This weekend is the planned date to wean our lambs, but we are having some trouble getting enough straight hours to process the sheep.Martin has installed the weigh bars under the new sheep handler,preparing to weigh all our lambs. We do this for our own interest interest as well as enabling us to send the weights to "Lambplan". This indicates to us a measure of the genotype of our sheep. The Dorper inspectors help maintain a good phenotype,(visual qualities), and performance recording gives us information about genotype,(genetic potential).
The morning started well with just a light drizzle, which eased up once we had the sheep yarded. We were moving along quite well when the first storm came through (about half the lambs processed), it wasn't long then we were able to get back into it. Then dramatic thunder storms started with abundant lightening. There was so much energy in the air that I saw the drafting gates spark. This necessitated a retreat to the shed. We then got a another break before the heavens opened up (with 15 sheep to go), at which point we gave up. With the lambs wet and miserable and the sheep yards flooding there was no going on. Oh well, back to it this morning.