The Green Grass of May

Vappu has been home at mealtimes.  She weighed 8# when she was born, and here 16# two weeks later.

Now that we have the electric netting up, the sheep have plenty of new grass to  graze.  They've also been  scratching their heads on the lower branches of spruce trees so that a lot of dry twigs get broken off and tangled in their wool.

Chow time!

I wanted to get a closeup picture of the lush grass so I held the camera right up to the electric netting.  Right after this picture was taken the breeze moved the netting so that it touched one finger.  My whole arm automatically jumped back.  An 8000 volt pulse gives you quite a jolt.

Vappu is learning to graze.  It takes several weeks before a lamb's digestive system develops the  bacteria needed to digest grass, so momma's rich milk is still her mainstay.  Sonja has to eat for two.

Grazing is just a hobby for lamb, but it's serious business for a sheep.  They have to fill that big rumen to keep the fermentation going.

Vappu is easily the fastest runner of the flock now, but of course she will slow down once she develops that big "hay gut".