I would agree with what Mark W. said. I also think you have a lamb that was born a few days to a week early. This happens for many reasons, some nutritional, and some environmental. You did the right thing. You are lucky that Momma decided to take the baby. I have only had one orphan in the last 7 years, and that was enough!!! Sometimes if they do not have a good place to get off to themselves you can have an abandoned lamb. This happens a lot in the wooled breeds.
My advice on the Ram is to put him in the freezer or take him to a sale!! I have caught them by the horns as they ram and flip them on their backs and then set on them for a few minutes. This really makes them sick as it turns all the rumen contents around and if done for too long they will aspirate stomach contents. However, it puts the fear in them.. You need to be quick to do it. I weigh over 300 lbs so I have a little size advantage... Cecil in OKla ----- Original Message ----- From: "The Wintermutes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 1:11 PM Subject: Re: [blackbelly] Ram pen suggestions --- also lamb weight/probs? > > Hi Elizabeth, > > The archives are full of posts on aggressive rams! My opinion is you will > not be taming him down. Keep anyone or thing you don't want hurt away > from > him. If possible get him a buddy to stay in the pen with him. I have > found > a much larger "Friendly" ram capable of knocking the steam out of the > "Aggressive" ram helps tremendously! Once the pecking order is > established > you might be able to be around the aggressive ram using caution. > > Fencing in a ram is tough! I have had several T-posts sheared off at the > ground from ramming. I raise Polled Barbados Blackbelly rams and the > posts > don't stand a chance! I recommend 13-line cattle panels with posts every > 5 > to 8 feet apart. Put an electric fence on the inside at ramming height to > save your panels from destruction. It doesn't have to be a very large > fencer/charger if that is all you will be using it for. > > My newborns average 7 pounds and nurse within 30 minutes of birth > (usually). > Within 24 hours the lambs are very difficult to run down and catch! > > I do not think you intervened too soon! Look at the momma and make sure > she > is in good condition. It is very dry and the grass this time of year is > losing or has lost its nutrients! Give mom some grain supplement for the > next three months unless your grass is great! Pull mom's lower eye lid > down > and make sure it is a healthy red/pink and not pasty white. If it doesn't > have much color worm ASAP. This is the time of year parasites are in full > swing! Give the baby some probiotics and/or some energy supplement > (Nutridrench) until it starts running all over the place. Listless is not > a > normal description of a Blackbelly lamb! > > Good luck and stay safe! > Mark Wintermute > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Elizabeth Willhite > Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 12:23 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [blackbelly] Ram pen suggestions --- also lamb weight/probs? > > Hi to all-- we acquired a small flock of American blackbellys about 6 > weeks ago. My name is Elizabeth and we live in SW Idaho next to the > Oregon border. Anyhow, All was dandy-- and they were getting pretty > friendly 'til the ram decided it was great fun to torment me. The > steel handled shovel I just happened to be carrying only infuriated > him more-- so I used one of my goats as a shield as I slowly backed > out. A few days ago we built him his own little bachelor pad. About 20 > by 20 with 5 ft. chain link fencing. Yesterday, while my husband was > out of state, of course ;-)... he decided he wanted out and got thru > the fence. I fixed it and drove in 2 more posts to reinforce, ect. > Half an hour later he went thru the chin link gate-- ripping the > insides out. I gave up 'til hubby gets home. But we have no idea what > to do-- (I might add when when we rounded the flock up to take home > this guy jumped over and cleared a 6 ft. man)--- don't really want to > do an electric fence. Don't want him to run with the herd as I need to > get in that pasture to attend to the other animals and we have kids. > Any suggestions? How do I keep this guy locked up??? > > Another question... during all this fuss one of my ewes lambed--- all > went well with the birth but was surprised it was a single as she > normally has 2 or 3. This little girl is really small-- just short of > 5 lbs. She seemed really weak and worried me as she hadn't nursed for > the first 3 hrs. I confined the ewe and tried to attach her but she > wouldn't/couldn't grab on. I ended up milking the ewe and syringe > feeding her-- then thru the night did this every 2-3 hrs-- trying each > time to get her to latch on. Mom was excellent and humored me at my > first milking attempts and no rejection to the lamb. Finally after 24 > hrs, baby seems to have gotten the hang of it and is now finding and > nursing all on her own. My question is----- IS this normal? Did I > intervene too soon? Being my first, I had no idea. I did have a friend > come out and get her opinion as she does sheep--- but NOT hair sheep > and she was shocked how small and listless the lamb was-- she didn't > think she would make it. > Thanks, > Elizabeth > _______________________________________________ > 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
