Someone asked me years ago why my sheep have funny paint marks on them .... sometimes looking like graffitti gone bad. I have found when so many ewes lamb at the same time and babies ears are so small that I needed to know who belonged to who til it was time to put in ear tags ... they could tell but I sometimes could not in large groups. I have found it best to mark the mama first since placing the marks are easier when you can pick up the babies and hold them to match the marks.
The next ewes to lamb got a red dot or a green dot on the shoulders. After this I will go for right side, then left side, etc. Sometimes with younger or non co-opeartive ewes they will spook and take off running away when they here the pfffft of the paint can ........... sometimes resulting in a looooooong stripe down their side. This is washable paint that is made for marking livestock and eventually washes out in the rain.
The dog igloos in the top picture came from the thrift store for $30 each. I originally got them for when the angora goats kid, but with the rain coming when the sheep were lambing they got used early.
Someone asked me years ago why my sheep have funny paint marks on them .... sometimes looking like graffitti gone bad. I have found when so many ewes lamb at the same time and babies ears are so small that I needed to know who belonged to who til it was time to put in ear tags ... they could tell but I sometimes could not in large groups. I have found it best to mark the mama first since placing the marks are easier when you can pick up the babies and hold them to match the marks.
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| This mama was marked with red dots on the rear and lambs have corresponding marks |
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| This mama was marked with a green dot and corresponding marks on her lambs that makes it easy to see with the four lambs which two are hers |
The next ewes to lamb got a red dot or a green dot on the shoulders. After this I will go for right side, then left side, etc. Sometimes with younger or non co-opeartive ewes they will spook and take off running away when they here the pfffft of the paint can ........... sometimes resulting in a looooooong stripe down their side. This is washable paint that is made for marking livestock and eventually washes out in the rain.
The dog igloos in the top picture came from the thrift store for $30 each. I originally got them for when the angora goats kid, but with the rain coming when the sheep were lambing they got used early.
Dang, the pictures won't load for me but I have a good imagination and can figure out what you are talking about! LOL!!
ReplyDeletei couldn't get the photos to load either. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments Candy and TWG try again ... I thought I had problem fixed with a detour, have reloaded pictures and they should be there now.
ReplyDeleteahh. now i can see the photos. laughing at the 'racing stripe' paint. :)
ReplyDeleteVery clever idea about the color coded lamb identifier. I won't have that problem for awhile with my goats, but maybe someday. :) Great bargain on the igloos too!
ReplyDeleteQuite an ingenious system you have going on there! Hubby and I are considering getting goats for our little farm. I'll have to come back and check out your posts more thoroughly...since I have NO experience, and you have lots! ;)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage
What a great system! I especially love the idea of 'racing stripes'... I use an igloo for the Nigerian Dwarf goats - they just love it. They are really perfect for small animals - waterproof, airtight and warm.
ReplyDelete