[Foobar]

Unusually this year I've had a couple of ewes who've had twins which both had one leg back.  Usually they all plop out in the correct presentation without issue, but these ones I had to help a teeny bit (they probably would have done it themselves eventually, but as I was there anyway...).  The two ewes are related, but last year they had perfect lamb presentations.  I am using a new ram this year.  Non of my other ewes have had any issues (and they are all unrelated to these two).
(these are black welsh mountain)


Are malpresentations genetic or environmental do we think?

[ZaktheLad]

Interesting you should mention this, as 3 years ago I had a season where nearly every one of my 10 ewes had a malpresentation, coming legs back, head only and backwards with one other tail only and the last to lamb a horrendous delivery that took the vet forever to get out and resulted in a dead lamb and a very poorly ewe (now recovered and still with me).  I had never had a lambing like it in my life - horrible.  The following year I decided to changes rams and low and behold, I had a trouble free lambing with all lambs presented correctly.  I have always considered that horrible year to be genetic through the ram as prior to using him the same ewes had never had much of a problem lambing and lambs presented normally. 

[Foobar]

Interesting ... I do hope it's not the ram, as he's nice ... and he's given me 70% ewe lambs this year (or course that's a question for another thread - "what determines the sex of the lambs - is that genetic or environmental?"  haha)

[ZaktheLad]

Could just be bad luck I suppose and I am just being hard on the ram that I used that year - he was a nice chap too!  Seems to be the way with lambing, you get a relatively easy year followed by one that is more testing.  My girls are really hanging on this year and seem in no hurry whatsoever to get on and lamb.  At home today as should have 2 ewes due but they are more than happy laid in the straw munching away 

[Foobar]

Yes, ditto that.  These last pair of ewes were 2 and 3 days late, due to the bad weather at the beginning of the week.

[ScotsGirl]

I had more mail presentations than ever before. Mostly coming out backwards with one or both legs tucked under making it hard to get out.  Can't be the ram though as used him last year and same sheep had no problem.

[SteveHants]

All I know is whenever I have been daft/soft enough to give ewes that have had problem births another go - they have done it again somehow, possibly not the same malpresentaion or even malpresented at all,  they will then decide to indulge in some mismothering or rejecting lambs.


They say 5% of your flock makes 95% of your workload - identify them and remove them. Happier sheep, happier shepherd.

[ScotsGirl]

And quite clearly no room for sentiment in your flock.


Whilst I agree on a commercial basis that is a very hard thing to do with small flock numbers when in a lot of cases we keep more as a hobby and treat as pets.


I do however have to make that hard decision this year and remove 3 of my mules. Not quite sure what best way is as don't like the idea of sending through markets. How old can they be sold as mutton and be edible?! Mine are 5 or 6 years old.

[SteveHants]

And quite clearly no room for sentiment in your flock.


Whilst I agree on a commercial basis that is a very hard thing to do with small flock numbers when in a lot of cases we keep more as a hobby and treat as pets.


I do however have to make that hard decision this year and remove 3 of my mules. Not quite sure what best way is as don't like the idea of sending through markets. How old can they be sold as mutton and be edible?! Mine are 5 or 6 years old.

I have been (slightly) sentimental in the past, but it has always come back to bite me in the behind - lesson learned. 5 or 6 is generally considered to be a bit old for anything mutton-y, but I know quite a few farmers say they are pretty tasty at that age if you slow cook them so in my opinion your options are: Eat them yourself and maybe get a friend to go in with you to manage all the meat and/or feed them to your dogs. I'd be tempted to eat them myself - I have a 4yr old ewe who had a hard udder last year, so didn't go to the ram and I am going to eat that one myself.

[SallyintNorth]

I agree with Steve - if you don't want them sold through the mart, either eat them yourselves / feed to your dogs, or see if the abbatoir would take them directly.  Or you could ask your local hunt if they'd like them.

Please don't sell the meat as mutton; old ewe is what gives mutton a bad name!  The word originally referred to the meat of 20-month old wethers, which in a lot of breeds is when they are at their finest eating.

You can make use of the old ewe meat in your own kitchen, or sell it / swap it with friends as what it is, old ewe.  It's very tasty but does need long slow cooking and will give off copious amounts of bright orange fat!  There's nothing like it for lasagne, or a hotpot or similar.  And you can even do joints if you do a long slow pot-roast.  Just build into your menu planning time for the dish to cool, be skimmed, and then reheated - unless you don't mind pools of bright orange fat separating off on your plate while you are eating! 

[Marches Farmer]

I've always wondered if malpresentations are due to the ewe not getting enough exercise in the last half of pregnancy or possibly the lambs not being able to move around much due to high levels of body fat if she's carrying too much condition.  I may be able to test out the first theory this year as they've been housed for six weeks due to bad weather, instead of the usual three days.  Definitely not going to be able to test out the second one this year, though!