Subscribe & Save 5% Storewide + Free Item with Every Order of $175+!

Why do we have lambs in January?

written by

Liz Cunningham

posted on

January 27, 2020

sheep-grazing-cunningham-pastured-meats.jpg



Why do we have Lambs in January?

Looking at our ranch this week you would've thought that it was spring or something! We have baby lambs being born left and right!

But wait... It's January?

Yes, it is January and we are certainly thankful for the beautiful weather we have been having, because this lambing thing could have been a real disaster if it was super cold and snowy.

So how did we end up with babies in January?

The short answer is: that rams don't care what time of year they breed, they just breed when given the chance.

The long answer... Well, here's the story:

Our normal PLAN is to turn our rams out the right around Thanksgiving to start breeding our ewes (female sheep) which gives us end of April / beginning of May lambs. The weather is usually beautiful, there's green grass and it's warm.

BUT

The longer I live on a ranch the more I realize, our plans can be foiled by animals who don't behave by the rules, but just do what instinct tells them.
Most of the year our rams and ewes are separated in two different locations far apart, so that rams can't smell or see the ewes, which usually eliminates the problem of them escaping. Apparently, they were not far enough apart. We also have a lot of ewes and rams. We sell rams to other people who have sheep, so we usually have 10-15 rams around in the fall and they all hang out in a bachelors club in a pasture of their own.
Everyday we drive by the field with the ewes and the rams and just glance over them to see if everyone is doing well. Since there were several rams in the bachelor club we never really took time to count every single one everyday to make sure they were all there...

Well, one day Sean noticed that there was a ram in the pasture chasing ewes and having a good time.

It only takes 1 day to make a huge mess out of our breeding program, who knows how long that ram was in there, maybe a week, maybe a few days, but it didn't matter, that meant babies would be born in January.
Our sheep are very fertile, so in the few days the ram was out he was able to get 15 + ewes bred, so in the last 2 weeks we have had at least 1 momma give birth everyday.
It has been a very MILD winter here, so during the day the temperatures have been in the 40's, which believe it or not, is just fine for lambs to be born and thrive at.

So despite the terrible time of year to lamb, we have been spared, and we have lots of healthy bouncy little lambs around, which is a sure sign that spring is on it's way!!

lamb

Grass-fed Lamb

Whole Grass-fed Lamb

Whole Lamb

1/2 Grass-fed Lamb

cunningham pastured meats

Cunningham Meats

Cunningham Family

Liz Cunningham

More from the blog

Green Grass, Grazing Pigs & Baby Lambs

Green Grass, Grazing Pigs & Baby Lambs

By the middle of April, things are looking good around here.There's green grass everywhere, especially on the range. Cows are fat, baby calves are slick and healthy, and everything looks good. Did you know we turn all our cows out on the range BEFORE they calve? We do not watch our cows or heifers (first-time moms) calve. It's their job to go out and "get the job done." So in May, when we gather the range, there are baby calves EVERYWHERE! On the home place, the grass is about 4-6 inches tall and putting some serious weight on our cattle, which will be harvested in the next 1-3 months. At this time of year, our cattle can gain 2-3 lbs of weight PER DAY! That's some serious weight gain and delicious-tasting beef! Speaking of some serious weight gain, our pastured pigs are doing the same. We just harvested the first batch of pigs a few weeks ago, and they were PIGGY FAT. Pigs thrive in early spring due to cooler weather, which helps them gain weight. They crave fresh green grass in the springtime, going grazing for the new grass shoots. Although they mainly consume grains, they value the green grass to balance their diet. And finally, it's my favorite season of all... Lambing season. Over 50% of our sheep have had their lambs in the last week. Sheep typically lamb closely together, and quickly fill a pasture with bouncing baby lambs! It is always incredible to watch this frail baby lamb be born, struggle to get up to get their first drink of milk, and then, less than 24 hours later, bounce around and chase other lambs. We love the newness of spring with green grass, happily grazing pigs, and baby lambs.

Read more
Chickens On The Move

Chickens On The Move

They say that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb...Well, here is the result of March... Our first lambs are on the ground! These happy, healthy babies are just one of the many signs that spring has arrived at the ranch, and once spring comes, there are many projects to be done!  Over the past year, we've made the decision to reduce our sheep herd, but our hearts are still filled with joy when we see the adorable baby lambs being born. It's such a delightful sight to watch them bounce around happily with their fellow lambs just a few hours later!A key springtime activity is rounding up the calves and assisting our neighbors with branding them. Everyone pitches in, including the little ones. In this photo, my son aided our neighbor by keeping the fire roaring throughout the day, adding one stick of wood at a time! This is also when our horseback riding season begins. We need to be cautious as we bring our horses off winter pasture and saddle up again. The horses have become accustomed to not being ridden and are not always very excited the first time we throw a saddle on their back, so it's always best to let Sean hop on the horse and ride them around to ensure they are not interested in bucking! However, our good old faithful horses that our kids ride pose no problem and are ready for another couple of hundred miles under the saddle this season! In addition to the enjoyable spring activities, we welcomed a fresh group of pigs, which will be raised over the summer. These colorful little porkers are happily adjusting to their new environment as they explore and familiarize themselves with the surroundings. Our laying chickens transitioned from their winter pasture houses to their new springtime pasture area. My oldest daughter takes immense pride in raising delicious pasture-raised eggs. Throughout the winter, they remain in hoop houses to stay warm. As soon as the grass begins to grow, we load the chickens into their mobile trailer home and relocate them to a fresh patch of pasture, where they revel in the lush green grass and scratch the ground to their hearts' content. The picture below shows my daughter playing with the chickens just before we packed them up and moved to their new pasture for spring. Our laying hens weren't the only residents finding a new home. Brian, our meat chicken producer, has relocated from our ranch to the Marsing area to raise his chickens. Although we've thoroughly enjoyed having them on the ranch for the past three years, the daily commute from Nampa to the ranch has been quite lengthy for Brian. He located an excellent pasture in Marsing with a spray-free pasture and good well water for his chickens. Now, he can make a short drive to his location, ensuring the chickens thrive.However, moving eight chicken houses, each measuring 30 ft by 16 ft, is no small task! Fortunately, he found a moving company that assisted him in transporting all the chicken houses to their new location in Marsing. Brian currently has chicks in the brooder that are growing daily, and new chickens will arrive in a few weeks. However, we are nearing the end of our chicken inventory from 2024.Our chickens will be ready to harvest around the first week of June, so if you don't want to be out of chicken, then now is the time to buy!

Read more
Return To Top

Menu

Follow Us



© 2017 - 2024 Cunningham Pastured Meats. All Rights Reserved

Selling Pasture Raised Meats in the Boise Valley

208-649-4403

Privacy Policy
Boise's #1 source for 100% Grassfed beef & lamb, pastured pork & chicken and wild-caught seafood