Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Preliminary data

On June 15, the lambs ranged in weight from 26.4 to 102.4 lbs. and averaged 59.4 ± 13.4 lbs. The median weight was 60.4 lbs. Aged ranged from 78 to 108 days and averaged 87.7 ± 6.2 days. The median age was 87 days. The median birth date was March 20.  FAMACHA© scores ranged from 1 to 3 and averaged 1.9 ±  0.7. Body condition scores ranged from 2.0 to 3.4 and averaged 2.7 ± 0.3. None of the lambs had positive dag scores. Birth type ranged from 1 (single) to 4 (quad) and averaged 2.3 ± 0.7.

During the acclimation period, the lambs have access to ~2.5 acres of silvopasture:  mixed hardwoods and walnut trees. They also have access to orchardgrass hay. The central laneway provides access to water, shelter, hay, and free choice minerals. The lambs will be sorted into their two groups on June 25. The lambs will be randomly assigned to groups based on weight, age, birth type, and fecal egg count.



Monday, June 21, 2021

101 lambs arrive

One hundred and one Katahdin ram lambs were delivered to the Western Maryland Research & Education Center on June 15. The lambs were provided by Ewe Lamb Right Farm in Shippensburg, PA. They will be used in a pasture supplementation study, a repeat of the 2020 study with lambs from the same farm.



Katahdin Day in Western Maryland