farmer, or hobby farmer, there are some unique features to how small producers operate. As small producers,…

Continue ReadingSmall Flock Lambing Facilities

Prolapses in Sheep

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:13 mins read
  • Loading

There are three structures that can prolapse and be visible under a ewe's tail: vagina, uterus and rectum. Vaginal and uterine prolapses can affect ewes around lambing and will be discussed here. Vaginal Prolapse A vaginal prolapse occurs when a ewe's vagina protrudes out of her vulva. Most prolapses occur in the last few days or weeks of pregnancy. It usually starts with the ewe laying down and you just see a small…

Continue ReadingProlapses in Sheep

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

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:14 mins read
  • Loading

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…

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

Pregnancy Diagnosis

  • Post author:
  • Reading time:7 mins read
  • Loading

There are various options for diagnosing pregnancy in sheep. The cost/benefit analysis for doing this procedure depends on what you are going to do with the information. Your reasons for doing pregnancy diagnosis will also dictate which method you want to employ. In general, the earlier in pregnancy the diagnosis is made, the larger the risk of false positive results due to early embryonic loss. If avoiding false positive pregnancy diagnosis is essential…

Continue ReadingPregnancy Diagnosis