Ewe of M - Let's Go Ewe!
Mates,
The farm has its own rhythm. The leaves have fallen and the chickens, cattle, and finally the corn have been harvested. It is the quiet season on the farm, relatively speaking. However, it's not completely without activity, as it is now what we call 'lambing season'. Lambing season is when our ewes (read: lady sheep, or Mrs. Sheep, if you prefer) start to give birth to the baby lambs. We had a new entrant last Sunday, a big, healthy, black-wooled guy. He is doing great.
Normally when I go down first thing in dark of the morning, the sheep are quiet and most are laying down. Today when I went down to the barn for early chores, there was a different sheep sound, much more emphatic or urgent. So with headlamp on I go to examine and while most of the sheep are indeed laying down, our biggest ewe is on her side, breathing rapidly. She's preggers and its not a heart attack she's having, it's a lamb. Other chores are done quickly, and I clear out all the other sheep to get outside. Interestingly, this in-labor ewe is the leader of the flock, even more than our big ram, and she is smart. The other sheep still want to hang out in the barn but that's not going to be an option for them, I shoo them out to the pasture. Mama ewe is not looking to get outside (usually she is the first out) so you know it's 'go time' for lambing.
With the other sheep outside, I tend to our Ewe of M, getting her comfortable, a load of hay to eat, water full, and fresh hay on the floor of the stall. She is very calm and I gently rub her sides. She has virtually no interest in the food, so you know the time is close. She lays back down, tilts over to her side some, and you can tell she's pushing some. She stands up, and simply holds still. Then back down. All of us parents (and hoo boy, our Mgomoms are nodding vigorously) have been through this routine - trying to get comfortable in an uncomfortable time. I leave her be and do other things, but go back to check on her. More of the same, but now little hooves can be seen. She lays down and with quick breathing, continues with the birthing process. Once you see hooves you should have a birth within an hour so I let her work on that for a bit.
Checking in about 10 minutes later there appears to be very little progress so it's time to assist. As I look closer, the hooves appear to be the rear hooves and that's not optimal - you want the forelegs first and that might explain the hang-up with the birth. With surgical gloves on I feel around the cervix and get my fingers inside. Her water has broken (they have two sacs) and she is lubricated enough so I can get some leverage on our lamb and that should help the birth. You have to be careful of course not to put too much pressure on him, but by the same token they are not as fragile as you might think. Doing my best to time my semi-gentle pulling to her contractions, we start to make progress. Think of this like the now-famous Eagles ''Tush Push", but in this case it's a "Tush Pull", so to speak. More contractions, the body moves more, and we finally get him out. Mom is laying down so I immediately clear his nostrils and hand him up to mom. She starts licking him clean and the natural mothering is set to begin. Not her first lamb, she knows what to do.
Last year, during our game v. ohio, I couldn't stand to watch it and instead went deer hunting. I spent most of the second half gutting and skinning a deer while getting score updates from my family. I analogized that to an Old Testament sacrifice (just kidding, God) but whatever it was, it worked. As we all know, Michigan won again that day. Incidentally, Donovon Edwards just scored again. Anyway, maybe today is a reverse offering of sorts, or more of a blessing. If you farm, more sheep is good. If you play football, more points for our beloved school is also good. Here's to ringing in the New Year in wonderful style and having 1/1/24 be a day we all remember with giant smiles on our faces.
And here's to the Ewe of M, she did her job admirably and that is one tough job.
Let's Go Blue, Let's Go Ewe, beat bama!
XM
December 28th, 2023 at 10:04 AM ^
I'll admit this pulled a sheepish grin out of me. I wool-d like to thank you for that, XM, shearly because I needed it more than I realized. There's mutton better than a heartelt story from the farm. I hope other readers will flock to this diary. May the good guys crush their Tide enemies, see them driven before them, and have herd the lamb-entations of their women.
December 28th, 2023 at 10:17 AM ^
and ram it down their throats...
December 28th, 2023 at 10:33 AM ^
With this comment, you’ve really raised the ba-a-ar.
December 28th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
Ewe mad, brah-ah-ah-ah?
December 28th, 2023 at 12:08 PM ^
Never ceases to amaze just how weird some of ewes guys are! 😅
December 28th, 2023 at 12:23 PM ^
I'll have to ruminant on these puns.
December 28th, 2023 at 10:27 AM ^
XM's latest farm report reminds me of Clarkson's Farm. Specifically, there is an episode in season 1 where Clarkson spends several days as a nervous wreck while overseeing and assisting with his first season of lambing. Being a seasoned lambing veteran, it sounds like XM handled his situation with a bit more sangfroid than Clarkson.
XM, have you watched Clarkson's Farm? If so, do you have any thoughts to share?
December 28th, 2023 at 10:31 AM ^
Ewe may think less of me, but not only have I never seen Clarkson’s farm, I’ve never even heard of it. If it’s one of those reality shows though, I’m guessing that the nervousness is drama for TV. Of course, there are times when there’s some anxiety involved or you’re really hustling to get things done, but that is pretty limited.
December 28th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
XM, I would never shear my regard for you based on your viewing habits. Clarkson's Farm is a reality show, but it has an interesting premise. Jeremy Clarkson is a well-known English TV presenter with a famously bombastic personality. He also happens to own a 1,000-acre farm in central England. For many years, he leased the land to a local farmer. When that farmer retired in 2019, he decided to take over management himself and conspired with Amazon, where his other show currently airs, to document his efforts (and failures). The first season of the show documents the annual life cycle of a medium-sized working farm as seen through the eyes of Clarkson, a complete neophyte. Clarkson freely admits that he has no idea what he is doing before charging ahead with reckless abandon.
As far as I can tell, the show does manufacture (much) drama. The difficulties of running a working farm and Clarkson's inexperience are enough to drive the show. The show itself does a magnificent job of showcasing both the importance of farming and the immense structural difficulties of running a modern farm. I cannot recommend it enough. Based on my limited knowledge of your personal history, I suspect you might see a bit yourself in Clarkson as he figures out to run a farm with no prior experience. Also, Kaleb and Charlie are absolute gems.
December 28th, 2023 at 1:05 PM ^
does sound like there would be entertainment in that premise. and while i had never farmed for a living, i had a fair amount of hands-on experience with many things associated with it before we started 20 yrs ago. also, where we live is a great place for many reasons, not the least of which is that if i ever get in a jam, i have farmer-neighbors who can help (corn harvest this year, by way of example - another post for another day) and of course who i can and do help when called upon.
December 28th, 2023 at 1:21 PM ^
"Jeremy Clarkson is a well-known English TV presenter with a famously bombastic personality."
Clarkson's initial fame was for being the creator—and from 2002 to 2015 one of the main hosts—of "Top Gear," a UK TV program focusing on motor vehicles.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_(2002_TV_series)
Clarkson is not everyone's cup of tea, and he's capable of saying things that almost seem designed to offend some people. I think he's frequently hilarious.
December 28th, 2023 at 11:35 AM ^
(edit: the above is secret footage from the XM Farm of the celebration today in honor of the nEWE arrival)
December 28th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
Wonderful. Thanks, X. This is one of the best things I've read on the blog.
December 28th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
^User name checks out
December 28th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Does whether you commit the young fella' to becoming a wether have anything to do with the weather UP there?
Go Bl-ewe, and as my buddy Billy Ray/Nenge Mboko would say, "Merry N-ewe year," XM!
/doesn't want to get left out of the ovine pun-fest.
December 28th, 2023 at 3:53 PM ^
louis, your post is pun-derful.
December 28th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
Fantastic, XM. I have a couple acres down here (Plant City, FL) and we love to call it the farm. I guess it's a farm in the Harbaugh sense... hens and a garden, but nothing like what you are operating.
December 28th, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
"With surgical gloves on I feel around the cervix and get my fingers inside."
I would be willing to bet a big lump of my own cash that nothing remotely resembling these words have ever appeared on another college program's blogsite.
It's the MGoBlog Difference.
December 28th, 2023 at 1:40 PM ^
the question is: in this instance was that mgoblog difference good or bad?
candidly, i think folks enjoy some of this, but if they don't i won't bother posting any more of it.
December 28th, 2023 at 1:50 PM ^
Speak your truth XM; nobody has it better than us.
December 28th, 2023 at 3:45 PM ^
I wasn’t being critical—I love your posts about your agricultural life. They contribute to the singular uniqueness of MGoBlog.
Given that my Mom grew up on a small, hardscrabble Missouri farm during the Depression, I have huge respect for farmers and the work they do. Visiting the farm during summer vacations and riding the tractor with Grandpa out in the fields are some of my best memories.
December 28th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
thanks don. like i mentioned, i think folks like these but don't want to simply presume that or overdo it.
December 29th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
Logged in just so I could let you know that I really like the XM farm updates. I like that this site includes some really diverse subjects to go along with all the great sports info.
Actually, I think I don't live to far from you. We're just west of Grayling. Maybe someday I'll run into you in real life.
December 28th, 2023 at 2:59 PM ^
I missed out on all the sheep puns.
My only sheep humor delivered sheepishly...
"Scotland*, where men are men and sheep are nervous."
*substitute any country you wish to insult.
December 28th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
If you say that with robin william’s hyperactive Scottish brogue in your head you will smile
December 28th, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
Maybe stupid, but you describe him as black-wooled. I assumed they're born hairless, is that wrong?
December 28th, 2023 at 3:36 PM ^
Heavens no..... the little buggers aren't born hairless... they'd freeze.
December 28th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
they are haired-over completely. the hair isn't long, but it is already dense as soon as their hooves hit the ground.
December 29th, 2023 at 8:02 AM ^
Learn something new every day. Thanks!
December 28th, 2023 at 4:17 PM ^
Sheepishly, I enjoyed that.
December 28th, 2023 at 4:56 PM ^
So is this an omen that we will face ewers on Jan 8?
December 28th, 2023 at 5:24 PM ^
Congrats to the ewe and you. By any chance, have you read, “Three Bags Full,” a murder mystery investigated and narrated by sheep? I wondered how diverse sheep personalities can exhibit themselves.
December 28th, 2023 at 7:58 PM ^
have not read 3 bags full.
if your question is serious, yes, sheep do exhibit diverse traits but most of them are pretty skittish. some smart, some not, some braver than others. similar to humans in that respect.
December 28th, 2023 at 7:55 PM ^
Nice post, XM. I am a city boy. I knew almost nothing about farm animals, that is until my daughter began to ride horses and joined her HS Equestrian team. So I have visited some barns and mucked the occasional horse stall. Even drove the horse trailer a few times to get them home on Saturday night after the meet. Horses are really cool.
I have also watched about 90% of the episodes of the Amazing Dr. Pol on Nat Geo. He is something else. The stuff he deals with is pretty wild as a farm vet. He brags that he has long arms - better to stick into the cow up to his shoulder and reposition the calf for birth or check for pregnancy. Learned a lot about pulling calves, dealing with abscesses (pus), cow bloating, worms, etc. Not glamourous but I can definitely respect people who care for farm animals. It's a lot of work.
December 29th, 2023 at 5:36 AM ^
you wrote, "HS Equestrian team" and all i could think of was:
i'm sure he's in pasadena now, getting ready for the rose bowl.
December 29th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
Lambaste them!
December 29th, 2023 at 1:46 PM ^
Seems yesterday was a good day for farm "labor". Here in Kansas, four new kids entered the world (twins from two different nanny goats). One new mama, one older and well-experienced. Oddly, the younger mom seems to be doing better than the other, perhaps because of the weariness that comes with age. All the babies are healthy and happy, though.
December 29th, 2023 at 6:59 PM ^
All I can picture is Billy Crystal and Norman.
Maybe it's a sign that means the meeting of Ewe and Ewers (and a Happy New Year to ewe and ewers).
December 30th, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
What a great write up of this birth! Your farm must be pretty big. We had some property near Cadillac when I was growing up and I was able to spend some time in and around the farmer’s barn full of cows… and cats! There we a lot of cats there, catching mice and getting paid in fresh cow’s milk.
Right after graduation, I went to work for a pharmaceutical company in North Chicago. They had a research farm with sheep and other domesticated beasts. I was assigned a small remodeling project to update the building.
There were two construction workers on the site and occasionally the foreman - Bob - would show up. For some reason, the sheep would start baying when he walked into the building. The two guys would start laughing and yell out “hey Baaahhb…. Baaahhb… they are calling for you!”, then turn their butts to Bob and bend over.
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