# Breeding former bottle lambs



## FairviewFarm (Sep 16, 2003)

In another thread AR Wildflower asked about my comment regarding bottle lambs' tameness vs. mothering ability. I didn't want to hijack the thread and thought that others might want to share their experiences on this subject. Below is my reply/clarification.



ar_wildflower said:


> FairviewFarm said:
> 
> 
> > We have twin ewe lambs that were orphaned when their 10 year old dam died a few hours after a difficult lambing. Of course we bottle fed them and they thrived. We named them Faith and Hope. They made the cut to be replacement ewe lambs in our flock. They will lamb for the first time next month. I hope their tameness doesn't override good mothering skills.
> ...


AR Wildflower - I didn't describe what I meant very well. It is generally thought that bottle lambs don't make good mothers because they weren't mothered by a sheep but a human. That said I'm sure there are shepherds who've kept bottle lambs that have gone one to be wonderful mothers. This is my first attempt at breeding bottle lambs. We tried very hard to not make pets of them by only feeding them but otherwise not handling them any more than the rest of the lambs at the time. I'm not sure how successful we were as they follow us everywhere like dogs. I'm hoping their mother's good instincts come through.


----------



## Pat (Jul 24, 2004)

FairviewFarm,

I'd never keep for breeding any "rejected" bottle lambs... too much of a chance the mothers trait would pass... 

I don't any problem keeping bottle lambs that the mother died in giving birth.

I would watch them like a hawk, and (to be very honest if one or both were ram lambs butcher them) cull if needed... But I'd sure give any ewe lamb the benefit of doubt and see what they do.

I don't think it's the bonding with humans that ruins them... it's the trait to reject from the mother that can be too easily passed on (at least for me)

Pat


----------



## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I think "mothering" is instinctive.
I doubt bottle feeding will make any difference at all


----------



## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

When we had "bum" lambs, for whatever reason, they were bottled, but kept with the flock. I think this was beneficial for them in that they learned how to be sheep. For what it's worth.

NeHi


----------



## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Everybody wants a strong flock, but when starting out, you have to shoot for quanity, as much as quality, unless one has a big check book, to buy replacements, most of which are also untested moms.

If little "Scruffy" will be able to breed, she will be bred. It's not her fault she was born early and I think we can count on natural mothering instincts. If not, we have more bottle babies, which are indeed lambs, just ones that require a lot more work.


----------



## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

The bummers we've kept for replacements have been good moms when their turns came. They are bucket-fed around the rest of the flock so they know they are sheep. 

I do keep track of why they are being raised without mom. If they were rejected and then become bad moms, they would be culled. Hasn't happened yet. Several of our favorites, Brockle (wool) and Petunia and Snowflake (Katahdin), were bummers. Last year's 09-20 (wool) hasn't been bred yet.


----------



## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

All my hand reared ewe lambs go back into the breeding flock irrespective of the reason for hand rearing. The result is that I have ewes of 9 and 10 still producing and rearing excellent lambs. In nearly 40 years of keeping sheep I've never had a lousy hand reared mother - and I see no reason why they should be. 

Rejection at lambing is not an inherited trait and is usually brought about by confusion, twins/multiples or a difficult lambing and mostly seen in first lambers.

My "pet" ewes are what makes my life easy. They are quiet, I can inspect the lambs at birth without a big chase around the paddock, the other ewes learn from this that I'm not an ogre and in the due course of time I can handle them in much the same way. Having "Judus" sheep in a flock is a huge bonus.

Cheers,
Ronnie


----------



## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

We have only one ewe that was a bottle lamb. Her mother was an 11 year old (twins every year) with not enough milk for both her lambs, so we fed one.

The former bottle lamb is a great mom to all the twins she has had since. Our only problem with her is that she doesn't behave like the rest of the flock when we want to move them. It is a nuisance to have one sheep at your hip when everyone else has gone through the gate into a new pasture.


----------



## The_Shepherdess (Dec 5, 2005)

My first flock was made up entirely of bottle babies. The ewes were all great moms. I miss that bunch--the tameness was a definite bonus.


----------



## mawalla (Oct 28, 2002)

I started my flock out with bottle lambs. Both were fine mothers, as are their daughters. I still have one of them. I retired her from breeding a couple of years ago but allow her to live on the farm. She is 12.


----------



## FairviewFarm (Sep 16, 2003)

Thanks everyone. All your comments have been very reassuring that my _Faith_ and _Hope_ will be great mothers.


----------



## Cat (Jun 19, 2004)

My flock of sheep was started by orphan lambs that I bottle raised. My favorite, Tiny, was raised in the house for several weeks because she was a preemie and had a film over her eyes and her teeth hadn't erupted! When I first took her out to the pasture to be with the other lambs she beat me back to the house so for a loooonggg time I had to go out and sit with her in the pasture so she could eat with the other sheep. I eventually got her integrated with the others and she soon learned she was a sheep. The first time she lambed she had a singlet, from a Columbian ram, I believe, because that sheep is the largest sheep - well over 300 lbs. I still have her today. Tiny was an exceptional mother. She knocked me on my butt, literally, when I introduced my new LGD puppy to them. She saw that puppy and was going to kill her, the puppy, being no dummy, did what any self-preserving animal would do and hid behind the largest object she could find - me. Me, on the other hand, lacking that particular self-preservation gene, stood there with the thought running through my head that she's going to knock me on my grits. Well, stood there I did and she hit my knees and down I went, thank GOSH I didn't squish the puppy! One time I went out to start my car for work and as I stepped out the door saw her nose-to-nose with a coyote. The coyote had its tail tucked between its legs and by the time I ran back in the door and got the shotgun and got back outside the coyote was nowhere to be seen. I don't for one second believe that being bottle raised will effect mothering ability. Bred for generations w/out being raised by a dam would have an impact, I feel, but not a single animal being raised on the bottle. I also don't tend to get too caught up in blacklisting an animal simply based on what the mother is like. Yes, some things are heritable but there are just as many outside factors that affect behavior and I think it's wise to always remember that every animal is an individual and I tend to hold on to that in most cases.


----------



## FrozenTexan (Feb 27, 2021)

Pat said:


> FairviewFarm,
> 
> I'd never keep for breeding any "rejected" bottle lambs... too much of a chance the mothers trait would pass...
> 
> ...


If I may, I have worries about bottle lambs getting socially accepted into the flock. The one I have now follows me like a dog and won’t interact much with the others in the flock. She seems afraid of them, and hides behind me if they are around. Only one of my ewes is mean to her and she has a baby two days older. Will these lambs upon weaning be able to fit into a flock, and be mothers that know what they are doing? I usually sell mine before I learn these answers. No buyer has complained.


----------



## Maxpowers (Apr 4, 2012)

Generally not a good idea to keep bottle lambs because you could be continuing the "runt of the litter" genes. If you know why they became a bottle lamb you might be able to make a better decision on whether to keep them or not. 

I have kept a couple bottle lambs because they make a great addition to the flock even if they don't make the best lambs. Know how the easiest way to get your entire flock to go somewhere is to just get one sheep moving that direction? Well your bottle lambs will still run up to you as adults so they make my life way easier when it comes time to move the flock around.


----------

