[Richmond]

At what age do people retire ewes from breeding? Realise this depends on a wide variety of factors, but most of our ewes are 7 or 8 now, the oldest had issues lambing this year and we decided not to breed from her again. All the others are fit and well, with good teeth and we'd like to keep breeding from them for a bit longer if it is sensible to do so. They are all native breeds, both pure and crosses of.

[Rosemary]

If the ewe is fit and well, had milk and had no prolem lambing,no reason for her not to breed. We had a couple of ewes that were in double digits (Coloured Ryelands) and they weren't exceptional.

[Richmond]

Thanks Rosemary. I'm hoping they'll all get to at least 10 before we have to review the situation again

[PipKelpy]

Retiring bad lambers? 2023 was a ROTTEN lambing year so didn't lamb 24. One who had issues Climbme, was 8 yrs old Dorset Down X needing help to lamb to a Shetland! She had triplets! I bottled all 3 with the ewe feeding. I also kept the 1 ewe lamb.

That ewe lamb lambed as a 3 yr old this year to my Wiltshire Horn Ram Lamb, (yes I did think, oh god, have I made a mistake due to her own birth??) She spat twins out perfectly. Jelly Bean is marked for staying.

Climbme is companion to Tugger (she who has never lambed, still got teeth, only missing 1 but her leg not so good so she may need to depart..... She was 11 at Christmas)

A Wiltshire ewe who had a fab tup lamb (Jute) decided to go onto greener pastures beginning of May (via bullet). Went down over night, vet wouldn't have.been able.to fix.

So now I'm down a good ewe (shedder) and one that was marked for the chop due to only having 1 teat, gets to stay another year as shedders seem to be difficult to get hold of.

I'm NOT after show stock (been there, done that, highly bred show parents and NOT ONE of them could lamb by themselves, ALWAYS needed assistance! Whereas my unregistered original girls spit them out. 2 of them have needed help just once, which is fine but those hooty tooty high quality show parents objects?)

Rant over!! Apologies, been a while!

However, ANYONE got any Shedders, Wiltshire Horn, EasyCare, Exlana, mix of all 3, and DON'T want silly money, please send me a message. I'm North Shropshire. (my sister has been trying to buy woolies and due to current prices can't afford to so is after my small flock to eat her grass, I have my own grass to eat because I need a few extra mouths!)

[Penninehillbilly]

Retiring bad lambers? 2023 was a ROTTEN lambing year so didn't lamb 24. One who had issues Climbme, was 8 yrs old Dorset Down X needing help to lamb to a Shetland! She had triplets! I bottled all 3 with the ewe feeding. I also kept the 1 ewe lamb.

That ewe lamb lambed as a 3 yr old this year to my Wiltshire Horn Ram Lamb, (yes I did think, oh god, have I made a mistake due to her own birth??) She spat twins out perfectly. Jelly Bean is marked for staying.

Climbme is companion to Tugger (she who has never lambed, still got teeth, only missing 1 but her leg not so good so she may need to depart..... She was 11 at Christmas)

A Wiltshire ewe who had a fab tup lamb (Jute) decided to go onto greener pastures beginning of May (via bullet). Went down over night, vet wouldn't have.been able.to fix.

So now I'm down a good ewe (shedder) and one that was marked for the chop due to only having 1 teat, gets to stay another year as shedders seem to be difficult to get hold of.

I'm NOT after show stock (been there, done that, highly bred show parents and NOT ONE of them could lamb by themselves, ALWAYS needed assistance! Whereas my unregistered original girls spit them out. 2 of them have needed help just once, which is fine but those hooty tooty high quality show parents objects?)

Rant over!! Apologies, been a while!

However, ANYONE got any Shedders, Wiltshire Horn, EasyCare, Exlana, mix of all 3, and DON'T want silly money, please send me a message. I'm North Shropshire. (my sister has been trying to buy woolies and due to current prices can't afford to so is after my small flock to eat her grass, I have my own grass to eat because I need a few extra mouths!)