April 29, 2010

Here are some photos that Jennifer took today. Man, when I look at our bull, Porter House, that long body brings to mind visions of ribeyes over charcoal! The new calf is named T-Bone. He's 1/2 Milking Devon and 1/4 Dutch Belted with a little Jersey and Holstein in there somewhere. His arrival here and Sugar's reaction warrant a blog post but I don't have time right now...

April 19, 2010

Our final lambs (I hope) were born during the night to Sonja. That makes eight total and she kept up this year's trend of having one of each sex. I penned mama and babies up together and checked both teats for milk flow. I think both lambs had already nursed. Mama was happy to get some good hay, fresh water and a little corn and oats. Next up is butchering last year's hoggets. They are both sold.

I'm sure any scientist reading this will scoff, but I think our house cow, Sugar, knows that this is the time of year she should be calving and she really wants a baby. If you've been following, you'll remember that we didn't breed her because we wanted to get her on any earlier calving schedule. (Last year she freshened at the end of June.) Anyway, she's been watching the lambs with much interest and lately we've noticed her grooming one of the rams. She licks his head and face just like she would a calf. We've got dibs on the next bull calf born at our favorite dairy. Hopefully, she'll readily adopt him.

Now that we're done lambing I've got wood to cut for next winter and garden preparation to do. Next weekend, though, another plumbing project looms. Ugh...

April 7, 2010

We've had six lambs born to three ewes so far - 3 boys and 3 girls. Here are some pics my daughter took today.
This little guy was born last Friday. I love the pattern.


These two were born yesterday afternoon, less than 24 hours before this photo was taken. The brown one is standing in the salt. Less than a day old and already an ornery turd.


Here's the brown spotted one again with his sister, eyeing that same salt lick.


Here are those two again with their mom, Annie.

First Lambs

The ewe that I didn't think was pregnant gave birth to twins early
this morning. It's hard to fast when the events in the barn are saying
feast.

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