I like to pail train the ewes lambs separate from the ewes. It lets them make decisions with their juvenile brains and not just their mom’s brains. It also lets them gain trust with me which comes in handy someday when they lamb. I have a pretty small flock and I don’t have a handling system so I have a hands on approach with all of my ewes to develop easy to handle ewes.
My last reel was too long so this is a continuation of ram lamb walk through
Walk through with some of the ram lambs.
Yesterday I said goodbye to the best Ram I’ve ever had. He fell on Friday and his balance was off. He was eating and drinking Friday night but yesterday morning when I got to the barn, I said my goodbye as he took his last breath. I think he might have waited for me🥲Rest in Peace Sunnylodge Cam, 10 years old. You are the foundation of my whole flock and will live on through all your daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters. You produced so many lambs for other peoples flocks as well. I will miss your deep voice and that gorgeous boop of your nose.
This is great information for people that are just getting into dorpers. They are a pretty interesting breed and so versatile in harsh conditions.
Moved Seamus in with the March monsters🤣Seamus is 2 years old and will be for sale this fall. I never turn my back on a ram but if I had to choose one I had to turn my back on, it would be Seamus. His temperament has always been good, he leads well, he stands well for washing, clipping and hoof trimming. Just an overall easy ram to handle.
It’s been raining literally every other day here in Renfrew County. Kevin has been cutting a bit of hay at a time because the gamble of cutting a whole field is way too risky. This hay got a bit of rain but still looks pretty good. I have a friend @ewetopiafarms that her hubby calls these idiot bales…….right Lynn🤣? They still are the best during lambing season when the ewes are in their lambing pens. #hayseason2024 #farming #farmingincanada #farming365
Yesterday was final vaccinations for the Ironman group. Ewe lambs are back out with the flock. I’m always amazed at the ewes that take back their lambs and love them so much, even though their milk is all dried off. Janelle was so happy to have her ewe lamb back she hasn’t left her side🩷stay tuned for farmgate Ram sale coming up soon. #dorper #dorpersheep #dorpercanada #ontariosheepfarmers
I don’t often let the ewes see themselves on camera, some of their expressions are priceless🤣
Girls are looking super white and fresh! Love their summer coats🩷#dorper #dorpersheep #hairsheep #ontariosheepfarmers
Weaning day 2
Ironman/April group weaning time. It’s actually not as loud as most of the Ironman group are almost 3 months old. There were a few stragglers, 2 are only 2 months old but weaned them anyways. They were well established on creep ration. Three lambs weren’t weaned as they were only born last month. It’s always so nice to give the ewes a well deserved break.
Weaning day 2
Ironman/April lambs weaning is going well. Not as loud as I thought it might be. Three lambs won’t be weaned yet as they were the stragglers born last month. It’s always nice to give the ewes a well deserved break.
Getting ready to wean the Ironman group. We were in a major heat wave this week so I delayed their vaccinations. A few lambs were born later in this group because the ewes missed a cycle last fall. Probably going to wean everyone at once just so the ewes can all dry off at the same time. For anyone that has asked about the Ironman lambs available for sale, I am thinking of an online sale at some point as there is just so much interest in them and I want to be fair. I will post about the sale and will advertise and let everyone know when it will be. Again I only have 6 Ironman ewe lambs and I’ll be retaining them, so it will only be RAM lambs available. I’m hoping to get pictures and videos up of the ram lambs available. Stay tuned 😊
March lambs are getting weaned today, ear plugs mandatory🤣#dorper #dorpersheep #hairsheep #ontariosheepfarmers
Erin’s lamb had one leg back, and a big head. I had to reach in and pull up the other leg. I still couldnt get the lamb out, the head was very big. I learned a trick this year to pop the head via the secondary exit. I’m not sure if you can see how I did it but you can see my panic when the lamb did not breathe right away. Vigorous rubbing was my first instinct and I was so relieved to hear that first breath. Lambing is stressful and I’m a helicopter sheperd with my registered nurse instinct in my soul. Losses happen during lambing, it’s heartbreaking sometimes. So happy to have lambing done for this year. Happy Mothers day weekend to all💗
So I’ve been keeping a very big secret since November 11th. We welcomed Dr Lynn Tait and her OCFlock Management team to perform embryo transfer and artificial insemination. Welcome Amarula Ironman! Ariel received an embryo Mountain View Goliath and RamH Luna. She carried him to full term and he is a 14 pound thumper already. We only had 6 ewe lambs so I will be retaining them. 13 ram lambs are doing well and I will have a limited number of them for sale.
And we are off, nice set of twins from first timer Lynsey.
Can’t wait🥰lambs will soon be arriving.
