Our opinion & practice is to not let a ewe get bred till her second fall. That way she lambs for the first time when she is fully two years old.
It takes a Babydoll two full years to mature to adult size. If allowed to be bred her first fall, she will not only need to provide nutrition for her developing lamb(s), but also her own stil
Our opinion & practice is to not let a ewe get bred till her second fall. That way she lambs for the first time when she is fully two years old.
It takes a Babydoll two full years to mature to adult size. If allowed to be bred her first fall, she will not only need to provide nutrition for her developing lamb(s), but also her own still-growing body. You are risking the ewe's health, life and that of the fetus by breeding a ewe her first fall.
We do not feel the potential lamb is worth the life of the ewe by breeding her when she is only about 6 months old.
By waiting until the ewe is in her second fall before breeding her, the ewe will have a better chance for a long healthy life (probably including more lambs throughout her lifetime) and potentially less problems for you.
A happy & healthy ewe is what we always strive for.
In sheep, the length of the estrus cycle ranges from 13 to 19 days and averages 17 days. Estrus is the period of time when the ewe is receptive to the ram and will stand for mating. It lasts approximately 24 to 36 hours.
When the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, ewes will start coming into heat (estrus). They will come into
In sheep, the length of the estrus cycle ranges from 13 to 19 days and averages 17 days. Estrus is the period of time when the ewe is receptive to the ram and will stand for mating. It lasts approximately 24 to 36 hours.
When the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, ewes will start coming into heat (estrus). They will come into heat every 13 to 19 days until they are bred or return to anestrus. Thus, the most natural time for sheep to breed in the U.S. and Canada is;
August thru February.
Signs of estrus in the ewe are;
Source: Sheep 201
The length of pregnancy for a ewe ranges in gestation from 142-152 days with an average of 147 days. Babydoll ewes can have singles, twins or triplets - even quads (though we don't wish for that!)
Look for these signs of impending lambing around day 135 or so. These signs usually mean that delivery will be during the next 2-15 hours. The
The length of pregnancy for a ewe ranges in gestation from 142-152 days with an average of 147 days. Babydoll ewes can have singles, twins or triplets - even quads (though we don't wish for that!)
Look for these signs of impending lambing around day 135 or so. These signs usually mean that delivery will be during the next 2-15 hours. The ewe will feel most comfortable if not disturbed and the birth may proceed more smoothly;
This is the usual order of events during delivery:
Source: Purdue University
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