When selling breeding stock, I have often seen preferences for ewes/rams that throw more than twins. IN MY OPINION, twins are the best case scenario for our flock. Katahdin Mom's are very capable of handling triplets, but my observation and record keeping tell me that there is always 1 of those three that will not do as well as the other two. Also, with twins I have less management. I don't have to follow the family around for the first two weeks to make sure all three are getting enough to drink or "supplement feed" IF one isn't getting enough. In some operations any more than twins get stripped off at birth, bottle fed or grafted onto a ewe with only one or no lambs. That tells me these operations understand the power of two.
The main indicator for me that twins are the best is....
Ewes have TWO nipples (simple math isn't it?) .
(Note: Some ewes have more than two nipples. It is a genetic defect & we cull these animals)
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| This ewe DID NOT have quads....she is being bugged by two sets of twins, while she tries to have her own....twins! |
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