My superstar- Quee!
That probably sounds crazy but we do it. The vet is due to come next Wednesday and preg check all the ewes that should of bred in the fall. He will tell me how many the ewe will have (can be any where from a single to triplets) and about how far along they are. It is really helpful information to have when it comes to lambing time. It is nice when it is 1 o’clock in the morning and I know I can go back to bed because the ewe has just had her second lamb and is only due to have twins. Keeps me from having to go back in 30 minutes to see if she has had another one.
It is a really quick simple procedure. The vet takes his ultrasound wand and dips it in vegetable oil and holds it up to the ewes stomach just in front of her bag. That would be the area on a sheep that produces the milk and where the nipples are for the lambs. Very similar to a cow in structure just a lot smaller which means having to milk a sheep is no easy feat. Picture me, on my knees, with my feed in the ewes side trying to keep her still as I try and milk out a teat with two fingers. This is not a whole hand job like it is with a cow. It’s very difficult especially when you are trying to catch the milk into a container so you can feed it to the lamb. Not to mention it being the middle of the night which is when it seems jobs like that are happening.
Well anyway the vet will be here next Wednesday so I will let everyone know how many ewes are bred and how many lambs we are expecting.