Today was a better day (for the most part). In addition to the two lambs born last night, we've had three new lambs so far (all singles). I expanded the paddock that the ewes are in, which made the girls happy. I was on hand this morning when ewe 512 gave birth (unassisted) to a 14 pound lamb! They were doing great tonight when I saw them. Cold and dry is much preferred to cold and wet and windy.
I sometimes hesitate to post photos of the lambs - after all, our main product is meat. In 6-8 months, the lambs that we're caring for today will become the product that earns us our living. Some people have a problem with this. To me, it is part of a cycle. I absolutely love this time of year - new life is amazing. My friend and fellow sheepman Al Medvitz puts it this way: "In this country, we think that death is the opposite of health - it's not. Death can be a healthy and necessary part of life."
With that said, here are a few photos from today.
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| A new "mule" ewe. |
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| Happy sheep! |
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| A new Border Cheviot "mule" ewe. |
There were no new lambs at 2 a.m. this morning. It's cold and clear, and the lambs that had arrived by 11 p.m. are dry and warm - they must be nursing well.
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