Author Topic: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing  (Read 3729 times)

Offline awemawson

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Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« on: May 01, 2017, 05:13:58 AM »
Well at last the 2017 lambing season is OVER with the last lamb being born yesterday at 8 am  :thumbup:

However it's not all good news, as the Ewe's hind legs have collapsed and the poor ram lamb can't reach the teats, so it looks like bottle feeding, and another Ewe to go for mutton if she gets up eventually.

It's not been a good season, despite excellent weather and starting bang on 1st April. We've lost lambs to the fox, and had some not prosper, and now this one will be on the bottle for ages  :bang:

The idea of mowing the field with a flail and tractor is ever more attractive  :lol:

« Last Edit: May 03, 2017, 08:16:44 AM by awemawson »
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline howsitwork?

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2017, 04:13:43 PM »
Well at least you can get some sleep now Andrew.  How olds the pup?

Ian

Offline awemawson

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2017, 04:41:24 PM »
Hugo's 3 year old now.

Lambs come indoors into my 'bothy' which is really supposed to be my meat prep area, but is turning into a zoo, one lamb and two goslings at the moment.

Talking of sleeping, this little blighter needs bottle feeding at 1 am and 5 am if anyone wants to volunteer  :bugeye:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline hermetic

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2017, 04:57:39 PM »
 It is a thankless task Andrew, we still have some sheep in East Yorks, but nowhere near as many (thousands!) as we had 30 years ago. I am not directly involved, but used to rig up lights and heaters for the lads that were. A lot gave up after the last F&M outbreak which clamped down on movement, and although we never actually got the disease, a lot of sheep which should have been moved to drier pasture got foot rot, and had to be destroyed, but no compensation!. Just down the road from me, at Kilham, was the biggest sheep sale in the north, which went back to medieval times, all gone now of course. Keep up the good work, and best of luck with them! Very underrated as food, I always loved mutton stew when I was a kid!
Phil
Man who says it cannot be done should not disturb man doing it! https://www.youtube.com/user/philhermetic/videos?

Offline awemawson

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2017, 05:18:52 PM »
We cut back dramatically from 60 or 70 down to only lambing 11 this year, and had hoped for a much easier time ... It wasn't to be  :bang:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline awemawson

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2017, 07:17:27 AM »
Well this is going to end in tears  :bugeye:

The Ewe with the collapsed rear legs was dispatched last night  so is no more. The lamb, that was thriving, started to refuse the bottle and was beginning to look rather gaunt. After 'tubing' re-hydrating fluids directly into the stomach and a dose of anti-biotics it suddenly decided that perhaps it might decide to live after all, and began loudly bleating for the bottle. Since then it's had several four hourly feeds and is thriving !

Of course this has brought out the 'mothering instinct' in the wife - I've just come in from the workshop to find it running about in the house and it's literally skipping about and poking it's nose into everything, and playing with the dogs.

Before long I'm going to have to accept unpopularity and put my foot down - ok most of the ground floor is glazed tiles and mopping up after it is possible, but not on the carpets  :bang:

Gawd the house is going to STINK of sheep  :(

As I said to begin - this is going to end in tears  :hammer:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline Joules

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2017, 09:00:40 AM »
Can't it just end on the barbecue  :drool:
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Offline awemawson

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2017, 09:09:09 AM »
OK Joules, YOU come down here and tell the wife - you'll need more than a 'do not disturb' sign round your neck  :lol:

( it WILL have to go for meat eventually, it's not good enough to keep as a working ram, so it's balls are coming off tomorrow  :bugeye: )
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2017, 01:51:56 PM »
Good heavens, another reason not to visit......................... :drool:
John Stevenson

Offline awemawson

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2017, 02:09:23 PM »
It's alright John, I won't take YOUR balls off  :lol:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline hermetic

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2017, 04:15:22 PM »
 Im reporting this to the moderator, Your'e both talking balls!
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Offline ieezitin

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Re: Last Lamb of 2017 Lambing
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2017, 05:36:23 PM »
After castration pop them in a jiffy bag and send them my way addressed to my wife she can store them in the cupboard with my two.

Anthony.
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