| FERTILITY: Due to the Barbados influence in these sheep, the Painted Desert will Normally have lambing with intervals of 6 1/2 to 8 months (depending on how you manage your flock). Although the ewes will come in heat while lactating, and the ram will tend them, they usually don't get pregnant until the lambs are taken off. Most breeders will wean lambs between 2-3 months of age. These sheep, due to Barbados blood, have been know to deliver up to five lambs in one birth! They also breed out of season (anytime of the year). Ewe lambs ideally should not be breed until one year of age, but they are commonly bred at 7-8 months of age with no ill effects. Ram lambs reach sexual maturity early and have been known to impregnate ewes at four months of age. With this in mind, it is very important to seperate ram and ewe lambs at weaning age, to prevent accidental breeding when ewes are much to young to carry babies. And to prevent difficult births when bred to young.... |
