The joys of having a Pet lamb
September 23rd 2006 08:13
PET LAMBS
Whether one acquires a pet lamb – or two or three, will depend on many factors. The first is the willingness of the various members of the household (usually the farmer’s wife) to spend four or five times a day and night for weeks on end feeding the animals. If the household is full of children, there is a fair chance the farmer will relent to their requests and if a lamb which has lost its mother comes into view, he will bring it home to be cared for.
Such lambs may be more prevalent in a bad season- especially if the ewes are still being fed grain and are likely to walk away from their lambs to feed themselves. The young first time mothers will be the ones most likely to forget their responsibilities. This year’s terrible season is a good example – the young ewe’s lambing percentage is much lower than the older ewes.
If a lamb is brought home, there is almost no chance of its survival if it has not had a few feeds from its mother. Even then, some will fight and survive and others will lose the will the live even after several weeks. No wonder some farmers don’t even bother.
Pet lambs can be fun if they can stay alive and grow. There is nothing quite like seeing one end bumping and sucking on the bottle of specially made warmed milk and the other end – tail wagging faster than you will ever see a dog’s tail move. And a “baa-ing” plea for more food every time one puts one’s foot out the back door, makes one feel wanted and indispensable for a while.
If the pet lamb stays in its pen it is a welcome addition to the pet menagerie. But if it escapes and discovers the garden it is not so welcome.
Eventually, if all goes well, the pet lamb will find its way out into a flock of sheep. Most settle in well once they join their peers. But it is quite likely that there will often be a note of recognition when that mob of sheep comes in to the yards. Some farmers find this quite useful as the pet lamb may lead the rest of the sheep into the yards. However the down side is that pet lambs have no respect for the family dogs as they have grown up with them so they are unlikely to take any notice of what the dogs are trying to make them do.
Economically, pet lambs are not viable. The milk is quite expensive and if adding the cost of time and effort – forget it. And while its peers may be heading for market, if the ex- pet lamb carers get wind of the fact that this is the fate of “One Ear” or “Boof” then all hell will break loose in an otherwise peaceful household. (This is why farmer’s never name anything they are likely to eat!) But, as lessons of caring for animals, the fragility of life and perseverance are what is needed to complete a child’s education – pet lambs are invaluable. And cute – most of the time.
Whether one acquires a pet lamb – or two or three, will depend on many factors. The first is the willingness of the various members of the household (usually the farmer’s wife) to spend four or five times a day and night for weeks on end feeding the animals. If the household is full of children, there is a fair chance the farmer will relent to their requests and if a lamb which has lost its mother comes into view, he will bring it home to be cared for.
Such lambs may be more prevalent in a bad season- especially if the ewes are still being fed grain and are likely to walk away from their lambs to feed themselves. The young first time mothers will be the ones most likely to forget their responsibilities. This year’s terrible season is a good example – the young ewe’s lambing percentage is much lower than the older ewes.
Pet lambs can be fun if they can stay alive and grow. There is nothing quite like seeing one end bumping and sucking on the bottle of specially made warmed milk and the other end – tail wagging faster than you will ever see a dog’s tail move. And a “baa-ing” plea for more food every time one puts one’s foot out the back door, makes one feel wanted and indispensable for a while.
If the pet lamb stays in its pen it is a welcome addition to the pet menagerie. But if it escapes and discovers the garden it is not so welcome.
Eventually, if all goes well, the pet lamb will find its way out into a flock of sheep. Most settle in well once they join their peers. But it is quite likely that there will often be a note of recognition when that mob of sheep comes in to the yards. Some farmers find this quite useful as the pet lamb may lead the rest of the sheep into the yards. However the down side is that pet lambs have no respect for the family dogs as they have grown up with them so they are unlikely to take any notice of what the dogs are trying to make them do.
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Comment by Joy
Comment by Anonymous
Yes they are cute - and are a sense of achievement when they make it!!! Bumpkin