Sheep 101 - Sheep Life II

A Family of Four	Out to Pasture Once the grass starts to grow in the spring, the lambs go outside where their mothers teach them how to graze. Wherever the mother goes, they will go.
The Good Life During the day, the lambs spend their time eating, sleeping, and playing. Siblings tend to stick together. At the beginning, lambs don't venture too far from their dams. As they get older, they form play groups. They become more independent and active. They love to run and jump. Their favorite "game" is "king of the hill."	Siblings
A Healthy Start	Vaccinations When the lambs are about six weeks old, they are vaccinated for clostridium perfringins type C & D (overeating disease) and clostridium tetani (tetanus). They receive a booster when they are approximately 10 weeks old.
Weaning The lambs are weaned (separated from their mothers) when they are between 60 and 90 days age. They are weighed to see how fast they are growing. At weaning, the lambs stay in familiar surroundings, while the ewes are moved to a pen for special feeding to help dry up their udders. Between 3 and 4 months of age, the ram lambs are separated from the ewe lambs.	Where's Mom?
Lambs Grazing	Growing After weaning the lambs continue to graze. They are fed supplemental grain while they are grazing. Only lambs showing signs of parasitism (worm infestation) are dewormed. The ewe lambs and some of the best ram lambs are sold for breeding, while the rest of the males are sold for meat. Most of the lambs are sold by August 1st. The Baalands retains a few of the best ewe lambs to add to the flock. The replacement ewe lambs are bred when they are about seven months old. The ewe lambs will not be raised with the mature ewes until they wean their first set of lambs.
Nothing to do but eat After the ewes wean their lambs, they spend the next several months "recuperating" and getting fat eating grass. The only supplement they receive while grazing is a mineral mix. Ewes that did not raise lambs or have physical problems are removed from the flock. Breeding commences again the first week in October, when the cycle starts all over again.	The Easy Life
George	Being George George doesn't do much. Mostly he eats and gets fat. His most important job is to keep the rams company when they are not with the ewes for breeding. George works on the sheep101 web site in his spare time.

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. . New Words . .

Parasite - an organism that lives on or in an organism of a different species (the host) and derives nutrients at the expense of the host.

Booster -a subsequent dose given some time after initial administration of a vaccine or drug to enhance or restore its effectiveness.

Overeating disease - disease caused by the liberation of exotoxins of clostridium perfringins in the intestines of sheep, goats, cattle, foals, and piglets.

Tetanus - a life-threatening disease caused by toxins produced by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which often grow at the site of a cut or wound. Muscles first become stiff, then rigidly fixed (lockjaw).

Wean - to accustom a child or young animal to food other than the mother's milk.

Udder - the glandular organ in which milk is secreted and stored.

And Life Goes On . . .