We have been homesteading for about 6 years. this is our first real attempt with sheep. (the kids had a weather last year in 4-h) We now have 6 registered, bread Hampshire ewes. what are we in for? any tricks of the trade? [ I did not go into this blind I know how to raise and feed them I would like to hear form other homesteaders rasing sheep ]

Question #2 would you line breed, inbreed, or out breed your flook and why Grant

-- Grant Eversoll (theegrange@earthlink.net), December 23, 1999

Answers

The number one thing to do with pregnant sheep is to keep an eye on them. The ewes will wait for the worst night of the year, ie;ice storm, blizzard,sub-zero weather, etc.., to go into labor. They seem to prefer the early am hours also. Sheep can be stupid when it comes to babies. They can have the first of twins, clean it up, have the second one, and then treat the first one like it belongs to someone else. They should be separated from the others for a couple of days so that the kids don't get abused by the other ewes and there is no confusion as to who is the momma. Snow fence works good for this if you don't have separate pens. Good luck Grant

-- Leslie Ann Rigley (imguard@telenet.net), December 26, 1999.

After doing some extensive research and trying it on our own flock over the years, I believe you can have some control over the time of day sheep will lamb related to when you feed them. It seems like when their stomachs are the emptiest is when they usually go into labor. We have experimented graining and haying twice a day and than once a day. Now we feed the ewes late morning. Most of our lambs are born between 6AM and 10AM. A far more reasonable time than midnight. Another practice we do is to shear the ewes a couple of weeks before they are due. It makes it far easier to spot a ewe in labor, easier for the lambs to nurse, and the sheep really do take up less room in the barn. We don't have lambs in Dec. or Jan. anymore. Too cold. Now they are out as long as possible on grass or hay (exercise is also very important to help prevent toxemia, etc.) and than when they are sheared we keep them in the barn. We no longer use heatlamps after a close encounter with a near fire. Now I save old wool sweaters (from friends, rummage sales etc.) and cut off sleeves for lamb jackets. Works great and makes for an interesting flock! Vaccinate you ewes about 4 weeks before lambing with C&D and Tetanus and the lambs will accquire this immunity for the first few weeks. I hope some of these ideas help you. As far as linebreeding goes, we breed the daughters back to the ram, but after that generation we get a new bloodline. I would not breed a ram to his sisters as you can also bring out negative traits. Good luck. A good book is Raising Sheep The Modern Way by Paula Simmons......available through the Countryside bookstore.

-- kate henderson (sheeplady@catskill.net), December 26, 1999.

Deliverin sheep babes is a lot like coppin a feel. When reach into the sheep hole do it with some feelin'. likes ya mean it. That will make da sheep woman feel good and shell deliver at least two more babes. thats bout all i know.email me if you got some questions.

-- farmer Jessie Brownburg (thnautica853@aol.com), December 27, 1999.

Our biggest mistake was not using a marking harness on the ram for the first two years when breeding. We lost lambs just because we didn't have an accurate enough due date, and didn't breed some ewes that we assumed were already bred. You can get them at NASCO. A good book is essential to the novice too. David

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), December 28, 1999.

Thanks for all of your good ansewrs Grant

-- Grant Eversoll (theegrange@earthlink.net), December 29, 1999.

I am findiing out there is lot to know about minerals and proper feeding of pregnant ewes. I was just giving them straight corn. Now I am looking for grain with proper miinerals and selenium. Plus this area does not have grain for coccidious(sp) so I must give them Sulmet in their water. The book Managing your Ewes by Laura Lawson has been a great help. I have Paula Simmons and that was okey when we raised lambs for the table only. But raising Ewes is whole different ball game as I am finding out. I wish you luck as I need it also with my first time lambing here real soon.

-- Debbie Wolcott (bwolcott@cwis.net), December 30, 1999.

Grant, Question No. 2 Breed those Hamp ewes to a Romanov ram, of course. He'll small down that head on the Hamp lambs. (You'll see what I mean when those ewes have those big Hamp lambs.) Don't get discouraged by this first lambing. It is easy to feed the ewes and have them a bit too fat and the lambs a little big to get born with no problems. If you get some big, dumb, slow starting lambs, just get them warmed up and their bellies full of colostrum and consider this a learning experience.

Read up on the Romanovs

www.marietta.edu/~blacksto

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), January 05, 2000.

Question? why would I want to breed registered Hamp ewes to a Romanov?

-- Grant Eversoll (theegrange@earthlink.net), January 06, 2000.

Cross breeding can bring you fast growing ,healthy beatiful lambs or maybe not .In the best you get the best traits from both breeds .I think what was meant here was to breed to a smaller ram to get smaller birth weight lambs ,which means less birthing problems more live lambs . This could be a great idea for the 1 time moms . good luck, Patty

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), January 07, 2000.

The principle is the same whether with sheep or cattle. Crossbreeding is done to get hybrid vigor in the lambs. Called heterosis, it affects everything from rate of gain to live-ability. If you plan to sell market lambs, you will get a top gaining, top quality lamb. If you plan to keep back the females to expand the flock, they will carry the multiple birth ability of the Romanov and make excellent mothers with good milking ability. Either way, - keeping or selling,- the Romanov ram will give you the hybrid vigor in the lambs that he sires.

We make our living with sheep here in Ohio on some pretty rough ground. We "wring" every bit of productivity out of our ewes that is possible. The Romanov genetics help.

If your plan is to raise registered Hamp breeding stock, of course you would not use another breed of ram. It is all about what you plan to do.

-- homestead2 (homestead@monroecty.net), January 08, 2000.

That makes sense to me, I have just always had cross breed animals and am trying to get a foot hold with a good breed of something. thank you for your input, it's the only way I can learn Grant

-- Grant Eversoll (theegrange@earthlink.net), January 08, 2000.

Grant, your questions are giving me flashbacks to my first few lambing seasons. I'll never forget the first time I had to "go in" up to my elbow. I have been raising a small flock of sheep for about 10 years now and I think I have had about every lambing presentation and problem that there is (Well, probably not everything, but a lot). My sheep are lambing right now so I hope I don't jinx myself by saying that! I never, and I mean never, call a vet for a lambing problem. Most don't know anything and they are so rough and just yank those babies out. No one cares about your animals like you do. I live in southwest Ohio (Lebanon) and would be more than happy to help you any way I can with any kind of question. My basic sheep, goat, and chicken raising philosophy is to take good care of my animals while spending as little money as possible. I've tried all kinds of feeds, vaccines, and supplements, and think I have honed it down to the essentials. But back to lambing, I think I could talk you through any delivery. Immediate lamb care for weak lambs is critical as well. It's really rotten to lose a brand new lamb after all that gestation time. The most important thing about raising any kind of animal ( or person for that matter) is to know your animals well. Then you know if things are going well or not just by observing them. I used to spend a lot of time in the sheep pen when I was new at it just watching normal behavior so that I new what abnormal behavior looked like. Also, when you go to check your ready- to-deliver ewes, spend some time really looking at them. If they're standing in the corner looking distracted and not chewing their cud, or talking to thier soon to be born lamb in that very low mama sheep voice, they'll be delivering soon. If you want a detailed account of all the stages of delivery and when to intervene, just ask. I've probably yacked enough for now. I would enjoy sharing what I know with anyone. It's hard won knowledge that most of the people I know aren't interested in. Debi Beck

-- Debi Beck (ww6721@dragonbbs.con), February 11, 2000.