Is she bred??

Double C Acres · #1 07/02/15, 08:53 AM

How young could a late-Feb born ram lamb breed a yearling ewe? They are dorper/kat breed. This morning I noticed an udder forming on this maiden yearling and the only possibility for pregnancy is by a feb born lamb. I've had no adult ram here since late november. The udder feels well rounded like it's more than just flab, but I can hardly believe she'd be pregnant! Pic is really hard to see it but the udder is like 1/2 a softball size & feels full-ish. What would you think?

creeksidelc · #2 07/02/15, 10:14 AM

If she has an udder forming then she is more than likely between 4-5 months pregnant. That would put her conception date sometime in Febuary or early March. There is no way a ram born in Febuary could breed a ewe in his first few weeks of life. They say typically 100 days is when a dorper ram can breed a ewe. I also have dorpers and around that time is when most of them start having large testicles and trying to breed.

Double C Acres · #3 07/02/15, 12:20 PM

No way for her to have been bred by anyone other than the new lambs this spring. If one of them did breed her at 3 months, that would put her due end of september at the earliest. I would hardly expect an udder forming already! Can sheep get precocious udders like goats can?

amala · #4 07/02/15, 06:33 PM

Sometimes a maiden ewe will develop a small udder without being pregnant. I went through that a year ago and finally had to admit to my mother that I guess they aren't pregnant. Worst part is, you think they are pregnant, you supplement their diet, they get fat, it goes to the udder...

Double C Acres · #5 07/03/15, 07:38 AM

Thanks for your input. She hasn't been fed any different, bare basics of hay, pasture & mineral mix. The other 3 yearlings I kept along with her from last years lamb crop don't have any udders forming, so maybe she'll just be a ewe with lots of milk once I do have her bred. I guess time will tell.