Sheep Udder Pics

This post is about sheep udders.  You may not want to keep reading if you're not all that interested in sheep udders.  The ewes are due to lamb just about any day now (technically the 23rd), and I've been keeping a close eye on their udders. 

I took these photos about a week and a half ago when I crutched the ewes. Crutching is removing wool from their back ends, udders, and bellies.  It helps keep an eye for bagging up (and impending labor), but also helps a newborn lamb find the teat. 

I really should post up to date pics, because their udders have really grown since these were taken, but I'm afraid if I did, I wouldn't get around to posting it until after the lambs were here. 

So here's Darla:

Bean:  I'm thinking she may be due later than the other girls.

And here's Barley:

I took a before and after belly shot to show how much better it is after crutching.  The picture is taking looking down at her stomach while she's seated on her rump.  It's a wooly mess!

Much better!

I'll try to get new pictures tomorrow to show the difference in their udders.  Of course now that the ewes are due the weather has actually turned cold.  It's been a pretty mild winter with only a few sporadic cold spells, and we're in one now.  I'll probably do night time checks now just to make sure I try to catch any lambs born.  They'd probably be ok, but if there was a problem I'd want to catch it.