Pasture lambing

Well compared to lambing outside in the winter in Ontario, pasture lambing is going very well. We've had lots of lambs, mainly good mothers; a couple of granny ewes that were having trouble waiting until they had their own lambs before they stole others.



It'll be interesting to see what today brings with 20-40mm of rain. I just opened up a new graze but no one seemed to want to move; One ewe lambed overnight and we helped a ewe last night with a monster single.



No triplets yet, mainly twins. Just 2 semi bottle babies and not much mismothering yet; I do have one little one that seems to get lost from his 2 moms (remember the granny ewe) quite frequently

Just one or two more to go...this is so much more civilized than winter lambing

update way over due! Training in the mornings

I can't believe i've not blogged in 2 months. I have friends that should smack me for that.

We finished lambing the majority of the flock that was not supposed to lamb in the winter and have just started our pasture lambing. The grass is growing slowly so we are struggling with where the main flock will go next. We are going to reduce the flock size so we aren't so busy; less of the problem ones, and we might actually be able to go away to a dog trial together.

So enough of my whining! Libby and Preacher have been working just about every day. John and I spend time working on redirects, having Libby lift heavy sheep, working lambs (which she hateS!) and prepping for upcoming trials.

Spec lies down!

Spec is coming along nicely. She is giving good distance from the sheep, lies down with only 1 or 2 cues, both flanks are equally wide. We need to start working on her outrun which is about 20 feet right now. She has a great deal of difficulty if John is holding the sheep for her, she hasn't got the idea she should work for me and not him; her mom had that problem too! As an aside, there are a couple of guys that look a lot like my husband in the OBCC and when they hold sheep at a trial Pam always goes up and says "HIIIIII" and than gets back to herding.

Spec being very careful; she is thoughtful and i've been told moves just like her mother (with a lie down!)

Becca at 7 months old; she balances nicely but doesn't have a stop; John is working on her lie down off of stock right now; we'll start her in a month or so

Tired BEcca; tired John; we are pleased with her "keeness" so far! She is at the stage where she completely blows us off if one of the other dogs is more exciting..Recall work and lie downs are the next phase of work