PERFORMANCE

The Baalands is a performance-oriented flock, with the following production targets:

Trait
Definition
Target
Fertility: mature ewes # ewes lambing/# ewes exposed (%)
100
Fertility: ewe lambs (@ 7 mos. of age) # ewes lambing/# ewes exposed (%)
100
Length of lambing season # days between 1st and last lambs born
21
Lambing Percentage # lambs available to market/# ewes exposed
2.0
Birth Weight Average birth weights (lbs.)
8.0-8.5
Pre-Weaning ADG: ram lambs Average daily gain to weaning (avg. all ram lambs)
> 0.80
Pre-Weaning ADG: ewe lambs Average daily gain to weaning (avg. all ewe lambs)
> 0.60
Lbs. lamb weaned per ewe exposed Lbs. lamb weaned/ewe
> 120
 
TOP PRODUCERS Lbs. Lamb Weaned
> 150
HALL OF FAME Lbs. Lamb Weaned
> 200
EFFICIENCY Lbs. Lamb Weaned/Ewe body weight (%)
> 100
PROFITABILITY Income - Expenses/Number of Ewes Exposed
> $100

Poor-performing animals are culled from the flock.  
Performance records are provided on all sale animals.

2008 Lambing Season

Lambing season went very well this year. Only two ewes required minor assistance. While the majority of the lambs are white, there are several black, brown, red, and spotted lambs. Here are a few pictures of the 2008 lamb crop.

The Quads
#517 raised twins as a yearling, triplets as a 2 year old,
and quads as a 3 year old. Instead of removing one of the
quads for bottle-feeding, I left all four lambs on the
ewe and offered supplemental bottles.
Colorful family
#22 is once again raising triplets. She's also "adopted"
a white lamb, so she's actually nursing quads.


#662 with twins
#662, a 2 year old is raising a nice set of ewe
lambs. They are chunking, so she is milking well.


Last Updated 28-May-2008 by Susan Schoenian.