It seems hard now to remember just how snowbound we were before lambing this year. One problem we had was keeping the pregnant ewes with access to fresh water - the troughs were frozen and the river banks were too icy for them to negotiate their way to the water's edge. It was also hard to know how much to feed them to keep their nutrition levels correct in temperatures that fell one night to -18C. Careful feeding before lambing is vital - too much food means single lambs grow so big that they get stuck, too little food and a ewe with twin or triplet lambs can get twin lamb disease which can be fatal.
We managed to avoid any disease, but would the lambs be born healthy and strong after all that cold weather? It was a great relief when the first lambs arrived, twins, and they were just perfet. At least I thought they were - their mother disagreed and rejected the ewe lamb totally. She and I argued about this for a bit, but she was adamant that she would bring up one lamb only. With no other ewe lambing in the near future I couldn't get the the lamb adopted by anyone else, so the decision was made to hand rear her and Queenford Jade is now a very healthy, happy, large and very friendly new flock member.
Lambing is now over - no more midnight panics and sleepless nights - but the barn seems strangely quiet after the dramas of the last couple of months. However it all seems worthwhile when I find a group of healthy, happy and contented lambs dozing in the sun!
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