The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Haylo-peapod on December 04, 2012, 02:34:58 pm

Title: Untupped Shearling
Post by: Haylo-peapod on December 04, 2012, 02:34:58 pm

Well, after 6 weeks the ram has covered 29 of our 31 ewes. One uncovered ewe wasn't a surprise as I saw her standing for the ram at the beginning of August just before we split the girls out from the boys - so looks like we'll be seeing a Christmas lamb or two which will be a first, hmm.  Looks like I might have to start.... :knit:


The other ewe that hasn't been covered is more of a mystery, she's a shearling so I have no lambing history on her, I'm pretty sure she's not pregnant as she is quite slight and, unlike the other ewe, there is no sign of her getting her milk in. 


The only thing I can think of is that she is barren and is not coming into season. Is this likely?  I always assumed barren ewes still cycled but just didn't fall pregnant ??

Title: Re: Untupped Shearling
Post by: Anke on December 04, 2012, 04:08:52 pm

No I had one one like that. She came to me as a one-crop ewe (having had a single as a shearling gimmer, I was told by the breeder selling her), but she never got tupped at all and never produced anything. Same again next year, so she is gone now. Never saw her near the tup.
Only thing I can think of is that maybe she put too much fat down internally, possibly around her ovaries, and so never cycled?  She wasn't visibly fatter than the rest. As she wasn't of commercial value (Shetland) we just had to leave it at that.

Title: Re: Untupped Shearling
Post by: SallyintNorth on December 04, 2012, 05:34:29 pm

You get geld ewes. Some people give them a second chance, some don't.  I kept records on the moorland farm, and in three years lambing 500+ ewes each year, only one of our geld ewes was a repeat offender - and she 'looked like a man' so we decided she was a freemartin and sent her away.

Title: Re: Untupped Shearling
Post by: Haylo-peapod on December 04, 2012, 08:27:30 pm

Thanks guys, it's amazing how often you learn something new when you keep animals.
Looks like I may be giving her one more chance next year.

Title: Re: Untupped Shearling
Post by: Hazelwood Flock on December 04, 2012, 10:03:39 pm

Sometimes they can be too masculine. You could try sponging her, but that's only to see if it will bring about oestrus, it's not guaranteed she'll get in lamb. :innocent:

Title: Re: Untupped Shearling
Post by: Haylo-peapod on December 04, 2012, 11:50:30 pm

Thanks Hazelwood, I think I'll leave it for this year as I'm expecting to get lambing done and dusted in 3 weeks based on the returns to the ram.