Sheep

Monday 16 May

I checked the sheep, they were all in the front paddock, about 20 lambs, maybe more, they are very hard to count, all hiding in the stubble.

Wednesday 18 May

The sheep are hiding in the back paddock, they move around a lot! One ewe looks a bit unwell, but the rest are healthy and happy, I counted about 23 lambs. FIL tells me about the disaster of his day, finding a ewe with the lamb dead inside, and trying to get it out, legs come but no lamb. I really don’t want that with my sheep.

Thursday 19 May

The sheep have moved again, they are fast on their feet. They are in the damn paddock. I check the back paddock just to be on the safe side, there are a couple of ewes with 3 lambs between them trailing the flock, still travelling to the damn paddock. I keep going, and there in the back paddock is a lump that wasn’t there the day before, my first problem ewe. I drive up and find a ewe on the ground, laying on her side, sheep don’t lay on their side unless something is going wrong. She has two lambs, one is healthy the other isn’t so good. It looks like the first one fed while the second was being born, and then the ewe lay down, for some reason they won’t feed while she is laying down, even though they can see the udder. I try to lift her up, but she weights a tonne. Have I mentioned that these ewes are in really good condition, 72 sheep on 1000 acres way too much food to go round. Eventually I ring Hubby to come and help, the in laws are in town shopping so its up to him. While I’m waiting I check the rest of the flock, I count 27 lambs including the two with the sick ewe. Hubby heads out to help me, and lifts the ewe who promptly races off to the other end of the paddock. We put the lambs in the ute and head off after her, racing around. Eventually we pick her up and put the three of them in the sheep yards with some water and oats. The lambs are feeding when we head off. Good going for the day.