With few exceptions, all of our ewes eat their placentas immediately after giving birth. The first time this did not happen was last weekend, when our ewe "Comeback" (the origin of that name is a long story) had twins and either didn't have time or wasn't interested in finishing the job.
My understandingis that they do this to eliminate the evidence that can attract predators to their new lambs. Sure enough, as soon as we got Comeback and her lambs into the pen, two big turkey vultures were sitting on the fence right above the two placentas... David Sussman, Sussman Farm Sebastopol CA On Wed, May 14, 2014 at 1:22 PM, Michael Smith <mwsmotorspo...@gmail.com>wrote: > Forgot to comment. I have read they might eat placentas as well. But, to > date, after 10 or so births at my place over several years, none have. > > Wondering if the more experienced sheepherders can comment on that one? > > -Michael Smith, Perino Ranch blackbellies > > Sent from my iPad > > > On May 14, 2014, at 7:37 AM, mtnrdgr...@aol.com wrote: > > > > This was my first year of lambing so I don't have much experience. But > most of my ewes pawed the ground quite a bit for the first few days after > lambing. I don't think sheep eat the placenta. At least none of mine did, > and everyone seems healthy and fine now. > > > > Best Wishes, > > Jann > > Mountain Ridge Ranch and > > KayaKyi Kennels > > American Blackbelly Sheep > > Tibetan Mastiffs > > PBGVs and GBGVs > > mrr.mysite.com > > https://www.facebook.com/KayakyiPBGVsAndGBGVs > > AKC Breeder of Merit > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: David Sussman <david.gadog...@gmail.com> > > To: blackbelly <blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info> > > Sent: Wed, May 14, 2014 8:15 am > > Subject: [Blackbelly] New mother pawing the ground > > > > We have a new mother ewe, her first time, who just gave birth to two > males > > this morning. Throughout the day we have noticed her continuing to paw > at > > the ground like she had been doing in the previous days, but from what > > we've read it is unusual for it to continue after birth. This is her > first > > experience so it's possible that she is just nervous (she is normally > very > > personable) but we are a bit concerned about a third (possibly > stillborn?) > > lamb in her. I have been checking for the placenta but haven't seen it > > (she may have eaten in when I wasn't around) so it's possible that she's > > still waiting to pass it and that is causing her behavior. > > > > To clarify, she has been penned with her two lambs with ample straw and > > generally digs at the hard dirt below the straw as opposed to the straw > > itself. > > > > At what point should we start to be concerned? We've had about a dozen > > births here so far but nothing quite like this. We appreciate the help. > > > > David Sussman > > Sebastopol, CA > > _______________________________________________ > > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > _______________________________________________ > This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list > Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info > _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
