Lambing 2009: Progress Report

As of this evening we have had 36 lambs born with only 2 that didn't make it. considering the mortality rate amongst sheep can be as high as 20%, our rate of under 6% is extremely good. We still have 11 ewes penned in the nursery field but we believe only 7 of them are pregnant. With our current lambing figures of 180% that means we will get another 12 lambs. One disappointment is that we have had a male:female ratio of almost 2:1 (23 males and 13 females), but I originally wanted 15 females to give us the right flock size goig into next year and with a dozen or so left to be born we should do that nicely.

We are also going to pick up another 6 Lacaune yearlings next Friday from the same place we got our others. They are downsizing and we got them for a really good price. Judging by the fact that 4 of the 6 we originally got have lambed so far, all had twins and all had a boy and a girl, they seem to be excellent sheep.

Once lambing is completed and we have picked up the new Lacaunes, I'll be able to determine the flock composition for the end of this year, but as I mentioned in an earlier post we are getting rid of all our wethers and all but one of our older ewes. Feeding the extra mouths isn't cost effective and more sheep eat through the pasture quicker.