So far

Thirty-nine lambs so far.  Equal numbers of male and female. Some difficulties so far. Triplets have been problematic. The quads seem to be doing fine. 24 hours old. The first lambs were born on March 8. Seven ewes gave birth on March 15. 

One of the first born (Boris)

Two ewes with triplets have mastitis. I treated both, using Pipestone's recommendations (Nuflor + Penicillin + Dexamethasone). They are producing some milk. I'm bottle feeding them (Pipestone milk replacer, of course). Three drink aggressively. One drinks some. One doesn't drink any. One lacks spunk, so I've been tube feeding him. I'm trying to get the lambs started on a bucket.

Ms. Piggy had triplets for the umpteenth time; two red ewes and a white ram lamb. She doesn't like the ram lamb. I've been supplementing him. Got to keep him strong, so he can compete with his sisters. He sneaks in his feedings, when Ms. Piggy's not paying attention. I'm still hopeful. He hasn't drank much the last few feedings.

I feed young lambs 4x day, ~every 6 hours.

424 was a disappointment. In the middle of the night, she delivered a live lamb, but lost two during the birthing process. If only I had been there. The live lamb seemed a little compromised at first, but seems to be fine now. The biggest heartbreak was 322, whose three lambs died in utero, after the poor ewe's intestines passed out through her vagina before she could give birth.

The other lamb loss was one from 337's litter of three; she has two big lambs to raise. She always has big lambs; her dead lamb was obviously distressed when it was born. I probably could have saved it if I had been there. But I can't be out there every minute of the day. Nonetheless, I kick myself for every lamb that is found dead.

Ms. Piggy had triplets again.

I didn't think I overfed this year, but the proof is in the pudding. All feed is limit-fed, but the hay quality has been very good, maybe too good. Only 0.5 to 0.75 lb. of barley per head per day in late gestation -- so that shouldn't be the issue. Some of the ewes are in too good condition. The thinner ones have not had any lambing issues. Such a balance between not getting ewes over-conditioned, yet having them lamb in good condition, so they can milk well. I'm thinking that in the future I might need to separate ewes into production groups for feeding.