Reality Time: Hands On Lambing Clinic
Feb. 18-19-20, President’s Day weekend (All weather)
Fees:
Dog (optional*) & Participant (limited to 4 Families)-- $400, includes all
meals & room for one person (Each extra person per family @ additional $100
per head for weekend) . $25 LATE FEE due for registrations received and paid
after closing date. Optional: Dogs are allowed to do chores/visit in the barn
and paddock if they are taking herding lessons and are controllable by owner
without upsetting the sheep. It is not necessary to bring a dog.
For those of you thinking about getting your own sheep and wanting some
hands-on guidance from a shepherd with over 20 years of experience, this is the
seminar/clinic for you! During the day, seminar topics will be addresses. Each
attendee will be assigned a block of time (no more than 3 hours each block),
both day and night to watch for lambs. So, be prepared to lose a little sleep
at night: We will rouse all participants to observe when a lamb is born or some
medical emergency occurs. You will be working directly with the animals under
our supervision. Dress like a farm hand because you will be working like one
(and bring ice grippers, a flashlight, and a pocket knife!). All meals are
included in the clinic fee.
Pre-lambing preparations
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Choosing a ram, feeding ewes
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Choosing your breeding and lambing dates
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Breeds of sheep
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Setting up for pasture/feeding
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Setting up the lambing area/jugs
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Establishing a lamb creep
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Supplies to have on-hand
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Post-lambing care
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Normal care and feeding of lambs
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Ewe mothering problems—rejection, nervousness, dullness, multiple births, low
or no milk
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Orphan lamb care
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Diseases of lambs
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Shots, tail docking, castration, ear tagging
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Lambing
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How to tell when birth is imminent
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Normal lambing
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Lambing problems-- when to intervene or call the vet
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Taking care of hypothermic lambs
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Ewe medical problems
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