The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-05-28

"These ewes were grade f~ine-wOols.
A large percentage Of them shear
fine wool and the remainder shear
half-blOOd wool. They were range
bred and range raised. They we're
flushed" somewhat at breeding
time. Most of the lambs were dropped
in May. The final weights of lambs
were taken in October.
GAS indicated, the range conditions
while raising the first crop of lambs
were unfavOrable. The crop of twins
also was small. During that year
266 ewes raised single lambs averag-
ing 6O.4 pounds, while 13 eve raised
twin lambs averaging 95.8 pounds.
Twins from the first lamb crop
averaged 35.4 pounds more than the
singles even though the feed cOndi-
lions during the summer were I'M
favorable. The lightest pair of twins
weighed IS pounds while the heavi-
est pair weighed 12O pounds.
During the second summer
(1924) the feed conditions were
more favorable. The ewes also had
reached a sufficient stage of matur-
ity to drop a larger percentage of
twins and to produce more milk.
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lambs averaged 1913 pounds of lamb
while So ewes producing twins aver
aged 1875 pounds of lamb.
"In 1924 the highest pair of twins
weighed 95 pounds, which was two
pounds more than the heaviest sin
gle lamb. The heaviest pair of twins
weighed 154 pounds or four pounds
more per lamb than the average sin
gle lamb.
"In 1925 the 226 ewes raising sin
gle lambs averaged 71.5 pounds per
lamb, while twins from Y ewes av-
eraged 1928 pounds. The lightest
pair of twins weighed 70 pounds
while the heaviest weighed 1853
pounds which was higher per lamb
than the average weight of the sin
gle lambs. In 1924 the average pair
of twins weighed 46.7 pounds more
than the average single and in 1925
they weighed Alb pounds more than
the average single.
ga pertinent question may be ask
ed regarding the single lambs that
could be raised by a group of ewes
that produced twins averaging ap-
pTOXimately 115 pounds per pair. II
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twins in 1925 had raised single lambs
in 1924. The single lambs averaged
74.9 pounds at the end of the season
or 81 pounds more than the average
for all of the single lambs for thai
year. In 1925 the 80 pairs of twins
averaged 115 pounds or % pounds
more than the average of all the
twins for that year. In other words
it appears from these results that E
range eve giving an average flow Of
milk or more will produce approx
mately 40 pounds more lamb if she
raises twins than if she raises {
single lamb.
Another point that often comes
up is the effect of raising twins one
year on the ability of the ewes tt
raise lambs during a subsequet year
OF the 13 ewes that raised twin lambs
in 1928 eve was removed from
the flock, two did not lamb, TIVE
raised twin lambs and eight raiset
single lambs in 1924. The averagl
amount Of lamb raised by the L
ewes raising lambs was 81.7 pound
per eve.
"Fifty-twO ewes that raised twiI
lambs in 1924 produced an averag
of 8S.4 pounds Of lamb per W il
1925 which is seven pounds abOv
the average for all of the ewes rails
ing lambs that year. OF the 5
ewes, "a raised twins and % raise
single lambs. These figures indicat
that ewes can raise twins successful,
ly two years in succession and tina
the lamb producing ability of the ew
is not lowered as a result Of raisin
twins.
= "NOr does the production of twin
materially effect lamb. losses. I
1928, of the 29O ewes that drOppe
single lambs, SO lost their lambs; {
II that produced twins, four lOl
both lambs. In 1924, Of 263 eve
that dropped a single lamb, M eW
lost her lamb; Of Y ewes that drO]
r ped twins every eve raised one {
- both of her lambs. In 1925, of "a
ewes that dropped single lambs,
lost their lambs; of 1T ewes tn;
dropped twins, five lost both lamb
the remainder raising one or bot
lambs. At the age of three and fol-
years the percentage Of ewes drO.
ping twins that lost both lambs WI
at least not greater than the percen
age of ewes dropping singles that hs
lost their lambs.
eff a lamb is dropped as a pair
twins and is raised as a single, VIII.
effect does the somewhat less f
vOrable start have on the final Weig.
of the lamb as compared with lam.
dropped and raised as singles?
1928, eleven lambs dropped as Of
Of a pair of twins and raised as ST
giles weighed 55 pounds, while q
} lambs dropped and raised as singl
averaged 6O.7 pounds. In 1924,
lambs dropped as one Of a pair
twins and raised as singles weigh.
71.8 pounds while 244 lambs drOpp
and raised as singles weighed "a
pounds. In 1925, 40 lambs drOpp
as one of a pair Of twins and rails
as singles weighed 69.8 pounds VIII
!, $50 lambs dropped and raised
singles weighed % pounds. While
|, lamb is slightly handicapped by bel