SheepTrainer
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Why do ewes sometimes reject there lamb? And I'm very curious as to how smart (or stupid) other people think sheep are.
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I don't know but there's nothing more infuriatingWhy do ewes sometimes reject there lamb? And I'm very curious as to how smart (or stupid) other people think sheep are.
We reckon she knows there's something wrong with it that's why she rejects it.
Abandolamb generally doesn't live for very long when you bring him in...
A lecturer in sheep management told me that putting a ewe that's rejecting a lamb into stocks (so she's forced to take it) will generally accept it when the lamb has digested and passed the milk from that ewe. Don't know if it's true, but it does make sense.
Why do ewes sometimes reject there lamb? And I'm very curious as to how smart (or stupid) other people think sheep are.
All points above make sense. But the one thing that goes against most of these points, is the one that drives me up the wall, at birth of single, take a similar sized triplet pre soak it lamb new born over it, sometimes sometimes not put in a bucket with new born to really share smell. mother adores put on lamb more, for 3 days then decides she hates it. Never do get that. I find if they like it then hate it, stocks or adopters whatever the term is doesn't break them. Putting an old girl to tup sadly for last time, she would have gone 2 years ago if it wasn't given as luck as my daughters sheep, a real character, the saying follows like a sheep, she goes the opposite direction, a real character. A black sheep that from memory has had 1,2,2,3,3,3,2 lambs, never ever taken to a black lamb. Not inciting any silly responses, but gods honest truth, desperate to keep a ewe lamb off of her, last year was supposed to be her last year, had one white ewe lamb one black ram lamb fostered on to another ewe, heres hoping for next year
Whilst I agree with what you're saying in general, that's very different from what @Dry Rot 's lecturer said. I've heard many claim with both calves and sheep that the mother's own milk coming through them will be enough to make them accept them. I personally think that's poppycock.They do. It works well.
The main reason a ewe decides to reject a lamb, is the loss of her scent on the lamb - wether that's from another ewe pinching/licking the lamb at birth, or the lamb repeatedly straying...
All that is needed (usually), is to mend the smell. Put the ewe in stocks or tie her up so that she allows the lamb in to suckle, and the lamb to be in close contact to mother and brother/sister - the smell will come back. Once it comes back and the 2 lambs smell the same, she will accept them.
The fight - flight instinct of leaving a weak lamb only really kicks in, in adverse weather... and usually only because she will leave the lambs for her own survival.
Whilst I agree with what you're saying in general, that's very different from what @Dry Rot 's lecturer said. I've heard many claim with both calves and sheep that the mother's own milk coming through them will be enough to make them accept them. I personally think that's poppycock.
Interesting to hear another opinion.We've had this debate on here about whether pet ewe lambs go on to make good mothers or not.I try not to keep any replacements from such ewes, if possible...also noticed, fostered ewe lambs become poor mother's themselves... Well my experience anyway.