Re: [blackbelly] quads!!

[Tomatoeguy]

Hello Lisa,     I had a very strong healthy Ewe give triplets, and the lambs are now being weaned. In hind sight, I would have taken one of my triplets and supplemented with powdered milk, in addition to getting mother's milk and attention, waiting (starting) after about 2 weeks after birth,  so I did not jepardize the bond between mother and lamb, so that it would be used to getting milk from me and the mother.  I would have picked the smallest one to do this with.      If I had quads, I would choose two to get used to getting milk from me, and supplement with a high quality powdered milk.      I feel like with my triplets that, over time,  the mother singled one of the lambs out, and it did not get milk on a regular basis allowing for it to get weak.  This is not fair to the lamb.  The mother only has 2 teats in most cases, and with such a demand for milk production on her body, she must make decisions sooner than later.  Even though ample nutritional requirements  were more than met.        This is just my two cents.  I have had alot of experience in lambing and raising lambs in the last 4 years.  I do not often have time to write in response to posts, as we have over 400 in our Ewe flock now.  But I feel strongly in taking care of lambs that we facilitated their conception of, on our farms.  Sometimes, even terminating a lamb is the most humane thing to do.  I have learned.      Happy Sheparding,   Renee'