[MarvinH]

After the lambs have been weaned, is it that they are never to be put back in with there mothers? If this is the case how would you build up your own breeding stock without buying in.?
thanks

[Fleecewife]

Ewe and wether lambs can go back in with their mothers after a couple of weeks of weaning.  Entire tup lambs need to remain separate from their dams.

[humphreymctush]

I suppose mature ewes being prepared for the tup do have different management and dietry requirement to ewe lambs. Lambs will also grow better if they are kept on clean pasture and not in competition with their mothers. I generally keep my ewe lambs seperate until the next year when they join the main flock as gimmers.
This is however by no means essential. Can't comment on the book as I have never read it. But Henery Fell (who invented the Meatlinc breed of sheep) stresses in his book the importance of clean pasture for weaned lambs as they are more vulnerable to worms. It all depends on stocking density.

[Rosemary]

I don't have enough paddocks to keep them seperate so the ram lambs go in with the tup and wether at weaning, until they go for slaughter. The ewe lambs are kept seperate for a week or two then they go back in with their mothers - the only time they will be seperated again is the four weeks that the tup is in.

So far, it hasn't been a problem. I worm the lambs at weaning routinely but only do the adult sheep if the faecal worm egg count suggests it's necessary.

[Fleecewife]

If you have just a few sheep, then you may want to run the breeding females together, and I assume this is what you are asking about.  For meat lambs, you would separate them at weaning then send them off for slaughter without going back with their dams.  If you wish to retain some ewe lambs for breeding within your flock, then they can go back with their mothers a couple of weeks after separation for weaning - but of course they don't have to.  You would need to take them back out at tupping time unless you are breeding them as hoggs, then they could go back in once the tup is out.  This depends a bit on the breed, as primitives don't need much winter hard feed, so the lambs will not be overfed when the ewes get this.  With a larger breed this may not be the case and they would be better kept apart so that the ewes can be fed sufficient for their unborn lambs.
There is some thought that young unbred ewes do benefit from remaining with the breeding ewes as they learn about lambs and lambing - we have found this.

Rosemary has just posted and says much the same as this - but I've typed it so I'll send it 

[Rosemary]

It sounds a tad sentimental but they do seem to form family groups.

I think I posted this before but we have a ewe called Juno; in 2010, she had a ewe lamb called Nellie who has been retained. In 2011, she had twin ewes, Poppy and Pixie; when they were tiny (actually they were never THAT tiny  ), Juno would be off grazing and Nellie would be with the lambs. I quite often see dams and daughters grazing together and I'm sure it's not coincidence.

[robert waddell]

yes there are family bonds or ties     our ewes went to the tup and when they came back they still go with mother daughter                      also cows with calves  one cow will be left to babysit when the mothers go off grazing or going for water

[Anke]

I bought some gimmers this autumn and then 8 weeks later also bought her mum, and they had an immediate headbutting session when the mum came into the field.... so yes definitely family bonds, and they do recognise each other after a while apart!

[Hazelwood Flock]

I agree, I wean the ewe lambs and they stay separate for the first winter. Once shorn, I decide who I keep and who is for sale. Those I keep go back in with the ewe flock and very quickly team up with their mothers, even though they have been apart for 10 months.