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Letting weaned lambs back with mothers?

  • 24-07-2016 07:22PM
    #1
    Bleating Lamb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,982 ✭✭✭


    Think Sea12 had something similar up lately but can't come across it.not a practice I would engage in but good quality grass distribution in spots this year on farm means it would suit to let weaned ewes back into lambs who are in great grass for about a fortnight.Ewes will be on restricted diet on bare field for another week(lambs weaned last weekend) but might then let them back with the lambs for a few weeks.
    Is there any danger the lambs would 'remember' them after a fortnight and try to go back sucking.Not something you want to see happening!


Comments

  • #2
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    Bleating Lamb wrote: »
    Think Sea12 had something similar up lately but can't come across it.not a practice I would engage in but good quality grass distribution in spots this year on farm means it would suit to let weaned ewes back into lambs who are in great grass for about a fortnight.Ewes will be on restricted diet on bare field for another week(lambs weaned last weekend) but might then let them back with the lambs for a few weeks.
    Is there any danger the lambs would 'remember' them after a fortnight and try to go back sucking.Not something you want to see happening!

    Mine will be weaned 3 weeks tomorrow. And sometime this week I'll pull the thin ewes and throw em in with the lambs, as the lambs are on very good grass at the minute...

    Debated doing it last weekend, but felt 2 weeks was a bit short a time to put the ewes back on very strong grass after weaning... Could be totally wrong to say that tho...


  • #3
    rangler1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,497 ✭✭✭rangler1


    Username John wrote: »
    Mine will be weaned 3 weeks tomorrow. And sometime this week I'll pull the thin ewes and throw em in with the lambs, as the lambs are on very good grass at the minute...

    Debated doing it last weekend, but felt 2 weeks was a bit short a time to put the ewes back on very strong grass after weaning... Could be totally wrong to say that tho...

    i've seen pedigree ewes suckling their lambs after two months weaned.
    They'd be together when we'd bring them to shows,


  • #4
    Western Pomise
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭Western Pomise


    Two years ago I had to let some ewes back with lambs that were weaned off them less than two weeks beforehand,they did not go near the ewes,it was in a biggish field and the lambs stayed together in a group away from the ewes....if that's any help at all.


  • #5
    Bleating Lamb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,982 ✭✭✭Bleating Lamb


    Apologies for not getting back quicker,seems to be different thoughts from people on likelihood of lambs reconising their mother's again,I might let the ewes into a field close to the lambs over the weekend....if they don't pass any heed of them and don't start making noise looking for them I will let them mix together early next week.

    Out of interest do any of other regular contributors have any thoughts on chances of lambs weaned a fortnight going looking to suck their mothers again if reacquainted?

    Thanks again everyone.


  • #6
    Bleating Lamb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,982 ✭✭✭Bleating Lamb


    Username John wrote: »
    Mine will be weaned 3 weeks tomorrow. And sometime this week I'll pull the thin ewes and throw em in with the lambs, as the lambs are on very good grass at the minute...

    Debated doing it last weekend, but felt 2 weeks was a bit short a time to put the ewes back on very strong grass after weaning... Could be totally wrong to say that tho...

    My ewes udders are well dried up now even compared to a few days ago.


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